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There are two big misconceptions that a fair amount of business
professionals hold about the media and their attitude towards
those in the public relations field.
The first misconception is that the media despises anyone in
public relations. Some people tend to think that journalists or
other news writers prefer to dig up all their stories from
scratch, and not get ideas from outside sources.
The second and opposite misconception about the media is that
they are lazy, and simply print press releases sent out by PR
groups word for word. It is thought sometimes that the media runs
stories or news about a particular company in hopes of getting
more advertising dollars in the future.
In actuality, the media recognizes public relations simply as a
part of their field. Many times, public relations efforts bring
about many interesting opportunities and stories for media folk,
and the media does not avoid using nor actively seek out public
relations material.
There are a few things that you can keep in mind when putting
together material for release to the media. The number one most
important thing is that the job of an editor is to find
interesting and pertinent material for their audience.
Think about it this way: you write an ad and decide to place the
ad in a few national newspapers and magazines. Your main interest
is that the ad is catchy and convincing to the readers of those
publications. You are not concerned that the magazine or
newspaper editors will like the ad, because it's not up to them--
you paid for the placement. But, when submitting material for
public relations purposes you have to keep in mind that the
material has to suit both the editor and the reader.
If the editor finds your work acceptable for both the publication
and the intended audience, you are well on your way towards a
great public relations relationship with the media.
So, the media are not much different from anyone else that you
might find out and about in the working world-- they are just
doing their job and trying to get material together. Keep their
needs, the reader's needs, and you needs in mind, and your PR
skills will be top notch.
About the Author
Ana Ventura specializes in helping businesses, organizations, and
individuals get media coverage. She is a PR expert at DrNunley's
http://FullServicePR.com , a site specializing in affordable
publicity services. Reach Ana at mailto:ana@fullservicepr.com or
801-328-9006.
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