You have likely heard the terms media relations and public relations used interchangeably. While there are similarities between the two, they are not the same thing.
What Is The Difference Between PR and Media Relations?
While public relations (PR) and media relations are closely related and often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. PR is a broad term that encompasses various strategies and tactics aimed at managing an organization's reputation and communication with its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the general public. Media relations, on the other hand, is a specific aspect of PR that focuses on building and maintaining relationships with journalists, reporters, and other members of the media. The goal of media relations is to secure positive media coverage, manage crisis situations, and ensure that an organization's message is accurately and effectively communicated through various media channels. In essence, media relations is a crucial component of a comprehensive PR strategy.
Public Relations
We can define public relations as a long-term and strategic communications process that develops mutually beneficial and lasting relationships between various organizations and their target audience. These various audiences include customers, employees, industry leaders, government bodies, investors, suppliers, charities, and the media. PR firms can devise PR campaigns that resonate with these audience groups.
Media Relations
Media relations, on the other hand, is an aspect of public relations. The two terms are not strictly interchangeable since media relations focuses solely on the relationship between an organization and the media. These can be editors, reporters, and journalists at online publications as well as print media outlets such as Forbes and The Washington Post, or producers from radio and TV stations.
Here are some reasons why public relations and media relations are not the same.
Difference Between PR and Media Relations: Story Development and Broadcasting
Public relations focuses on helping companies or organizations find their story and determining what they would like to say and to whom. This shows the importance of strategic public relations.
On the other hand, with media relations, key stories are assigned a platform and widely distributed to consumers of news. The evolution of technology has opened the doors for organizations to explore different methods to reach audiences, such as with blogging and social media.
However, while these mediums are still relatively new, they do not eliminate the need for traditional news, like television, newspapers and radio. Traditional news is still one of the most effective ways to share your message with a large audience. It is also cost-effective.
Difference Between PR and Media Relations: Number of Channels
Public relations specialists look to develop and foster the relationships between their organization and stakeholders. To do this, public relations professionals may utilize various and diversified channels, such as a company blog, various social media platforms, or even special events for communicating effectively and directly with those individuals.
In contrast, media relations tend to focus on just one important channel: the press.
If you use the press as the channel for communicating with stakeholders, it not only allows you to meet stakeholders where they are already — using what they are already watching, reading, or listening to — but it helps add third-party validation to your message. Underestimating the importance of third-party validation is detrimental. Think about how persuasive and credible a message is coming from a source, like Forbes or The New York Times, versus coming from a newly-established Twitter account.
In conclusion, understanding the difference between PR and media relations is crucial for organizations seeking to effectively manage their reputation and communicate with their target audience. While PR encompasses a wide range of strategies and tactics aimed at building mutually beneficial relationships with various stakeholders, media relations focuses specifically on building and maintaining relationships with journalists, reporters, and other members of the media. By leveraging the power of media relations, organizations can secure positive media coverage, manage crisis situations, and ensure that their message is accurately and effectively communicated through various media channels. Ultimately, a well-executed media relations strategy is a key component of a comprehensive PR plan, and can help organizations build credibility, trust, and lasting relationships with their target audience.
