Comments on: Media relations: it’s not for the lazy, arrogant or apathetic

By: Six things you should hate about "pr people" | Flackrabbit: PR Flack / Writer / Geek

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:13:57 +0000

[...] 6. I hate it when PR people are lazy [...]

By: Start building your brand | Tips on Personal Branding | Flackrabbit: PR Flack / Writer / Geek

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:19:44 +0000

[...] readers of this blog likely know my obsessions: A) social media, B) things that are Google-able C) public relations. I love that folks know what I’m gonna be harping about before they even click on my link. [...]

By: Margie

Margie — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:28:19 +0000

Hi Nicole, Thanks for stopping by. Appreciate your comment! And I'm glad you did so both here and on Brazen. I'm with you -- not sure why they don't link the two but I sure wish they would! Margie???s last blog post..Tweet Treats: Saturday night oddities edition

By: Nicole DeRuiter

Nicole DeRuiter — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:29:12 +0000

Margie- I don't know how I've missed this before your post! I agree, media relations is just like any other relationship, the more you give to it, the more you'll get out of it. Journalists (except those uncommon few who are just mean) generally understand the pressure of your job and are willing to work with you as long as you make a good faith effort to do everything you can for them in return. Nicole DeRuiter???s last blog post..Straight, No Browser

By: Margie

Margie — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:03:27 +0000

Hi Brian! Welcome to FlackRabbit Thanks for your comment. I’m so glad to hear someone else say it’s not hard to be a good resource. It’s NOT HARD so I’ll never understand why folks make it so hard.

I’m with you – if you can’t get your attitude in check, then find something else to pay the bills.

By: Brian Camen

Brian Camen — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:46:29 +0000

Great post. I was talking to a local journalist today and she was telling me about her relationship with other PR pros. She told me there was this one PR pro in her beat that was very arrogant and pushy. She then went on to tell me that she has no intentions on working with that PR pro again. It's really not hard to be a good resource for a journalist. These horror stories that we read about in blogs and on Twitter are ridiculous. In my opinion, good media relations consists of being a resource for a reporter. If you're (not you personally Margie) going to have an attitude and be arrogant - find another profession. Brian Camen???s last blog post..Tips for busy media relations days

By: Margie

Margie — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:41:45 +0000

Helena – I hear ya, sister!

And Jay sent me a link to his thesis so I’ll see if he will let me share it with you

By: Helena Handbasket

Helena Handbasket — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:11:25 +0000

Great post Margie! I went to school for communications and media studies/journalism. I am working in PR. It really gets me when communications professionals don't know how to communicate! I understand that sometimes you need to wait to hear back from a client or you have to run to a meeting and can't respond right away. What is wrong with telling the journalist you will get back to them? It really does harm the pr/journalist relationship when the journalist is just ignored. I am a total dork as well and would love to read the thesis! Helena Handbasket???s last blog post..John Thain's Furniture- The Best of Craigslist

By: Margie

Margie — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:37:24 +0000

Well said and thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jay!

I know this is going to make me sound like a big fat dork, but I’d love to read that thesis!

This kind of stuff fascinates me.

Margie???s last blog post..Media relations: it???s not for the lazy, arrogant or apathetic

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:34:35 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly. My job is primarily media relations, but in these budget times, we’re all wearing all the hats we can fit on top of our heads. Even with lots of other duties, the one most important thing, ever, always is to respond to media.

The values that make good news are the values that make good PR: timeliness, truthfulness and a commitment to giving people information that somehow enriches their lives.

If I’m the first guy who answers the phone in this case, I just say, “I’m sorry, I’m not authorized to comment on this, but I’ll pass your message on to someone who can.” Anything more than that makes you and your boss look ridiculous.

*shamless plug warning* I actually wrote my thesis about interactions between journalists and PR people, and one of the things I found was that journalists see the PR person with whom they have the closest working relationship in a totally different light than they see the general body of flacks. There’s real power in those relationships.