Public Relations vs. Media Relations: What's the Difference?

If you work in communications, you've likely heard the terms public relations and media relations used interchangeably. While there are many similarities between the two, the truth is that they aren't the same thing.

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Media relations is just one aspect of public relations. Yes, it's a very important aspect, but public relations encompasses much more than media relations alone.

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Understanding the difference between the two is important if you are – or are looking to start – working with a PR team, so we broke it down for you:

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1. Public relations uses many channels. Media relations is just one of them.

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According to the Public Relations Society of America, “public relations is about influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders across a myriad of platforms in order to shape and frame the public perception of an organization.” Basically, that is a long way of saying that PR is the practice of building relationships between brands and their audiences – and it does so through a variety of methods. PR work can include anything from social media to events or internal communications, and, you guessed it, media relations. But the key point here is that placing stories in the media is just one way that PR can help a brand reach their audience. Public relations can be done without using media relations, but media relations doesn't exist without PR.

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2. Public relations develops the story. Media relations broadcasts it.

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PR is centered on helping organizations find their story; it's about helping brands figure out what they want to say, and to who. With media relations, these stories are given a platform and distributed widely to consumers of news. The evolution of technology has opened up many more means by which organizations can reach audiences, such as through social media or blogging. But still, the good old-fashioned news (TV, radio, newspaper, etc.) remains one of the most reliable ways to share a message with a large audience. Not to mention, it's also cost-effective.

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3. Public relations has many definitions of success. Media relations achieves one of them.

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In today's world, the number of media placements a PR team secures is not the only measure of success and competency. In fact, some campaigns may not set out to get any media placements. While there certainly is value in working with media to shape and place a story, it isn't the only way to create buzz for an organization. Other sources of value for an organization can include things like engagement with popular influencers or bloggers and the development of B2B tools. With that in mind, setting expectations and agreeing upon the measures of success is essential when working with a PR team.

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Here are ?points to remember about the difference between public relations and media relations:

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1. Public relations is broader than media relations.

2. Public relations is about building relationships with key stakeholders, while media relations is about getting coverage in the media.

3. Public relations professionals develop the story, while media relations professionals pitch the story to the media.

4. Public relations professionals measure success in a variety of ways, while media relations professionals typically measure success by the number of media placements they secure.

5. Public relations is a long-term strategy, while media relations is often a short-term tactic.

6. Public relations can be done in-house or outsourced, while media relations is typically outsourced.

7. Public relations is a strategic communication function, while media relations is a tactical communication function.

8. Public relations is about managing all of an organization's communications, while media relations is about managing an organization's relationships with the media.

9. Public relations is about influencing public opinion, while media relations is about getting information out to the public.

10. Public relations is a profession, while media relations is a skill.

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