Seeking Clarity: A Dejavu Experience with Journalists

This week would be the most challenging to date. 

Even my desk depicted how bust I was with beautiful orange Clarity folders everywhere. Notice I cleaned it for the photograph. 

Despite having worked as a journalist for the Kalgoorlie Miner Regional Newspaper in the past, I found this task the most nerve racking.

With the online strategy for the ICF campaign now sorted, it was time to begin contacting media outlets to generate traffic towards the online medium to achieve awareness and engagement.

I spook with different members of the ICF leadership team and together we devised news worthy stories that would appeal to a wide target market. 

What deems a topic news worthy?

At university, if we tick off on of the topics from the ‘newsworthy’ list I'm sure we are all aware of, it almost feels as though it guarantees our topic coverage in the media.

WRONG.

Despite having stories that related to health and well being, corporate and executive, media outlets were not as interested as what I first thought they’d be. 

I wrote and pitched 4 media backgrounders to various media outlets around the Perth, including the Sunday Times, the West Australian, Scoop Magazine, ABC Radio and Business News.

The topics varied from coaching in health - more closely breast cancer, coaching and ADHD, coaching for business executives, and coaching and yoga.

Speaking with journalist on the phone was quiet the straight forward process and once my first call had been made, I was not so nervous.

Unfortunately the stories did not stick with the media, but the process from fabrication to pitch was a fantastic experience. 

Particularly, I learnt to be prompt, straight to the point, and as Ellie from the strategy team suggested, ask the journalist first if they have time to speak.

Speaking with Kellie she said that they might not work as they are not the type of stories they are interested in right as it did not appeal to current affairs. 

This meant that these press releases could be utilised next March for coaches week. 

This experience revealed my true passion for the PR industry verse going back to journalism.

I believe this is because of the challenge that the PR industry requires

Small fish finds himself in big pond!

Hello all!

Let me first off start by introducing myself. My name is Trevor and I am a PR and Marketing student studying at Curtin in Bentley. This being my last unit, I was pretty excited to secure my place at PPR early this year in February, I know, it's way in advance! As planning well in advance is sort of my forte, I was pleased with myself for being so proactive, which as most of you know, is a useful tool too in PR. Today is Friday, and it's been a week at PPR (3 days actually due to exams etc) and my eyes are truly open..

It was always a battle of Consultancy vs In-house. The notion that a consultancy offers the best environment to establish our young minds and build off a large pool of knowledge. Well, I must say, at PPR the pool is not large at all, it's HUGE, massive, incomprehensible at first until you start piecing it all together like a puzzle that seems to work like a well oiled machine. There are three distinct departments, all work hand in hand. The support, corporate/consumer and this new term I have come across for the first time in my PR studies, the "Investor Relations" department. This department instantly drew me in, it was new, I hadn't come across it before in my studies, and I had to know how this works out. After a deep introduction and a 'sit-in' on one of the client pitches, I soon to came to appreciate how integral a broad knowledge of the business world is in PR.

The fact is this: it's not only PR people that work at a PR Consultancy, it's a range of ex-journos, mining industry experts and a range of experts that bring unparalleled experience to the team. A wealth of knowledge and clients that make everything interlinked. This is the beginning of my understanding, and I look forward to getting over my nerves( yes I was and still am settling in) and delving more into understanding and applying some real principles.

A consultancy definitely offers a wide range of disciplines to work in, and the scope to grow and develop. An integral part of PR is administration too, and in my first few days, excel spreadsheets have been my best friend =).

I hope this insight has been insightful to everyone. I look forward to sharing some more soon!

Kind Regards

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Beginning a PR Internship: Nerves & Excitement

Well, where do I start …

My name is Rachel Shortte and my internship placement is at the City of Perth.

Before I commenced my internship, I was filled with all sorts of emotions; excitement, nerves and I was unsure what to expect, which I am sure almost everyone else experienced as well. I conducted some research into Public Relations internships by looking over past blog entries and academic journals. The research reassured me that undertaking an internship would assist to build confidence and gain practical experience, “through internship experiences, students become more independent, ambitious, and focused” (Daugherty 2011, 470).

Daugherty (2011) mentions that some of the main aims for Public Relations interns, which I concur with, are to; acquire skills, develop a richer understanding for the specialisation area, gain real life experience and proactively seek future benefits; including job opportunities and the establishment of a portfolio. I thoroughly recommend that other students take the time to read the article – ‘The Public Relations Internship Experience: A Comparison of Student and Site Supervisor Perspectives’. The article gives an insightful overview of the Public Relations internship experience from the perspectives of students and supervisors.

I began my internship in mid-August, and so far it has been an incredible experience (on my first day I even got to meet Lisa Scaffidi!). Each day of my internship there has been an abundance of opportunities for me to learn and develop my Public Relations skills. Everyone within the City of Perth that I have come into contact with is welcoming, supportive and genuinely lovely people, especially the Public Relations & Communication Team.

Although only having been in my internship for a few days, I can most certainly understand the importance of undertaking both theoretical study at university and applying the theory learnt in an internship placement. Internships enable students to put what they have learnt into practice and to shape their knowledge into a practical sense.

Until next time, keep enjoying your placements!

Rachel

(Written: 31^st August 2013)

 

Reference:

Daugherty, Emma L. 2011. “The Public Relations Internship Experience: A Comparison of Student and Site Supervisor Perspectives.” Public Relations Review 37 (5): 470 – 477. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.09.010.