I’ve been working in the PR business for many years and what surprises me, especially as an owner and CEO of my own public relations agency, is the misunderstanding between public relations and media relations. Contrary to what many people believe the two are not interchangeable, in fact they are completely different.

 The business of public relations is comprised of many parts and media relations is just one part of the over-all puzzle (as I like to think of it). While they are not the same, there are similarities between the two which is why people often think they are one in the same. 

As a PR firm for start-ups, our goal at JMG PR is to help our clients get the visibility needed to showcase their expertise, raise more capital, and become a household name. And one of the ways in which we do that is through media relations, which is what got me thinking. If people believe they’re one in the same, then how do we, as a public relations agency, break down the differences and shed light onto their meaning for our clients so that they can better understand what PR as a whole does, and how media relations factors into the overall game plan?

All media relations is public relations but not all public relations is media relations. So exactly what is public relations and how does one define it? 

According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds beneficial relationships between an organization and their publics.” 

In a nutshell, public relations agencies, like myself and my team, manage the flow of information between our clients and their audience. Our goal is to enhance our client’s reputation and take it to the next level and how we do that is through various channels of communication. Media relations is one of those channels we leverage in order to connect a client’s story to their audience. While it is an important aspect to the overall PR strategy, it’s not the only one PR professionals leverage; there is more to it than solely working with journalists and writing press releases. 

Public relations also takes into consideration the bigger picture of how a client will be perceived to the public. A PR specialist must not only be able to help a company understand it’s customer or target audience, but also provide them with purposeful solutions as well as track results which in turn will aide in planning for future circumstances.

In business, companies form various relationships and it becomes the job of the PR professional to help connect and communicate with the public through these associations. They may include employees, customers, investors, suppliers, and the media. The capability to conduct research, write, and speak on behalf of a client are all key tools every public relations professional should have in their “toolbox.” 

One of the initiatives of any public relations agency is helping client’s find their story; what is it that they want to say and whom would they like to say it to. 

As their voice, we look to develop and nurture the relationships they have with outside forces and we do so through an assortment of channels, including blogs, social media platforms, and special events. Thankfully, with the evolution of technology there are many different methods to reach an audience. 

When we communicate with the media, which includes interacting with journalists, reporters, editors, and working with newspapers, radio, TV, and the Internet, we are putting into practice the term “media relations.”  

With media relations, the objective is to communicate a client’s information using the appropriate media outlet. In order to make that happen, it’s important to have a good working relationship with the writers, journalists, and bloggers. Not only can they provide your client with access to the public, but over time, turn to your client as an expert source in their respective field. 

And while some people think the job of a media relations specialist is to only secure placements, there is in fact a lot more to it. For any public relations professional, the art of connecting a client’s story to their audience via the media isn’t always as simple as a quick phone call to their favorite publication. 

As a PR firm for startups, we know how important it is to get our client’s message into the right hands, that’s why we’ve developed relationships with press in a multitude of areas. Because we work with different types of companies, in order to do our job effectively in generating media buzz, we must be able to connect with professionals in different fields. 

For example, we work with tech startups, but if the only media contacts in our rolodex are in this particular discipline, it’s going to be difficult to generate press for our client’s in the lifestyle space. That’s why I believe it’s important to have designated people within a public relations agency work closely with the media to manage the flow of information on a daily basis. 

When conducted intelligently and strategically, media relations is an important and impactful tool within the PR toolkit. 

The public relations industry has been around for decades and it’s a business that delivers results when leveraged and utilized correctly and effectively. At JMG PR, we strive to take our clients to the next level and enhance their reputation with the general public, and utilizing the media is one of the ways in which we do so. 

- Jenna