How PR can adapt to the shrinking media market: Industry leaders weigh in
Australia’s media market has been shrinking for a long time, but COVID-19 has accelerated its decline. For PR professionals, that has wide ranging impacts: How do you still build relationships with journalists and earn media coverage? Or do you stop relying on that altogether? Mumbrella’s Zoe Wilkinson asks Rob Lowe, Helen Graney, Simone Gupta, Jacquie Potter and Stuart Terry for their thoughts.
Over the past five months, thousands of journalists and media professionals have lost their jobs.
With earned media the core component of public relations, and journalists as time and resource poor as ever, surely the PR model must change to adapt to this shrinking media market. But how?
Rob Lowe, co-founder and managing director of Poem, says the focus of PR must become earning the consideration of customers, rather than media coverage:
For comms experts – they really struggle to cut through with any meaningful takeouts…
There’s a lot to agree with here but I think also some missed opportunities. For example, where’s the in-house perspective? After all, the future of PR agencies and the future of PR are not one and the same.
Most of the comments here are about the future of media relations, not PR. As Rob says, the influence of traditional media, and with it traditional media relations, has been declining for many years. That’s not a new thing, although COVID-19 has accelerated it.
But one of the great strengths I see in good communications people is they’re good at listening. I think that’s perhaps because, as Rob says, they have to earn their interest and influence, not pay for it, and that’s a process that involves feedback and adaptation.
IMO the need for communications people in corporate Australia—whether in house or via agency partners—has never been greater. No matter where you look there are reputation opportunities and threats that need people who can bring the outside in.
This is definitely a challenging period, especially for those looking for work, but personally I’m optimistic for the future of the profession.
You couldn’t have said it better. I left reading that feeling extremely underwhelmed. So much fluff and hyperbole (looking at you Helen & Rob) and then so much obviousness (looking at you Simone) that none of this is news.
To agree with Jacquie, Australia’s PR industry has had plenty of time to prepare for this day. But most were either too lazy, too arrogant or way to simple in thinking to ever take action on revise their business model. Anyone with half a brain could see a continued business model focused on traditional media coverage was a total joke in PR.
To Helen and Stuart’s credits, PR-lead creatives, spliced in with a stronger focus on marketing-related skills (thanks Simone) IS the way forward for PRs to be worth anything. But with so many agencies still charging by the hour vs. by the project, and selling their services to clients at rates between $10k – $35k a month for basic as hell PR work, I really doubt most agencies (big or small) have the skills to step up and better position themselves.
The industry is screwed and has no-one (including Ad/Marketing agencies) to blame this on but themselves….
Why are comms people so bad at communicating?
The Weber Shandwick boss talks of innovation, boldness and engagement, and yet her piece looks like it ran through an approval committee. Full of cliche and corporate jargon – “…here at Weber Shandwick.” Completely lacking in engagement and boldness. If you are going to tell your clients to be authentic, then try it yourself some time.
All hot air. As I often say when reading this kind of drivel: Sure, but show me the work.