For media relations, context is king
How many public relations professionals make the effort to read original, hard copies of the print media they monitor and pursue on behalf of their clients? How many actually watch the broadcast versions of news shows or other programs they may deal with down the road?
Most likely not nearly to the degree they did before the advent of the Internet. The pervasive media presence online has changed the tactics of media relations. A few clicks of a mouse, and itâs possible to bring up a vast online repository of reportersâ and editorsâ work. Few dreamed of such speed and ease during the ancient offline era. Browsing online provides a good idea very quickly about what topics a journalist covers and his or her particular slant. (Yes, even journalists are biased.)
Something is missing
Something essential to understanding is missing from online media research, however. Online articles collected in a search essentially have the same or similar standing, even if they arenât the same length. When you read through an actual hard copy of a newspaper or magazine, you easily grasp the impact of a story and the importance the publication assigns to it. It is on the front page or inside? Is it above or below the newspaperâs fold? Yes, many news media are now offering digital replicas of their print versions for mobile devices, but it does not compare to the analog experience.
Reading through even just a few hard copies of a newspaper or magazine will reveal the star reporters and the lesser lights of the masthead. Moreover, most community newspapers are not available in full online, and they can be important to many clients, too.
When it comes to media, Bill Gates didnât quite nail it. Even more than content, context is king.
The real thing vs. pixels
The Internet is also helpful for broadcast journalism. Itâs possible to browse through online archives of news shows in markets clear across country to get a sense of how the station presents the dayâs events and the relationships between the anchors and the field reporters. But itâs not like seeing that dayâs news broadcast as it happens. Often these shows hold PR ideas for clients that practitioners can implement that day or the next, depending on the urgency.
And then thereâs just the look and feel of hard copy. That cannot be replaced by anything digital. Over time, the generations who grew up on the real thing will give way to those who know only the digital editions. But that time is not yet here.








