PUBLIC RELATIONS 'VS.' JOURNALISM

Public Relations vs. Journalism

Public Relations vs. Journalism

Introduction

Is it any wonder that journalists who do find themselves working in PR may turn their back on it after a while? The profession is not best known for “reputation management” when it comes to its own standing. Anyone in any doubt about PR's image in some journalists' eyes should take a look at a post entitled “Die ? PR ? Die” on Technology Guardian editor Charles Arthur's blog. After detailing a catalogue of jaw-dropping incompetence ? Arthur concludes: “PR has to raise its game. It's just dire.” Against this background you can understand why a one-time PR officer attempting to make their way as a reporter - or who goes back to journalism after PR - could feel a little apprehensive.

Although there are undoubtedly potential conflicts of interest in working as a PR and a journalist - something he has never done - it can be rather “precious” of journalists to look down at anyone spending time in PR. They have changed jobs and there is no reason they shouldn't change back again. Let's not pretend we are all totally objective all the time ? that we don't ever write in a certain way because of our own or a newspaper's viewpoint. (Shin ? 2003)

Discussion

The “techniques of PR work” clearly correspond to journalistic “professional competence” and some aspects of “communication competence” are similar as well. “Elements of communication sciences” also play a major role within the area of “subject-matter competence.” (Walker ? 2005 ? PP. 45) And a major company's PR specialist can certainly perceive “knowledge of business management” to be part of the “subject-matter competence” required by the job. Bearing this in mind ? can and should business journalists ? who certainly need subject-matter competence in business management ? undergo the same training as PR professionals? If we go more in-depth ? certain differences become apparent. In Weischenberg's model for journalistic training ? “professional competence” involves “tools” such as research ? selection and editing ? while in the world of public relations the focus is increasingly on the larger conceptual picture. For journalists ? “communication competence” involves primarily media production ? while media relations are only one aspect of PR work. For a journalist dealing with economic affairs ? specialized knowledge of management and economics is geared to a broader picture ? while specialists in corporate communications will focus to a greater degree on project management and leadership within their own organizations. In the given framework ? journalism and PR are no longer two sides of a single coin ? as they may have been several decades ago. The analogy and all of the implications which go along with it may still apply to media relations. They continue to play an important role ? but they neither define PR nor the relationship between PR and journalism.

Though it is impossible to go into detail here ? it should be noted that both disciplines have developed further ? each independent of ...