Patterson/Bach Communications, Inc.

With the economy in a tailspin and anyone’s guess where it will take us in the new year, the implications affecting media relations are many.

First, it’s no surprise that the media landscape is rapidly changing. Nearly gone are the days of fully staffed newsrooms and specialty writers eagerly waiting your feature pitch. Many traditional media outlets are struggling to survive and are down to overworked skeleton crews that are challenged with juggling priorities and often only have time for hard news. What’s that mean for us public relations professionals? Well, the matte release is back in fashion, as journalists need well-written, “plug-n-play” news from experts, even if it comes with a product or service “plug.”  Also, some old-school PR practitioners are having to come to terms with bloggers being taken seriously; although it certainly helps that many are now credentialed, educated, out-of-work journalists. This new dynamic also places increased importance on not wasting any form of media’s time – as if we needed to be reminded that all pitches must be newsworthy, but sadly, yes, some do.  Additionally, we can’t overlook social media. You may be tired of hearing about the social media craze, but it’s probably here to stay. Although the current myriad tools may come and go, the fact remains that people will use Web-based and mobile devices to get their news and communicate with others. If you haven’t developed a social media plan for what makes sense for your organization, or you’re wondering how to successfully navigate the changing media landscape, call Patterson/Bach to help you stay the course and not waste time, money or resources.

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