In its true sense, PR will cover investor relations, the financial community and such relatively esoteric audiences. However, for our purpose of selling a product or service, it could more accurately be described as media relations. In this role it seeks to help us get mentioned, regularly and favorably, in media which are seen, heard or read by our target audiences.

“The thing is, you can convey your message by either advertising in media or, you can work with news media to carry your messages and thus, become your third-party endorser. Because news media are not regarded as ‘paid advertisement,’ they do tend to be more credible,” said Strategic Communications consultant Carol Esposo Espiritu.

“It’s not called media relations for nothing. It’s, of course, much more than press releases and updated media lists. If the relationships aren’t there, it’s just a list of names,” stressed Lu-Ann G. Fuentes, editorial and communication services director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Manila.

For some people, the letters PR stand for “press release,” because this is such a common way for PR people to get the message out there. “There are many PR agencies in the country with the wrong notion of what media relations truly is. They think and act like it’s a matter of writing a press release and sending it to a particular editor,” pointed out Strategic Communications director Alex Pastor.

PR is not free. PR is not easy. You will achieve coverage only if you have something with genuine news value to say and if you are prepared to work hard, in partnership with your agency, to identify the stories of interest, to research the information to put some meat into them, and to build good relationships with key media contacts.

“In public relations, a media relations job is tough. Clients do not only want PR counsel but would like to see results—they want their views aired on TV and radio, their press releases printed in newspapers and magazines. The media relations person is expected to bring in these results, hence, her importance in any PR outfit,” furthered Europa Public Relations president Sylvia Pinca.

“We cannot be friends with all the media contacts that we may need in the course of doing business for our company or clients. Since there are a number of media specialties, e.g., business, lifestyle, tech, etc., we may need to rely on or pool our media contacts in order to expand our media reach,” said Fleishman-Hillard SVP and general manager Cosette Romero.

However, in the process of seeking for the assistance and support of the media—be it for the release of a client’s story or for event coverage—“PR agencies tend to overlook the occasions when they are already exploiting the relationship that they have established with the press people, like taking advantage of them in times of crisis, thus the ‘user-friendly’ approach,” said Full Circle Communications president Milen Sison-de Quiros.

Freelance PR and media relations practitioner Alice Balangue doesn’t see media relations as a small part of the agency’s business. “After all, not all public relations practitioners have excellent relationships with media.  Some mistake media relations for PR and vice versa.  They are often used interchangeably. Media relations is the relationship you develop with media, while PR extends that relationship to the public. Both are equally important in the agency’s business. In simpler terms, public relations plans, media relations implements.”

As a stakeholder relations firm, EON The Stakeholder Relations Firm, understands the importance of solid relationship with the media and to do that, “we consider media relations as very significant in our operations. In fact, we provide trainings to our media relations and client servicing teams that enable them to properly deal with the media at all times,” said, Malyn Molina, assistant vice president for client services.

Team Ads managing director Teddy Pereña believes that a positive public image for your company and clients is the end result “as you will have easier access to media to articulate the good things you are doing.”

PR freelancer Paz Atienza said that agency-generated press releases may see print if they are well-written and informative to readers. “It is the editor of a section who will best judge if it is worth seeing the story in print. This has to always be explained to clients so that the story is written in a manner that will be in the style of the newspaper and not in the style of a print ad or propaganda material.”

The downsides are that to stay in news, you need a regular supply of newsworthy stories—and that’s tough to maintain. You have no way of guaranteeing coverage; once the story has gone out, you’re at the mercy of the editor. And you cannot control the finished article or broadcast. In contrast, advertising is controllable in content, appearance, timing and frequency. That’s what you’re paying for.

But these challenges, according to AMPR Publicity and Communications managing director Ana Liza Manansala, are important for you to determine the proper approach, which includes press relations, media handling and how to pitch or “sell” your story to the target media.

“Aside from relationship building, it is also important to create good stories that will benefit and capture the interest of the reading public. You also need to manage the client’s expectations in achieving the target number of exposures. Some people, unfortunately, still do not understand the value of public relations and how it really works, but I guess more and more people are now becoming more aware of it and the value or benefits it brings to the business,” Manansala added.

In our next issue of this column, find out more on what they have to say about media relations—investment or cost?

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RIP OFF

Some firms go as far as to take legal action against anyone who dares to encroach on their territory as has been the case with a global brand, who has even tried to protect the company’s prefix. The company just managed to make them look foolish and offensive. Experts say people who adapt your brand name push you further up the ladder: those who steal your ideas completely look like thieves, and will not command respect. Suing them just makes you look bad. Thieves are unlikely to be trusted by customers—you have little to fear from this type of competition.