Print journalism or media relations?

[Birdscribe]

A better discussion might be "Media relations or sucking deck for crack..."

Whatever. : : : : :

I could make a remark here; it's way, waaaay too easy. But decorum and class will prevail.

I'll just leave it with this: in the last month, I've fielded no fewer than 7 PMs from people inquiring how I got into what I'm doing and what's the best way to move from journalism into PR.

It wouldn't surprise me if journalists were asking drug dealers the same thing.

And no, birdscribe, I'm not comparing pr to dealing drugs. Selling your soul, maybe.

please elaborate on selling the soul thing.

I'd sure like to know as well. Yes, please elaborate. :

 

[Montezuma's Revenge]

You won't work in media relations long before you sit down to write a press release and you say to yourself, "This really isn't news and no one in their right mind is going to use this." If you're OK with that, do it. If your instincts tell you it's something you really can't do with conviction, then don't.

I've never written a press release that hasn't been used by somebody. Just because it isn't something that you can use, it doesn't mean that it is worthless. heck, you'd probably be the first person to complain if I sent out a release and you didn't get a copy of it.

As for the comments by others about all the people do in my profession is hide the truth, boy do you have an unrealistic and distorted view. Especially from a profession that more often than not publicizes the negative and ignores the positive. . . it doesn't matter that you have 200 students on the Honor Roll but have one football player become ineligible and it is front page news, making the public perception that the the institution doesn't emphasize academics.

Take the APR for example. I've seen countless stories since the total APR figures (and penalties) were released earlier in the week, each of which focused on the schools that were punished with scholarship reductions.

One week ago, the NCAA released a list of schools that had sports that ranked among the national leaders in the APR and deserved recognition for doing a good job. This release drew practically no coverage, especially at the national level.

Bad news sells papers, not good news. I get it. Just don't give me this holier than thou attitude about your profession when it is compared to mine. I may be the piano player in the whorehouse -- as Fenian told me -- but you guys have a shirtty job in the building as well and have absolutely no room to talk.

</rant>

Fair point.

For every sleazy SID/PR type, there's at least one slimy counterpart on the reporting side.

So we're probably best off not getting all sanctimonious about PR jobs. Many (if not most) of the PR problems are not the creation of the PR guy. In the end, it's the people above the PR level who set the tone.

 

[JR]

I'd sure like to know as well. Yes, please elaborate. :

Covering girls high school volleyball is a noble calling.

 

[goodgolly]

There was an assistant media relations gig for an MLB team in my region last year, so I inquired, as I had worked with the head relations guy. He told me the job started in the low to mid 20's, that I was probably overqualified (probably based on money reasons) and he had received more than 1,000 applicants for it already. I asked if it were possible for me to work freelance at the same time to earn a few extra bucks, and he said the person hired wouldn't have much time for that, and they frown upon those things anyway.

That ended my dream of making that transition.

 

[friend of a friend]

A better discussion might be "Media relations or sucking deck for crack..."

Whatever. : : : : :

I could make a remark here; it's way, waaaay too easy. But decorum and class will prevail.

I'll just leave it with this: in the last month, I've fielded no fewer than 7 PMs from people inquiring how I got into what I'm doing and what's the best way to move from journalism into PR.

It wouldn't surprise me if journalists were asking drug dealers the same thing.

And no, birdscribe, I'm not comparing pr to dealing drugs. Selling your soul, maybe.

please elaborate on selling the soul thing.

I'd sure like to know as well. Yes, please elaborate. :

Just being a smartass.

I withdraw the comment.

Forgive me.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

Count the number of threads that seem to be popping up each day about newspapers being sold, folded or newsrooms that are being, ahem, "restructured" (in other words "we're laying off a tenth of you and the other 90 percent we're cutting your pay....) and then ask yourself which direction you want to go.....

Let's say the average MLB team has three media relations professionals on staff. There are 30 teams. Even allowing for teams that have more and things like the commissioners office, there are about 100+ jobs in the US and Canada.

So maybe the odds are still heavily in favor of the shrinking newsrooms, some of which even still have a union.

You can't help but notice that long-standing PR types like Rick Cerrone (Yankees) and Sharon Pannozzo (Cubs) were abruptly and arbitrarily shirtcanned last year.

