The practice of Public Relations in the world of corporate communication depends, as its name indicates, on the relationship of a company or brand with its interest groups, including people who practice journalism .
While all groups are important, the media in particular plays a crucial role in how brands are perceived by the world.
The latest study by the Muck Rack agency, State of Journalism 2024 , presents the results of a survey of more than a thousand journalists around the world, mainly from the United States. What do journalists think and what are their feelings? I share them here.
The environment of journalism
Empathy is a necessary quality for creating healthy and long-lasting professional relationships. People dedicated to public relations must know journalists well, understand the context in which they work and what they think about relevant issues related to their work.
The Muck Rack study addresses several topics that help us better understand the state of journalism and the needs of those who practice it. I share with you some of the most relevant findings:
Funding and trust: Nearly a third of respondents said they were concerned about the lack of funding and trust in journalism, a finding that was consistent with last year’s study.
Employment Trends: More than a third reported layoffs or acquisitions, 30% have chosen LinkedIn to search for job opportunities. More than half prefer hybrid work, though many find themselves working in the office more than they would like.
Working hours and compensation: 64% reported working mo shopify custom widgets re than 40 hours per week and 79% reported working overtime.
Content production: Nearly 25% produce 11 or more stories a week. One in four publishes primarily in traditional media despite the digital boom.
Social media: More than half of journalists say social media is important or very important to producing their stories, only a quarter say it is not or only slightly important.
Artificial intelligence in journalism
The study includes a section on journalism’s approach to AI and the prospects for its use:
28% of respondents mentioned that they already use AI in their work, 20% have not done so but plan to do so in the future, 21% are unsure, and the remaining 31% mentioned that they do not plan to use it.
Regarding the use of AI, based on the responses of those who have already used it or plan to do so, the three highest applications are: Brainstorming with 52%, research with 51% and writing headlines with 34%.
Soy.Marketing Channel on WhatsApp
An important aspect is the regulation of AI in the media. Only 24% men ar numbers tion having rules on this in their workplaces, while 45% say they do not have them; 13% say they do not have them but plan to do so in the future, and a significant 18% do not know.
Journalism and public relations
This section offers valuable information for public relations professionals and those responsible for corporate communications for companies and brands.
The first piece of data highlights the importance of the relationship between both communication professionals. 70% of journalists consider that their relationship with public relations officers is important or very important for the success of their work.
One fact that should set off alarm bells for communication specialists is that almost 50% indicated that they rarely or never respond to pitches that come to them. 24% mentioned that they respond half of the time.
46% of respondents say they receive more than 6 pitches a day. The m bolja fleksibilnost u schulingu pridonosi ain reason for not responding to them, at 73%, is that they are not relevant to the source they cover, another red flag for those seeking to place their stories.
Empathy and understanding each other’s work will make the relationship between PR professionals and journalists a win-win. If you think this information is relevant to other PR people, please share it so they can make the necessary adjustments to their strategy. See you in the next one.
