The relationship between the press and PR should always be symbiotic. One cannot thrive without the other. PR professionals are there to provide information, while journalists exist to relay it to readers and audiences. But mutual respect must always be the foundation. Publications are also businesses, and support should always be a two-way street. When PRs respect the press—and the press respects PRs—the industry moves forward together.
Here are some reminders every PR practitioner should keep in mind:
- Don’t treat the press as an extension of your marketing team.
- Don’t disappear after a story is published—acknowledge good work.
- Don’t play favorites; professionalism should come before personal ties.
- Don’t send incomplete or inaccurate information and expect coverage.
- Don’t dictate how a story should be written—trust journalists to do their job.
- Don’t prioritize influencers over legitimate media partners.
- Don’t flood inboxes with irrelevant press releases—know your audience.
- Don’t take fair criticism personally.
- Don’t assume that sending a press release guarantees coverage.
- And most importantly: if you don’t invite a journalist to your event, don’t send them the press release about it afterward—that’s bad form. And if you do invite someone from a publication, always inform the editor or the boss so they’ll know how to handle or position the stories that come out. Mutual respect and transparency go a long way in maintaining good media relations.
