1. Chapter 6 Media Relations: Shaping the News
Connection to PR
Symbiotic Relationship
Uncontrolled Media
Resources for Creating News Stories

2. PR-Media Connection in the U.S.
1900s journalists became public relations professionals.
Move from newspaper to PR.
Example is Ivy Lee.

3. Media Connection Lingers
The Princeton Review describes public relations as follows: “A public relations specialist is an image shaper. Their job is to generate positive publicity for their client and enhance their reputation.”

4. Dangers of the Media-PR Connection
PR is equated with publicity.
PR becomes known as spin:
Highlights positives through publicity
Tries to hide the negatives

5. Media and PR in Perspective
Media are important public for PR.
Media relations is narrower than PR.
PR deals with a wider array of publics.
We should not confuse the part for the whole.

6. Media Relation as Skill
Entry level practitioners must be versed in media relations:
Write news releases
Construct media lists

7. Means to an Ends
Media relations helps to achieve larger organizational goals.
The positive media coverage is means to achieving other organizational goals.
Larger organizational goals can include:
Reputation building
Product launch and promotion
Creating interest in an issue (issues management)

8. Symbiotic Relationships with Journalists
Symbiotic is when two organisms live in close association for a long period of time.
PR and journalists have over 100 years together.

9. More on Symbiotic Relations
At least one of the organisms benefits from the relationship.

10. Forms of Symbiotic Relationships
Commensalism: one side benefits but other is unharmed.
Parasitism: one side benefits and other is harmed.
Mutualism: both benefit from relationship.
So which is the PR-journalism relationship?

11. Mutualism or Parasitism
News media are able to create stories at a lower cost , an information subsidy (benefit).
PR receives positive stories about the organization (benefit).
Critics see the relationship as parasitism:
PR is controlling news media for its own ends
PR is corrupting the news

12. Dynamics of Media Relations
PR person has certain information to place in the news media.
PR person crafts message (e.g., news release) and sends it to the news outlet.
News media representatives decide whether or not to use the information.
If the information is used, news media representatives decide how to frame the information.

13. Uncontrolled Media
News media controls if the information is used and how it will be used.
Effective media relations requires:
Catching the media’s attention
Shaping how the information is framed

14. Frame
A frame is the information selected for the story and framing refers to the process of developing frames.
Organizations want frames that support their larger objectives.
Positive story about a new product
Favorable portrayal of new CEO

15. Resources for Creating News Story
News Values
News Peg
Celebrities

16. News Values or Newsworthiness
Timeliness: must be recent.
Impact: does or can affect many people.
Audience interests: appeals to audience for that outlet—their values and types of stories.
Conflict/oddity: people are drawn to deviations from the norm, this includes conflict.

17. News Values or Newsworthiness
Drama: a good story has the narrative form of conflict, problem, and denouement.
Human interest: the allure of ordinary people in unusual situations or with unusual experiences.

18. News Peg An event or issue that is already being covered by the media.
Practitioners can connect their information to the news peg.

19. Celebrities Well known people increases the news value.
Audiences are obsessed with celebrities.
Connecting a celebrity to publicity information increases the likelihood it will appear in the media.

20. Beyond News Values
Must present publicity materials in the proper format.
Must understand how to target media outlets.
Must understand how to properly distribute publicity materials.

21. Risks Publicity materials are not used.
Publicity materials are not used as intended.

22. Why Bother with Media Relations?
Publics do receive a lot of information from the media.
Media agenda tells people what is important.
How that information is framed has an effect on publics.
Shape reputations
Influence support for issues

23. Filters in the Propaganda Model
Large corporations owning and operating the media for profit.
Dependency on advertisers for revenue.
Dependence on government and corporate sources.
Negative responses to media content.
Enemies/anti-communism (Herman and Chomsky, 1987).

24. Reflection Points
Do all organizations and groups deserve the right to engage in publicity?
Do some groups or individuals have an advantage for shaping media content?
How do you feel about the propaganda model?

25. Reflection Points
How has the use of video news releases (VNRs) hurt public relations?
Are the problems related to VNRs fair to PR?
What is the relevance of front groups to media relations?
What can transparency add to discussions about media relations?