PR professionals and journalists are well-known for their love-hate relationships. But their bond is more like a marriage made in heaven. How? PR pros rely on journos to voice out brand stories for their clients, while journalists count on PR pros for finding interesting stories and eventually meet their deadlines.
In a nutshell, both parties depend on each other: one for information and another for taking that information out in the media.
How has the pandemic added a little twist to this relationship?
For journalists, it’s even more challenging to ensure that information coming from a PR agency is credible and interesting. At the same time, they continue to seek a constant supply of information because the medium of communication has turned digital, where consumers can easily access content and thus keep looking for more.
Gone are the days when PR pros approached media only for the benefit of their brand partners. We are living in times where both these parties are responsible for feeding readers with new and engaging stories. Stories that add value to their lives!
The pivotal role of digital mediums
The communication process has now become more seamless with smartphones and other smart gadgets that enable people to interact from their space of comfort, unlike conventional methods, which were purely based on physical meetings. And now that people are pushed to go online in the wake of COVID-19, they are realizing the growing importance of digital tools and technologies. For instance, conversations are more engaging as well as insightful as we don’t have to schedule physical meetings as we used to earlier.
Today, all we need is a phone or laptop to connect and interact with others, anytime, anywhere.
The impact of digital advancements on event launches
The digital makeover has also created a direct positive impact on launch events. Since these activities are being conducted online, it is easier for people to participate even if they are sitting anywhere across the globe. Plus, it also gives them the power to revisit the event anytime because of 24×7 access to the recording sessions.
With transformations like these, the relationship between PR pros and journalists has grown more cordial. PR pros not only focus on media reach but also on providing content-rich information using various digital tools and platforms, thereby making the journalist’s life easy.
Connecting PR and Journalism with Social Media
Social media also plays a vital role in strengthening this relationship. It serves as a platform for connecting the two, backed by a real-time feedback mechanism. It acts as a seamless communicating medium, where both parties can discuss various subjects, exchange information, and share feedback in a jiffy.
However, at the same time, it is their onus to ensure that whatever information goes out is easy to understand and consume. The attention span of humans has reduced further due to easy access to digital content, and they can’t stick to reading or watching long-form content for prolonged hours.
Summing Up
The pandemic has brought about significant changes in business dynamics. This has also enabled both PR pros and journalists to show their human side and empathize with each other at every point possible. That said, the relationship between both parties has certainly evolved and is slowly reaching a point of mutual support and understanding.