Why journalism school is the right place for PR students
After reading “Why journalism schools should get rid of PR,” I couldn’t help but respond. That post by Bob Conrad offers ten reasons why PR is better suited for a business school, and I’m going to attempt a point-by-point response from the opposite perspective.
For the compete context for my writing here, you should check out Bob’s piece first.
- Bob says public relations is inherently a business function at most organizations, especially when a PR head within an organization has obtained the proverbial “seat at the table” with other executive leaders. At the same time, much of the PR practitioner’s work is about communicating, which is not taught in management class. And doesn’t, um, everyone say the most important skill for budding PR pros is the ability to write well? Guess where you’ll learn that: J-school.
- Bob’s second point is that “Journalism skills needed by public relations students can be obtained usually with about a year and half’s worth of journalism courses” — thus can be done regardless of whether PR falls under a journo department or a business department. I’d argue the same is true about the business classes. Whether we’re talking journalism education or business education, the classes only get you so far; experience takes you the rest of the way.
- Bob argues that news reporters are “antagonistic” toward the things most important to a business: sales, marketing, advertising and other business functions. I’d argue that many journalism students and journalists aren’t; that’s why they’ve gone into PR!
- PR is all about two-way, symmetrical communication, whereas journalists are conditioned for one-way, asymmetrical communication, Bob says. I say, not the journalists blazing a trail for success in the future.
- Bob’s fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth points all address an hugely important topic, which I’ll address all at once here: the role of new media in journalism and PR. Basically, Bob says PR is (sometimes slowly) adopting new media, but new media is slowly killing the journalism business, and that good PR now focuses less on media mentions and more on direct communication via its own blogs and other new, social-y methods. To me, this alone makes the strongest argument for the importance of a journalistic education. The future of PR is a return to what should have always been our focus: telling stories effectively, communicating, interacting with people. It’s not a business function; it’s a human function.
- Bob’s final point is a depressing one: Journalism businesses left and right are being gutted, so gutting journalism departments at colleges would be an “important career lesson.” Well, that lesson might be relevant for an unfortunately large number of current and future journalists, but to me, that doesn’t mean teaching that lesson in that way is a good idea. Even as the status of many journalism organizations deteriorates, we’ll see the need for and presence of solid journalism deteriorate only so far. Solid journalism is to a well-functioning society what oxygen is to an athlete: a crucial life-force. Gutting journalism departments because the journalism business is in upheaval makes as much sense as gutting pre-med programs because our health care system is shitty.
To be clear, I don’t necessarily disagree with all of the arguments Bob makes — just the conclusion to which they led him. I also don’t believe simply that PR shouldn’t be taught in business schools. There’s tremendous value for PR practitioners in a business-oriented education, but I also believe there’s at least as much if not more potential value in a journalism-oriented education.
That, and I just enjoy arguing.
What do you think?
Photo courtesy of CUNY J School on Flickr
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I’m torn as to where PR should be taught. At MSU, I’m right in the middle in the College of Communication so I take both business and writing classes.
However, I see a lot of my peers who opt for more creative and writing classes than business classes. Your clients aren’t spending money in PR to make people feel good; ultimately, they expect some kind of ROI. I have found that understanding business trends and models can be useful in helping to maximize ROI.
This is a good and thoughtful rebuttal. Thanks for taking the time.
-Bob
Nick,
My alma mater has, since I’ve left, joined the journalism department with the communication department, which somewhat changes the nature of a journalism degree. Still, though, it’s certainly not the same as getting a business degree. Several of my PR friends added a business major or minor — something Bob hinted at in his second point.
It seems there’s a constant struggle for balance between the priorities of business and journalism or communication. Certainly, all of those are relevant.
Twitter Comment by @MNHeadhunter (Paul DeBettignies)
Unjournalism: Why journalism school is the right place for PR students [link to post]
– http://twitter.com/MNHeadhunter/statuses/1091683833
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Great post, Mike, and I agree with many of your points. But, like you, I also agree with some of Bob’s points. I just love sitting on that fence!
