This is a summary of one of my lectures from 2014.

1. Media Trends and how strategic communicators can capitalise on them to create
publicity for organisations and communicate with publics
Media serves as a portal for organisations to convey information and serve a publication role.
Media needs organisations to survive, sponsorships and advertising. Media relations is a
function of corporate communication and communication management practitioners that
involves dealing with the mass media in seeking publicity for or responding to media interest
in an organisation.
Media relations thus tends to be the most public and visible aspect of the PR practice. Ideally,
the job of the media relations department is to help reporters and editors to do their jobs. That
objective is entirely consistent with the broader goal of PR, which is to manage the relationship
between the organisation and its various constituent audiences.
Media Trends
Media trends are a commercial business which need to publish/broadcast regularly in order to
satisfy consumers. The media are also politically biased. Newspapers have been redefined
as leisure and consumption aid rather than a vehicle reporting yesterday’s events. Total sales
of national newspapers have remained constant but the number of pages doubled. There has
also been a growth of ‘special sections’ within newspapers. The press has become heavier in
weight and lighter in approach. Now newspapers compliment TV and the internet.
How strategic communicators can capitalise
One specific media trend that organisations have been taking on is that of media partnerships.
This is where the organisation and media are contractually bound in joint editorial, advertising,
and marketing relationships from which they mutually benefit.
Building media partnerships is practise that PR departments and consultancies worldwide are
actively engaging in as the relationships often include guaranteed ‘quality’ editorial coverage
in target media for their organisation or brand. This allows them to reach target audiences.

2. Why media relations are important and why organisations seek publicity through
traditional media outlets (TV, Magazine, Newspaper & Radio)
Media relations refers to a business or organisations relationship with professional journalists
or media outlets. Similar to public relations, this idea works on building a rapport with media
to communicate the organisations goal, ideas, intent and newsworthy events. PR is often
considered a synonym for media relations, but in fact, it is not. Although most businesses and
organisations keep their primary focus on building a stronger relationship with their public, it
is just as important to build solid relationships with the media themselves.
Organisations are still using traditional media outlets to communicate to their specific
audiences for a number of valid reasons. Dismissing these valuable resources (TV, Radio &
Newspaper) would be a great mistake. They reach the broadest audience. For an
organisation, being on TV is more impressive in the eyes of a consumer than being on a
Facebook post. This is because traditional media is not as easy to get onto than digital media.
To be on traditional media you have to the best. Media professionals need authors and experts
who are authorities in their field, not just anybody. Above all, traditional media outlets have
stable and established viewing audience. Online, you don’t have this advantage.