Introducing Media Relations!

As my title suggested, we learnt about media relations in today's lecture. It was fairly simple and easy to understand. The class unraveled with the obvious, what is media relations?

When you say the words "media relations" you already have a slight definition that forms in your head. Media is basically the things surrounding us that provides us with up-to-date information and entertainment. Such things include, television, advertisements, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards and the list goes on. Then the word relations is part of the word relationship and we all know that forming a relationship is bonding with another person. Thus, media relations can be concluded as forming a relationship with the media or the people who make media possible.

According to Bloomberg's Business Week, media relations is a component of public relations. Like what i guessed above, media relations turned out just to be that- to build relationships with the people of the media. However, Bloomberg's Business Weeks also describes how media relations is important because the people of the media are often those who delivers messages and information in a particular form of way. Thus, building good relations with the media is often a good idea.

Now there are various forms of tactics that can be used to give out information.

The first is written. In a written tactic, there are two sub forms which include uncontrolled and controlled. Uncontrolled involves news releases, news releases, backgrounders, feature stories and letters to the editors. In uncontrolled tactics, messages can basically cannot be controlled because they are under the hands of the journalists. Now these journalists can anyhow write a news article depending on the angle that will spice things up! Now the catch is the angle that will "spice things up" can be good or bad. Nobody knows how the journalists thinks and will find interesting. On the other hand, controlled method includes pamphlets, brochures, handbooks, annual reports, books, newsletters and fliers. Now these ones can be controlled and made into a way that the company wants them to be made in.

The second form of tactic is spoken and this includes speeches, interviews, word of mouth, face to face, radio and community service announcements. It is using ones voice to tell information about a specific news.

The third tactic that can be used is acted tactics. This is when actual interviews, conferences, photo shoots, television announcements, demonstrations, factory tours, exhibitions, street theaters and event launches are made.

The last is imagined tactic. Imagined tactic can be done through putting a product in a show. Thus, the celebrities in the film will use the product in a way to exhibit it to the audience. Thus, exposing the product to the viewers. Another way is by creating photos, pictures, art, graffiti and paintings to spread a news. Others include, videos, DVDs, CDs and musical concerts.

Besides the tactics, i also learned that it is important that PR practitioners use their creativity and intelligence to find different angles of a story. They need this to explore the various choice of interesting turns they can place as news that may be selected. This is not an easy job as it requires a lot of research and work.



REFERENCE

BusinessWeek. What are media relations and why are they so important? [Online] Available at: http://bx.businessweek.com/public-relations-and-communication/view?url=http://publicrelationsblogger.com/2009/10/what-are-media-relations-and-why-are.html [Accessed 27 January 2010].

Zooming into the second lecture

It is week two already and we have stepped forward to learn about what Public Relations really consists of.

Public Relations requires a strategy which is a plan or method that shows how a person is going to achieve potential goals in a competitive strategy. The main point that must be remembered is that every strategy must have a goal. For instance, an ambulance that is on the call will have its main priority or objective is to reach those people seeking health care or needs assistance.

Another particular aspect is that competitors are not always obvious. What this means is that yes there is obvious competitors that can be seen clearly, but there are always other competitors that no one would consider as competition till they really think about it. I found this very interesting because i never knew some things could be competitors.

One clear example Tanya gave was on cinemas and the shows it was showing. The obvious competitors for a cinema can be other cinemas, television, the internet and pirated movies. The competitors Tanya brought up amazed me. She mentioned x-box or the wii that is being played at home as a competitor. I was a little reluctant to feel that, that was true but she explained how such games makes people to not go to the cinema and instead stay home for entertainment and fun. After the explanation, i realized that it is in fact a reasonable competitor.

I also learnt that PR works best when being used with Integrated Marketing Communications. This is when all forms of promotional tools and communication functions are used together to project a consistent, unified brand message and organization image to the market (De La Salle & PANAF, 2008).

Moreover, there were various steps to follow in PR. They include- research, analysis, goal setting, objectives, target audience, developing strategies, devising and implementing tactics, monitoring, and evaluation. What i realized is that in PR there is so much things to learn and i am so glad that this module is assignment based rather than exam.


REFERENCE:

De La Salle Graduate School of Business & PANAF, 2008. Integrated Marketing Communications [Online] Available at: http://www.pana.com.ph/docs/IMC-Course-Syllabus.pdf [Accessed 22 January 2010].

The very first lecture.

Today was the very first day for class CMNS1290- Public Relations. We met Tanya Wilson, who was to be our lecturer and tutor. Everyone in class introduced themselves so that Tanya can start to familiarize with each student. I was quite ready to work hard for this subject as i already know that having PR skills will help me in many fields of the work industry and even though i do want to be a journalism, i plan to start my career working as a PR. Moreover, i think i myself suit the role of PR as i am a friendly, outspoken and a sociable person. 

The first lecture was quite interesting. I liked the fact that the materials and the things we were about to learn were not just form the textbook, but from Tanya's real life work experience. I found out that most of the products and brands displayed in magazines are based on the words of a PR. The people working for the magazine do not generally test all products! This made me realize that not every word from a magazine can actually be considered as valid. Additionally, the messages that were sent by PR's were more likely to persuade people to buy a product rather than the advertisements being shown. 

At first my thoughts about PR was that it was all to to do with press release and how information is passed between the company and the public. However, i realized that PR consists of more than just passing information on. It is important for Public relations officers to be able to react differently for different occasions. Moreover, these officers must be able to anticipate, interpret and analyze issues, attitudes or public opinions which are formed. Circumstances can be both good and bad and therefore PR officers must be able to respond responsibly in a way that helps the  company. Another grave role PR plays, is to help counsel all levels of management when situations arises. 

For instance, if something bad impacts a company, it is the PR officers job to help give advice and plan a method that will counter the damages caused. Generally, officers will use the media as a method of communicating with the public and at times when difficulties or damages are encountered, the media is most likely to produce stories to portray the event in a bad light. Thus, it is the PR's job to try and get the media to portray it in a way that does not make the public angry or dislike the company. PR's will do this by making statements that will reassure the general public. 

I feel that today in the 1 hour lecture, i learnt a lot and i am very enthusiastic of what is to come ahead.