More Than 1,000 U.S. Journalists Have Their Say In Groundbreaking PR Media Report Published By Global Results Communications

Survey reveals shifting attitudes toward public relations and the challenges of an industry in transition

Global Results Communications (GRC) – an award-winning, full-service public relations powerhouse focused on high-tech and all the verticals it touches – published the findings of its 2021 PR Media Report in which 1,026 members of the U.S. media took the time to answer questions covering a wide range of topics, including what they value most from public relations professionals.

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“This report is meant to give PR professionals insights as to the changing demands and how we can do better to serve journalists and ultimately both of our audiences.”

“PR professionals and journalists rely on one another to ensure the quality of information being reported is up to par. Therefore, it’s critical we have a keen understanding of the needs that today’s journalists have and how PR professionals can support those needs,” said GRC Founder and CEO Valerie Christopherson. “This report is meant to give PR professionals insights as to the changing demands and how we can do better to serve journalists and ultimately both of our audiences.”

Christopherson continued, “While on the surface it seems not much has changed given that 82% of the respondents have not altered their opinion of PR professionals over the years, deeper down a subtle but significant shift could be taking place. Just the number of survey responses alone tells us that the media is looking to work more cohesively with PR professionals to garner better quality control in an era where content is being questioned more now than ever before.”

The survey was conducted between March 2021 and May 2021. Of the 1,026 respondents, 43% hold decision-making roles as editors, with 54% possessing more than 20 years of experience, which indicates they were in the business when huge changes and media mergers took place. Today, with the battle for reader attention, quality of news less appreciated and increased competition from bloggers, podcasters and citizen journalists among the biggest challenges facing journalists, it’s not surprising that 80% of the respondents say they still rely on public relations professionals for content. However, they do need to see improvement in the quality of information, as the survey indicates that too often journalists receive inaccurate or irrelevant information from PR professionals.

“The results of the survey tell us that most journalists view their relationship with PR practitioners as an important one,” adds Christopherson. “And overwhelmingly, members of the media want relevance and mutual respect, appreciating PR professionals that have a clear understanding of what they want and need. But are we delivering? As the landscape of news dramatically changes, there’s no doubt, it is time for PR to change, too. Bottom line: We must do better.”

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