Industry Debate - PR and Journalism are Different Sides of the Same Coin

Marie Najjar was recently invited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) to participate in a comical debate on PR and Journalism. Of course, Marie’s team was victorious! Here’s a quick overview of what it was all about.

PR practitioner and Journalist interaction has been a hot topic in the media of late. Neil Shoebridge from the Australian Financial Review explored the dos and don’ts of media relations. Sally Jackson, Journalist with The Australian’s Media and Marketing section, covered a recent study by UTS Professor Jim Macnamara which highlighted up to 80% of media content is derived from PR http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25422943-7582,00.html. This set the platform for a lively debate on the role of PR within the media and the characteristics that makeup a successful practitioner.

On Wednesday May 6, the PRIA held a lively and intentionally humorous debate at Sydney’s comedy club, the Laugh Garage. Industry members packed out the venue to watch the two teams of mixed PR / journalists go head to head in a debate on the evening’s topic - That PR and Journalism are Different Sides of the Same Coin.

Andrew Kirk of Hill and Knowlton had a tough job on his hands moderating the teams of energetic debaters throughout the night. The vibrant affirmative team comprised of Marie Najjar, Brian Giesen of Ogilvy PR, Sophia Russell - Features Writer of B&T Magazine and Simon Sharwood – freelance journalist, editor, podcaster and speaker. The affirmative team argued that PR and Journalism are both independently concerned with the exchange and transfer of information to a defined audience for a commercial outcome. When the two meet, they ‘trade’ with stories.

The negative team opposed this argument, claiming PR should be relabelled PM for ‘public manipulation’ and that a responsibility of journalism is to limit or reject PRs attempt at manipulation. Members of the negative team on the evening were Clint Drieberg of 2UE, Lukas Picton of Text100, Pru Quinlan of Einsteinz Communications and Gerard Ryle, award winning journalist from the Sydney Morning Herald and an author.

The affirmative team were crowned winners on the night, as judged by the crowd’s cheers. Competition aside, both sides made valid points. PR and media both tell stories, exchange information and connect with audiences. Media are (and have to be) critical of the information they receive in order to do their job. Put simply, both PR and journalists have to understand what makes news and what’s important to the defined audience. Most importantly, however, public relations practitioners dealing with the media, must understand the opportunities and limitations to engaging in the journalistic process of story creation.

(L to R: Sophia Russell, Brian Giesen, Marie Najjar and Simon Sharwood - Winners!)

To hear audio footage of the debate, visit http://ow.ly/5vbH. Coverage on the debate can be found at http://mumbrella.com.au/pr-vs-journalists-debate-concludes-were-on-the-same-side-5221 and for those on twitter, via #priadebate.