Respect Between Journalism and Public Relations

In the world of communications, the connection between journalism and public relations can sometimes seem tense and challenging, as if they were rivals. Although it is true that these two disciplines are somewhat opposites with divergent goals, the truth is that when they work together, they forge a powerful alliance for creating valuable content that impacts the audience.

The press and public relations share a common goal: the effective transmission of information. Where the first seeks objectivity and truth, the latter aims to build and maintain reputation or brand awareness. In the convergence of these seemingly different goals, there is fertile ground for collaboration.

What are the benefits of joint work between journalism and public relations?

Some of the advantages include:

Valuable Content. Public relations professionals can provide journalists with relevant information and exclusive data they have access to, contributing to the creation of more significant and high-quality stories. 

Access to Reliable Sources. PR offers journalists access to verified experts and studies, allowing them to rely on truthful information, which contributes to the quality and credibility of various journalistic contents, such as news, interviews, or reports, among others. 

Impact on the Audience. Effective collaboration between public relations and journalism maximizes the impact on the audience. The combination of strategic messages, valuable content, expert voices, and relevant data will capture the attention of the message recipients. 

With so many advantages to this joint work, why aren't they always hand in hand? Sometimes there is a lack of empathy, even respect, in the treatment of professionals from different areas. Being a journalist in media and PR, I know firsthand both sides of the coin. 

While it is unforgivable for a PR professional to call a journalist in the wee hours of the morning about an issue that can easily wait until business hours, it is equally condemnable for the journalist to hang up the phone on the PR professional who contacts them to offer an interview, or to leave them on read without any response. Unfortunately, these situations do happen. Therefore, it is recommended to place respect and empathy in the middle of all our interpersonal relationships, including the workplace. 

Empathy will help these professionals understand that the other is just doing their job. Respect will ensure that responses are assertive. One can call at appropriate hours. It is also possible to say that there is no interest in a particular topic or interview, in a polite manner, without the need to hang up the phone call. Communication with empathy and respect benefits everyone.