There are a number of ways in which Public Relations (PR) may help journalism and journalists in their work. Namely by speeding up the news and reducing its costs, by distributing reliable information.
First off all, PR provides information, statistics and fact checking for journalists. This enables the latter to find out or reassure themselves about the latest facts about the issue they are researching. Journalists receive data from PR professionals, but it only works if the journalist that the publicist shares reliable information.
Mutual Benefits
All forms of media, including traditional printed newspapers, places a high value on securing good images. Strong visuals help tell the story but also increases newsstand sales. It could even lengthen the time an online visitor spends on their website. PR knows that any event that provides opportunities for quality visuals will have a good chance of securing media coverage through Media Relations.
Another way PR helps journalists is — in advance of issuing a news release or organising a event — identifying people who are prepared to talk to the media. For journalists, finding real people who have been affected by the issue in a news story and want to talk about publicly is highly time and cost-consuming. Especially in issues like health or personal finance, where people are generally less keen to share information.
The Story Comes to You
The creative process of forward planning future media content can also benefits from PR. Even if they don’t use it, journalists look at news releases sent to them by PR professionals for ideas for new stories or features. In return, these provide opportunities for organizations to float or pitch story ideas to the media. This is a two-way process that at the same time facilitates mutual involvement.
A news story, done well, will include quotes from relevant people, including senior leaders in organisations involved in it. PR speeds up the process of asking for a quote in response to an issue or story by supplying and distributing these quotes. Many organisational news releases consist just of a quote from a responsible responding to a news event. Interviews are also a regular media format and PR professionals accelerate and simplify the process of organising these interviews.