THE INTERACTION OF PR AGENCIES AND MASS MEDIA

ABSTRACT

The article describes the relationship between PR and journalism. Both fields work with information, providing society with data in various spheres. For quality interaction, it is important to understand the current issues facing this communication.

Keywords: PR, mass media, journalism.

The relationship between the mass media and public relations is one of the priority and significant directions in shaping public opinion. Publications in the media make companies more well-known and trusted. This applies to any type of sale of goods and services, and introducing a new opinion leader to society.

The communication between PR and the mass media is always mutually beneficial. Through a well-constructed PR strategy, companies increase the chance of creating a positive public opinion about their product or company representative. The media often become the foundation for successful business development, influencing how you enter the market and the level of consumer demand that arises.

There are various formats for PR interactions with journalists. One variation is meeting with correspondents in an informal setting to gauge the speaker's attitude toward current events. An example is Vladimir Putin's meeting with journalists in 2011, which addressed the recent terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport. In this case, PR agents were not promoting a product but shaping the image of a particular individual.

Such meetings are organized by PR service representatives. They determine the type of event, location, time, distribute press releases, and invite correspondents.

There are also options for organizing events specifically for the media. This helps correspondents centrally and primarily receive answers to their questions. For example, in 2020, the confectionery firm "Altai" organized a meeting with journalists, where representatives of the factory discussed how they assemble New Year's gifts, where they can be bought, and what they consist of. In this way, the company itself received advertising through the event's media coverage, while correspondents gained access to exclusive information for their reports. Beyond informal meetings and special events, PR services offer correspondents workshops, lectures, presentations, and press conferences. All these communication options have many objectives, but the primary one is to establish relationships between PR and journalism.

The main problem in the interaction of PR services with the media is the difference in interests. Journalists are interested in covering socially significant events and incidents, while public relations have another task—to form a positive public opinion about a product or a specific individual. Finding a middle ground is truly challenging because no publication will advertise you for free: 'Real mutual interest is necessary. Journalists should be interested in working with you. Either they find their favorite topics with you, or you present ordinary topics in a way that can interest the broader public. In other words, trustful relationships and full cooperation are only possible if the professional interests of journalists are satisfied.' [1, p. 17]

Moreover, the media will create a bigger sensation with 'bad' news—conflicts, exposure of scams, business failures. Most likely, such information will be the first to catch the eyes of journalists. PR agents have a different task—they need to 'minimize contradictions and disagreements in goals and interests to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation.' [3]

In the cooperation of PR agents and journalists, the timing in which information about the company reaches the editorial office is crucial. It's important to understand that for any journalist, it's vital to be the first to convey information to the audience so that it becomes the primary source and is referenced by other media. PR specialists need to consider that building favorable and stable relationships with a small number of editorial offices may bring more benefits than mass mailing to news agencies.

Moreover, socio-political events significantly influence the success of a PR campaign, as they can shift public mood positively or negatively. Both journalists and PR agents must consider changes in the public agenda and avoid publishing on days that are morally unsuitable for such activities. These could be days of mourning, remembrance, and other significant events.

The PR department must monitor the information it provides to the media and how correspondents broadcast it. It is crucial to assess negative materials about the company, respond to them promptly and appropriately, and not forget about accuracy and balance in the news agenda.

In conclusion, the media and PR are deeply interconnected. Both process information, but they do so using different methods and tools. Professional interaction between these two sectors allows society to receive reliable information about the best products.

References:

1. Tulchinsky G. L. Management of special events in the culture sphere: textbook / G. L. Tulchinsky, S. V. Gerasimov, T. E. Lokhina. SPb.: „Publishing house MUSIC PLANET“; Publishing house „Lan“, 2010.
2. Kochetkova A. V., Filippov V. N., Skovortsov Ya. L. Theory and practice of public relations. SPb.: Piter, 2008.
3. Seitel Fraser P. The Practice of Public Relations / Пер. А. Бутенко. Oxford: Butterwoth/Heinman, 1995: [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.pressclub.host.ru/techn_26.htm
4. Shumovich A. Magnificent actions. Technologies and practice of Event Management. M.: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2008.