From TV News to the “Dark Side” of PR

“Do you miss being a reporter?”

It’s probably become the most asked question I get at work, particularly when colleagues or journalists find out that I once worked as a TV news reporter. For nearly ten years, I covered breaking news, including disasters, politics, events and more. I loved the rush of running out the doors of the Newsroom to report on the news of the day. Whether I was reporting for CBS, ABC, NBC or FOX, you could say that NEWS is in my blood.

My fellow news junkies and I would often joke that those who had left news and transitioned into public relations jobs had gone over to the “dark side.”  We believed there was no more noble profession than perhaps the ‘pursuit of truth.’ Perhaps, we’d become cynical from reading one too many press releases or hearing spin from those in PR pitching their brand’s stories. 

But for all the jokes we liked to crack, I’ll confess that I’ve since learned that the public relations profession is far from being the “dark side” of anything. I’ve gained a new, profound respect for those who dedicate their lives helping promote a particular brand or cause.

Plus, working at International Justice Mission the past two years has unfortunately revealed the real dark side of our world. I now know that every day, millions of men, women and children live in slavery. Many are forced to work against their will in brick kilns carrying heavy loads for hours on end. Others are forced into sex trafficking and sold to work at brothels. I’ve learned how children as young as five are forced to fish on boats in dangerous conditions. And I’ve seen pictures of women who have been locked up in tiny brothel rooms being forced to have sex with strangers. Working in PR at IJM, I’ve been exposed to some of the darkest places in the world where power is abused and people are exploited. There is a dark side, but it’s not PR. The dark side is the part of the world where justice is unavailable or ignored. 

Yet, there is something that can be done, and it often starts with simply exposing the dark side and shedding light on those areas where injustices occur. That’s where public relations begins. It’s my job to share the truth of what is happening around the world in those dark corners. But it’s also my privilege to invite people into the incredible adventure of joining IJM in the fight against evil and restoring justice. 

No, I don’t miss being a reporter. 

Today I still write stories. I still report. But now I share about injustices taking place among the world’s poorest. Today I expose those abusing power and stealing the freedom and dignity from our neighbors. In many ways, I feel like I never left the news business. The only difference is that the news I report on today is more extreme in taking audiences to the dark side while revealing there is good news and hope for all.

Mindy Mizell serves as Global Public Relations Director at International Justice Mission (IJM). Visit www.IJM.org.

Is something missing in your career? Are you searching for a job where you can combine your professional experience with a life-changing mission - or do you know someone else who is?

Consider joining International Justice Mission. 

International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. IJM partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems. The largest nonprofit organization of its kind, IJM combats slavery, sex trafficking, rape, police brutality, property grabbing and other forms of violence in nearly 20 communities throughout Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Southeast Asia. www.IJM.org

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