The decision should be made on the basis of what you want to do. There's no guarantee of security in either field. And if you're interested in baseball PR because it would be fun to hang out at the ballpark, you'll quickly discover you made the wrong choice.

 

[zagoshe]

Count the number of threads that seem to be popping up each day about newspapers being sold, folded or newsrooms that are being, ahem, "restructured" (in other words "we're laying off a tenth of you and the other 90 percent we're cutting your pay....) and then ask yourself which direction you want to go.....

Let's say the average MLB team has three media relations professionals on staff. There are 30 teams. Even allowing for teams that have more and things like the commissioners office, there are about 100+ jobs in the US and Canada.

So maybe the odds are still heavily in favor of the shrinking newsrooms, some of which even still have a union.

You can't help but notice that long-standing PR types like Rick Cerrone (Yankees) and Sharon Pannozzo (Cubs) were abruptly and arbitrarily shirtcanned last year.

The decision should be made on the basis of what you want to do. There's no guarantee of security in either field. And if you're interested in baseball PR because it would be fun to hang out at the ballpark, you'll quickly discover you made the wrong choice.

Let's count the number of colleges and schools that use media relations people. Then go to the number of hospitals and government agencies and corporations that have entire teams of media relations people not to mention the public relation's firms that are in existence, etc., etc. ---

My point is simple one field is dying the other will always be a booming business. And 20 years ago when I got started I had the pipe dream of idealism that money and job security wouldn't be my first consideration. That was before kids, car payments,a mortgage, soon to be college tuition, and all the other things life throw at us.

And if a competent public relations guy like Rick Cerrone gets canned, I'd say his odds of finding another job in the field rather quickly are far greater than John Q. fishwrap writer. I wouldn't want to be looking for a job in print journalism right now -- what will it be like in 10 years?

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

The original point was about doing MLB media relations. If you're getting into it because you want to hang out at the ballpark, I don't see how typing news releases for a hospital gets you that thrill.

 

[buckweaver]

The original point was about doing MLB media relations. If you're getting into it because you want to hang out at the ballpark, I don't see how typing news releases for a hospital gets you that thrill.

In the same way that you better love the "writer" part of "sports writer" just as much as you love the "sports" part if you're going to get the most out of this profession ...

Hanging out at the ballpark will lose its thrill. You better love the job part of this PR gig as much as you love the thrill of the ballpark, if you plan to stick around a while.

 

[forever_town]

I'd recommend at least giving it a look and let the interview take you through what your job might entail on a day-to-day basis. Also look into the salary issue. If you feel in your gut it's something you can live with, go for it. If not, then don't.

 

[Ace]

You won't work in media relations long before you sit down to write a press release and you say to yourself, "This really isn't news and no one in their right mind is going to use this." If you're OK with that, do it. If your instincts tell you it's something you really can't do with conviction, then don't.

I've never written a press release that hasn't been used by somebody. Just because it isn't something that you can use, it doesn't mean that it is worthless. heck, you'd probably be the first person to complain if I sent out a release and you didn't get a copy of it.

As for the comments by others about all the people do in my profession is hide the truth, boy do you have an unrealistic and distorted view. Especially from a profession that more often than not publicizes the negative and ignores the positive. . . it doesn't matter that you have 200 students on the Honor Roll but have one football player become ineligible and it is front page news, making the public perception that the the institution doesn't emphasize academics.

Take the APR for example. I've seen countless stories since the total APR figures (and penalties) were released earlier in the week, each of which focused on the schools that were punished with scholarship reductions.

One week ago, the NCAA released a list of schools that had sports that ranked among the national leaders in the APR and deserved recognition for doing a good job. This release drew practically no coverage, especially at the national level.

Bad news sells papers, not good news. I get it. Just don't give me this holier than thou attitude about your profession when it is compared to mine. I may be the piano player in the whorehouse -- as Fenian told me -- but you guys have a shirtty job in the building as well and have absolutely no room to talk.

</rant>

That's the NCAA's fault, not the writers. If the NCAA added scholarships for teams that performed well in the classroom, that would be news.

But they take scholarships away from teams that don't -- that's the news. Sorry.