Why are your comments always so much better than my posts? You're embarrassing me! That's why I try to stick to the more serious stuff — like cartoons. Hacks, flacks, hucksters, like you said are in all professions. Including the media. Your observations, and the fact that you tie measurement to PR is the true mark of a pro.The goal is to serve your business. Not serve the media – however much they think that is the proper role of PR. I work to serve the employees, customers and potential customers of our company. Now, as in DM Scott's New Rules of Marketing & Pr. I don't have to beg the media to cover us or buy expensive advertising to promote us. I can go direct to the people that matter – employees, customers and prospects, with good ideas, information and insights. If they're good enough, specific, authentic, honest … and they fit a need, they'll take wing.

I know that its possible only because I work both ends of the spectrum. As a PR director for a company – and as a writer, editor, publisher of a business E-zine for the company that has grown from 0 to 150,000 readers – simply by providing good content – not all from me (the best is not from me), but from a bevy of experts around the world – who have worked with me, written with me or were interviewed by me and shared their insights/ideas/info, etc. I had/have ZERO advertising budget. http://bit.ly/7QQlZ

I've worked with major media in almost all the major cities. And I have had some truly awful experience of THEM being unprepared – even after giving them all the briefing materials. And then they still screw up basic info. But I never blast them. Try to paint their whole industry with a harpy brush. It serves no purpose. Is useless and a waste of time. So that's why I take umbrage when people indiscriminately blast the PR Pro's. I have had nothing but exceptional experiences with the PR Pros I have dealt with. From outside US and European agencies – to individual PR consultants.

Thanks for your thoughtful comment- Best!

Actually, Terry, I’d love to re-post a couple of your points as tips if you don’t mind…

REPRESENT!

Seriously, this was a great post. I am SO tired of hearing the “PR people are blah blah blah” blabber. And I respectfully disagree with Dave that this was a “long, angry reply.” On the contrary, it was a thoughtful and brave post when, quite honestly, you didn’t have to do it. The fact that you chose to stand up for our profession makes me respect you even more.

I returned today from IPR’s Measurement Summit in New Hampshire, which was wonderful. One of the best presentations of the Summit came from Mazen Nawahi of Media Watch (Dubai), who made a compelling case for creating a journalistic integrity index, which would measure bloggers as well. They’re working on it right now. Won’t that be something?

As far as the “flacks” go; yes, there are newbies we roll our eyes at, people who don’t pitch well, and agencies that might as well be spammers. Every industry has its trials; these are ours.

What I’d love to see happen is a change in the perception that public relations is purely media relations or publicity. It’s not; it’s about building relationships with one’s “publics,” using the best tactics to do so, thus achieving measurable objectives that are aligned with one’s organizational goals. Publicity happens to be one of the most-heavily used of these tactics, and the journalists who think they can get along without us need to get over themselves. But putting the “public” back in PR is how more of us are going to get that coveted “seat at the table” and give PR/Communications the respect it deserves.

Shonali

You certainly were one of the first I thought of and well deserve it – Tikkun Olan (I remember eh??). You’re like me. We have to work both sides of the coin. I notice, as you pointed out as well, that the people that go on about how bad PR people are – are usually the ones pimping themselves out more than anyone else – doing their own PR – but calling it something else. I don’t begrudge anyone though. I like what Terry said – quit taking the crap from unprofessional people – whether they’re journalists, marketing, PR, sales, product managers, whatever.

People Relations – that nails it.

Far as Dave? I don’t know – some people find courage in anonymity. No big deal to me.

Excellent post! http://tmosgarage.blogspot.com/2008/10/six-challenges-for-journalists.html
6 challenges for journalists

Funny – been deluged with email about this post – but not many comments. All but one were positive — hitting the same points you talked about. Nice to meet you.

I think your post was spot on and I’m actually humbled to be on that list, as I don’t think it’s really deserved.

But I can tell you that having been a tech journalist for ten years and then moving to PR that I think the whole rant of PR people are stupid is useless as well. It is an old argument, and it’s a cheap shot.

And actually Sarah Lacey is great about doing PR about herself when she needs to (as evidenced by her hair twirling at SXSW during interview with Facebook founder last year, and touting her book at the same time), but not so great in terms of really doing her research as a journalist.

Sarah has to be applauded because she’s a success in terms of her own PR and constantly being able to generate more by posting derisive hot button statements to get people going. (See it even got me going.)

I like the idea of “people relations” instead of “public relations” which jerry michaelski has written about on his blog.

People Relations demands that we treat each other with respect, know that the other entity exists because we need one another and help one another to all do our jobs the best we can.

It’s interesting because this show I’m addicted to (ironically) called “The Cleaner” had a great scene last week where “The Cleaner – benjammming! Bratt!” has a scene with a drug boss who it turns out needs a favor from the cleaner to help save his daughter.

The drug dealer says to Bratt, “you and I are not that different my friend. Without me, there would not be a need for you.” And in some ways that’s true (although terrible in terms of drugs.)

But the point is the yen and the yang of this web world. We all need one another both journalists and PR people and what we could do simply is to raise all our efforts so that our stories and the people we focus on are real, authentic and timely. And that our pitches are real, authentic and timely.

Having been on both sides of the proverbial coin I have to say that it’s always a learning experience and there is always more to do and the key is to be humble and understand that.

Why doesn’t DAVE have a link to his comment by the way?

Hmm … I wasn’t angry. What made you think that? Was it my 3-D Hulk Donkey Twitter design? Simple observations from my part.This was in response to another post. You’re right – good and bad in both – but all you ever hear are the PR people are ignorant and “lack common sense.” Boring. It’s old. Besides, I’m not a real “PR” person in the PR industry. Wouldn’t want to be. Have no aspirations to be. But I do have to deal with both PR and Media – and the PR people I have dealt with have been outstanding. Great folks. Always go the extra step – quite amazing to me sometimes. Why they’re constantly trashed I have no idea. But I’m not going to waste any more time on it. Have work to do. Thanks for your comment.

Appreciate it.

Steve

Instead of writing a magazine article, couldn’t you have just said:

“All professions have their good practitioners and their bad practitioners. If there wasn’t some need for the profession, it wouldn’t exist. Believing that PR folks, in general, are bad, could put you at a disadvantage because you are more likely to miss opportunities (even if they seem to be rare) when a good PR person could help you. And it hurts our feelings. ”

I think a long, angry reply is bad PR for the PR industry, when a succinct, polite reply would have done the job very nicely.