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Media relations sits at the heart of public relations practice—it's where your strategic messaging meets the real world of journalism, deadlines, and competing stories. You're being tested on your understanding of how PR professionals build mutually beneficial relationships with media gatekeepers, craft messages that cut through noise, and manage organizational reputation across multiple channels. This isn't just about sending press releases; it's about understanding the news value equation, relationship management principles, and strategic communication timing that determine whether your story gets covered or ignored.
The practices below demonstrate core PR concepts you'll encounter throughout your coursework: two-way symmetric communication, agenda-setting theory, source credibility, and crisis management frameworks. Don't just memorize these tactics—understand why each practice works and what communication principle it illustrates. When exam questions ask you to evaluate a media relations scenario, you need to identify which best practice applies and explain the underlying rationale.
Effective media relations rests on the principle of relationship management—the idea that organizations and publics (including journalists) develop connections through repeated, mutually beneficial interactions over time. These practices focus on establishing trust before you need coverage.
Compare: Relationship Building vs. Following Up—both focus on long-term connection, but relationship building happens before you need coverage while follow-up nurtures connections after interactions. Strong candidates demonstrate understanding of the full relationship lifecycle in scenario questions.
Media relations operates on journalism's clock, not yours. News value decays rapidly, meaning your ability to respond quickly and anticipate deadlines directly impacts coverage outcomes.
Compare: Deadlines vs. Responsiveness—understanding deadlines is proactive (planning your outreach), while responsiveness is reactive (handling incoming inquiries). Both test your grasp of how time pressure shapes journalist behavior.
The message construction phase determines whether your pitch earns coverage or lands in the trash. These practices apply news value criteria and audience analysis to create compelling content.
Compare: Press Releases vs. Key Messages—press releases are external documents for journalists, while key messages are internal frameworks that guide all communications. FRQs may ask you to develop both for a single scenario.
Source credibility theory explains why accuracy and reliability determine your long-term effectiveness. One factual error can destroy years of relationship building.
Compare: Accuracy vs. Exclusivity—both build source credibility, but accuracy is baseline expectation while exclusivity is relationship enhancement. Never sacrifice accuracy for the sake of an exclusive.
Modern media relations requires platform fluency—understanding how different channels reach different audiences and demand different content formats.
Compare: Traditional Media vs. Social Media—traditional channels offer credibility and reach through gatekeepers, while social media enables direct engagement but requires more active relationship maintenance. Know when each approach serves your objectives.
Crisis communication represents media relations under maximum pressure. Preparation before crisis determines success during crisis.
Compare: Crisis Planning vs. Monitoring—planning is preparation for potential problems, while monitoring is ongoing intelligence gathering. Both feed into crisis readiness, but monitoring also informs routine media strategy.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Relationship Management | Journalist relationship building, following up, respecting integrity |
| Strategic Timing | Understanding deadlines, being accessible and responsive |
| Message Construction | Crafting pitches, preparing key messages, media training |
| Source Credibility | Ensuring accuracy, offering exclusives |
| Channel Strategy | Multi-channel utilization, content tailoring, social media leverage |
| Crisis Preparedness | Crisis planning, media monitoring |
| Audience Analysis | Tailoring content, channel selection, format adaptation |
| Two-Way Communication | Responsiveness, feedback requests, journalist engagement |
Which two practices both focus on building source credibility, and how do they differ in approach?
A journalist emails you at 4 PM asking for comment on a breaking story with a 6 PM deadline. Which best practices apply, and in what order of priority?
Compare and contrast the role of key messages versus press releases—when would you develop each, and how do they work together?
Your organization is launching a new initiative. Explain how you would apply channel strategy principles to maximize coverage across different audience segments.
An FRQ describes a scenario where a spokesperson gave contradictory information to two different reporters. Which best practices were violated, and what underlying PR principle does this illustrate?