Unsubscribe: what makes journalists grumble

I thought I’d share some interesting recent feedback based on a few conversations I’ve had with some trusted journalists in recent weeks.?

As ever, the secret sauce of how to create opportunities and turn ideas into stories and commentary is part of our job. There is of course a degree of serendipity with some stories landing – but largely, most good PR is done with a strategy and clear focus in mind. It does appear, based on these conversations, quite a lot of the PR industry has lost sight of this.

I have recently sensed a degree of weariness on expectations and belief that every announcement is newsworthy. Inboxes get filled up – but it’s the incessant chasing that does a lot to damage relationships and I would argue the reputation of the entire industry. Adding in quotes once something has been published or asking for corrections when the journalist was purposefully ignored the day previously. That could be pressure from above, but I also think it’s a lack of understanding to how newsrooms and how news is put together too.

There are of course the basics – as highlighted by Sky News’s Martin Kimber – that many PRs pitch stories without an understanding on how the journalist operates or even to have bothered to have read recent stories or watched the programme. That’s poor form and should be called out.

A few grumbles were made towards investment banking, where there was pushback that press releases were not written verbatim (what did they expect?). Additionally, while there is a lot of technical knowledge about regulation and how an industry works – why are things issued that are still full of jargon and without a desire to explain the basics to why something is interesting?

I’ve had a few grunts of late from some journalists highlighting that they’ve been to meetings that ultimately unfruitful. It’s very nice to have conversations with people, but there was no story, no insight, no education or even a tip. They made the point of whether we or any other business would take a speculative meeting if we didn’t think there was an opportunity??

Where’s the guidance, advice or the tactical conversation to ask a journalist what they think of the idea or what the organisation wants to get out of it? Where do you expect it to lead if you haven’t got a campaign or view on the world?

?Have I been guilty of something? Of course. I did ask very gently if something they’d published in print would go online too – it did a few days later – but I was given short shrift and told to buy a paper too! Fair enough.?

There was of course little love lost for PRs and companies who issue litigation threats too. Something I will pick up on at a later date.

Part of the problem – that I sense – is that some parts of the PR industry (agency side) over promise to clients in pitches (and inevitably end up on the backfoot) and some in-house people don’t have the strategic advice that could allow to be more creative and interesting.?

Speaking from an agency perspective, perhaps there is often a desire to perform in pitches and say we will meet every journalist on Fleet Street – yet without the reason or idea to make you relevant. What keeps you fresh and gives you a reason to be quoted? Sadly, it can be too performative and less substantive. Colleagues in our Government Relations have told me about agencies offering introductions to the likely next-Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Good luck with that.?

It does seem sadly that everyone feels they have a need to say something – but they haven’t quite worked out what that is yet.

It’s not endearing everyone, I’m afraid.

Time for a proper idea.