Role of Media Relations in PR

Media relations, a subspecialty of Public Relations, can be defined as an organization's relationship  with people in news media, comprising: journalists, reporters, and news editors.

PR professionals in media relations  are saddled with the task of disseminating newsworthy content about their organizations or clients - across targeted media channels, to specified publics - who consume content from such media outlets.

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In the course of discharging their functions, media relations professionals, nurture good relationships with journalists - through a deliberate, sustained and planned means.

Media Relations professionals also develop and implement editorial plans and  calendars. This is  with a view to ensure their  organizations or clients newsworthy activities and stories are properly disseminated - across media channels.

 At Media Accent Nigeria, our Media Relations action plans are inspired by the need to ensure our clients gain favourable public image and perception - among targeted members of the public.

This ultimately impacts purchase decisions, as members of the public are inclined to patronize brands - whose positive press mentions and stories resonate well with them.

This view is underscored by a famous quote from US-based world renowned author and researcher, Seth Godin. He once said: "People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic."

How to write a Press Release

A press release must follow journalistic style in order to be given any kind of consideration by editors and readers. This task can be accomplished using the steps below.

Headline:
The headline for a press relase should be something that stands out and briefly summarizes the point of the release and rouses the readers’ interest.  A good headline should be a line, at maximum two lines should be enough. Headlines should not be more than about ten words or less.

Opening Paragraph:
Sometimes called a summary lead, the first paragraph of a press release is critical. This paragraph must explain "the five Ws and one H" of the story -- the who, what, when, where, why, and how.

This paragraph must summarize the press release, with the following paragraphs providing the detail. The opening paragraph must also contain the hook: the one thing that gets the audience interested in reading more. The hook of a press release  has to be relevant to the audience as well as to the news media.

The Body:
Using a strategy called the inverted pyramid, the body of the press release should be written with the most important information and quotes first. This inverted pyramid technique is used so that if editors need to cut the story to fit space constraints, they can cut from the end without losing critical information.

The Closing Paragraph:
This portion of a news release or story should repeat the critical contact information, including the name of the person, his or her phone number and/or email address.

Corporate Image and Perception

In Public Relations (PR)  image refers to the perception or impression people associate with any object. This could be a corporate organization, individual, institution, product, service or even an idea.

The way individuals interpret an image - is influenced by a variety of factors -  including reputation.

Reputation in PR, refers to  how an individual, corporate organization or institution is rated -  on a continuum of performance vis-a-vis expectations of relevant interest groups.

Types of image:

Wish image: This is how an individual or organisation wants to be perceived by the public.

Current image: This reflects facts on ground and can be determined - through an image study - best carried out by external consultants

Corporate image: This reflects the perception associated with the entire organization and not individual products. Corporate image, can be influenced by factors.
These include: country origin, name of organisation and age, product portfolio, price, safety records asset base, staff strength, CSR, rank in industry, accreditation/certification etc.

Positive image:  This is favorable image PR resources should be used to secure.

Negative image: This is unfavorable image that can cause problems for the organisation.

Product image: Is the perception that applies to a particular product. These include: efficacy of product, weight, size, colour etc.

Mirror image: Reflects the organisation's belief about how its perceived

Multiple image: This reflects how an organization is perceived in different lights by different publics.

Tips for effective public speaking

A key component of communication, public speaking or speaking generally is an art that can make a message resonate well with a target audience. It also serves as a tool through which PR practitioners achieve their objectives. However, delivering a good speech relies on putting certain elements into effect, as listed below.

1: Research on the topic:

In order to deliver a good speech to an audience, a detailed research must be conducted on the topic before delivery. This would enable the speaker have sufficient knowledge on the subject and gain some confidence before the audience in the course of delivery.

It would also enable him/her to be able to take questions on the topic from the audience. This would also inspire confidence on the part of the audience and enable the message being passed by the speaker, resonate well with them.


2: Theme:

Every speaker about to face an audience in the course of delivering a message should focus on a particular theme. Having a particular theme in place would keep him or her on track with the message without veering off into another topic.

Developing a theme would also enable the speaker reinforce the message before the audience and remain consistent in the course of delivering the message to the audience. Being consistent with the message would keep both the speaker and audience on the same page.

3: Stick to your personality:

While speaking to an audience it's important the speaker embraces his/ her own distinct personality and not try to be someone else. Trying to imitate someone else
can alienate the speaker from the audience. It's important for a speaker to understand that his/her unique personality is conveyed through  the tone, expressions and body language.

4: conduct Research on the audience:

It's crucial for the speaker to conduct a research on the audience he or she would be addressing. This would enable him or her know the educational level of the audience and other details such as their age grouping, sex and professional backgrounds.

A good knowledge of the audience's background would enable the speaker tailor his message to suit the level of understanding of the audience based on findings from such research.

5: Practice:

Every person about to speak to an audience, especially for first timers, owes it a duty to practice. This is necessary in overcoming stage freight and boosting confidence of the speaker. To begin with the speaker should identity those things he or she is not confident about before the audience and develop a means to deal with them.

6: Engaging the audience:

Another critical component of effective speaking borders on actively engaging the audience. This is necessary in order to keep them active and not passive. Actively engaging the audience can be achieved by creating room for moderated questions and answers.

Catch words, which the audience can respond or chorus to can be developed. Engaging the audience in the course of speaking serves as a key element in public speaking. It creates room for a discussion among all parties involved. This makes an event lively and shifts attention from the speaker to the audience as well.

The History of Public Relations in Nigeria

By Dominic Nwelih

The history of PR, Public Relations in Nigeria dates back to the years which preceded the Second World War.

During this period  unfavourable policies of the  British Colonial Government had to a large extent strained relations between it and Nigerians.

This continued until 1943 during the Second World War, when the colonial government deemed it necessary to institute its own Public Relations practise - with a view to keep the public informed about developments at the warfront - since Nigerians had also been recruited  into the battle field.

Dubbed: War Information Office, the organization was also saddled with the responsibility of ensuring dissemination of favorable news  narratives about the colonial government and its policies.

To this end, it  employed  many Nigerians - most with journalistic background - as publicity officers.
Some notable officers included: Cyprian Ekwensi, Anthony Enahoro and the late Dr. Sam Epelle.

However, since there was strong opposition to colonial rule at the period, activities of the PR outfit, were viewed with distrust among Nigerians.

Subsequently, other government agencies, parastatals as well as the private sector, embraced the practise of Public Relations - as a means to manage the flow of information between their organizations and their publics.

In the public sector, they included:  the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria and Nigerian Railway Corporation.

The private sector included organizations like United African Company of Nigeria (UACN) and Shell BP Petroleum Development Company.

This paved the way for the emergence of PR consultancy firms - which emerged in the 1960s.

Some individuals who operated Public Relations consultancies  on individual basis, include the likes of late Ebun Adesioye,Otunba Kunle
Ojora, Peter Hospidales, Dotun Okubanjo, Dr Clarkson Majomi and Mr. Olu Ademulegun.

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Research is key. No research. No plan. 👍👌