Week 7

I think the important points to remember from this week's readings were:

*With increased demand of media outlets (particularly print media), PR now has greater access to the media meaning they have a great opportunity to gain public attention for a particular promotion. However, it is important that practitioners follow news values (as well as knowing media deadlines) when releasing information so that the message they are trying to communicate is more likely to achieve media attention.

*It is important for PR practitioners to gain a sound understanding of hierarchies within particular media outlets as well as getting to know the needs of specific people within these organisations. By knowing these ins and outs, a practitioner will be more likely able to form strong working relationships with influential people, which is a major step in avoiding negative publicity.

*Getting to know different media styles is also a good way for practitioners to enhance the chance of communicating important information. For example, many magazines rely heavily on photographs in their media form, so in order to strengthen the chances of having your particular story published it would be wise for a practitioner to submit a media release that contains a number of photographs associated to the information which they wish to communicate. Furthermore, when submitting information, practitioners should take into account how much information a media outlet will need. For example, if you know a particular media form will only publish a story up to 200 words in length, there would be no point for a practitioner to submit an excessive amount of detail as this will make the jobs of people such as journalists more difficult, hence they are less likely to consider the information for publishing.

*When releasing information (such as by media release, media kits or media conference), it is important for the practitioner to have a target audience in mind so the decision as to the best media outlet to go through can be made. As a drastic example, if communicating information about an upcoming local band gig, a practitioner would be wise to pass this information onto local newspapers and radio stations as opposed to national media outlets.

The readings made me think more about public relations theory/practice in that:

*It made me understand the importance of developing strong working relationships with key people within a media outlet. By knowing the needs of such people, practitioners are more likely to submit the appropriate information to them, which will not only make these people's jobs easier, but will also enhance the chances of positive media/public attention.

*the readings made me aware of the importance of knowing the ways in which particular organisations function. By knowing that not all organisations work by the same guidelines, the practitioner will become aware that researching the ways in which a company functions will give them insight into the best ways to structure the information they submit. This could be viewed as an underlying tactic of practitioners in seeking positive attention for their organisation/promotion.