I would personally favour drinks...
This is all to be done on the company credit card. Apparently this is just good practice for PR practitioners in order to maintain good relationships. The research I've done on the topic has revealed as much - journalists are not as opposed to relationships with PR people as they portray. They can't afford to be when 40% of their news content is generated by practitioners! But while they are quite open to a good relationship, they firmly believe that it is up to the PR practitioner to maintain the relationship.. And it would seem Linc is quite aware of this contradiction and mean to capitalize on it!
They're actually besties
So there you have it - my last story for this blog and for this unit. The semester is nearly done with. Exams are upon us. The final report nearly completed. The internship all but over. All that remains is the reflection.
My experience at Linc was... eye-opening. I'm not sure I want to work in consultancy or even in PR anymore. But the experience was an interesting one and I'll definitely be taking away plenty of skills and a great addition to my resume.
I hope everyone else had a great time at their placement.. All the best into the future!
Beth Caniglia
2 comments:
Do you believe it is ethical for them to buy journalists lunch, or is it a form of bribery?
I remember this topic being covered in PR Media. Our lecturer also said it was common practice, but you had to be careful not to be unethical
Regarding your insight on building relationships through dining out on the company credit card. I find this practice to be completely normal. I think too often we forget that we are people and that there needs to be or remain a sense of normalcy in how we build relationships even in the professional world. After all would be go up to someone we me the first time and tell them "Wow I see you have a car, thats great I have been needing a lift to work Mon-Fri are you available... An exaggeration of course but from what I have experienced in my internship is that journalists hate or for that matter detest fake, hidden motive pr people. They are fully aware that you need their relationship and they are not opposed to preventing one to exist. But sometimes the tactics that overly zealous aspiring PR students, interns or beginners can use are downright bizarre and unnatural. I can remember vividly at my first media conference I extended my hand to a journalist and said 'hi my name is Tatiana from Imagine its a pleasure to meet you!' and the guy walked in the other direction and gave my colleague a high 5 as i stood by and watched them sharing stories from their dogs, upcoming events etc... After than I was decided never again, I’m being myself and I’m being normal!
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