While PR professionals must carry their weight in the C-suites, the one thing that separates us from the accounting, finance, legal and management types is our understanding of human communication and our ability to do it professionally. The other folks at the table aren’t good at such things, which is why they invite us to the meetings.
Bob makes some great points about the need to build more business context into PR curricula. We do this pretty well at Kent State (he said humbly), but I wish my grads had dual majors in PR and business.
This debate on where PR belongs has been raging for as long as I’ve been in the field — over 30 years. I posted my 2-cents about it more than two years ago. You’ll find it here: http://toughsledding.wordpress.com/2006/10/10/what-public-relations-cant-get-from-business-school/
As I’ve said in many discussions since writing this post, the only clear answer is that there isn’t a clear answer. But of course, I have my predilections.
Twitter Comment by @michsineath (Mich Sineath)
PR [...] “It’s not a business function; it’s a human function.” [link to post]
– http://twitter.com/michsineath/statuses/1094370504
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment by @michsineath (Mich Sineath)
“The future of PR is [...] telling stories effectively, communicating, interacting with people.” [link to post]
– http://twitter.com/michsineath/statuses/1094372021
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment by @journalismnews (Journalism.co.uk)
Unjournalism: Why journalism school is the right place for PR students [link to post]
– http://twitter.com/journalismnews/statuses/1096783156
– Posted using Chat Catcher
A thought to share.
In a world of information equality what exactly is the difference between journalism and PR?
Trying to spin in a world of blogs, twitter, etc. is a losing strategy. The communication ecology itself enforces honesty. That’s the good news. In a google-mart economy, transparency is just good business.
So, if it’s not spin, is it the ability to “dig out the facts?” In a world of Search, wikis and web 2.0, not mention the many good public interest research organizations, is it really the journalist who is best positioned to “get the facts.”
Evaluating facts and crafting into a good story is a skill that both good PR and good journalists need. One difference, in the past, is that PR people need an overview sense of the media so that a story can be managed. The reality is that managing a story is no longer a winning strategy. Better off making good products and telling the truth about them.
So…journalists work for the public good and PR work for private business? It sounds good, but hardly credible when considering the state of TV and most newspapers.
Some great points there, Michael. But let me take a crack at the key question: What exactly is the difference between journalism and PR?
Journalists tell stories. PR people solve problems. Sometimes we tell stories as part of the package, but there’s a lot more to it. We counsel management and influence organizational policy as a means of building relationships. We listen to stakeholders and report back. We assess public opinion and forecast public behavior.
But never forget that advocacy is part of PR’s DNA. We do all this to help our organizations succeed. But being an advocate doesn’t require spin and deception. It’s not been an easy transition for some to manage. You seem to understand it pretty well.
But there is a long tradition of journalists solving problems. Some of the greatest newspapers were the crusading heroes to solve important public problems.
Perhaps one of the reasons that journalism has lost it’s way is that they drank the cool aid that they are the “objective” and just “tell stories.” Objective in this context often just means safe. Safe means often means “don’t upset someone because you will lose access or status.
I think going forward journalists may turn out to do PR for the public.
Consider your words with just a little search and replace:
We counsel community leaders and influence organizational policy as a means of building vibrant local communities. We listen to citizens and report their concerns. We assess public opinion and forecast public behavior, in the interest of trying to understand what kind of information they need to make better decisions.
So…I’m going with PR for the public and replacing the whole sometimes very sanctimonious journalists.
I like your revisions a lot, Michael. It is precisely the kind of PR that visionaries like Pat Jackson evangelized about 30 years back. Social media are now bringing it closer to reality. Pat would have been pleased.
What you propose sounds more like an ombudsman than an advocate. Mutual understanding is the goal versus persuasion. But this is a fundamental change in PR’s DNA, and it won’t be a quick transition.
I agree that journalists have been problem-solvers in the past. But they seldom do it for specific organizations who pay them for their expertise. Another difference between PR and journalism.
Bill,
You have me with the day job with a paying client vs a day job that the real client – the reader – doesn’t pay the bill. That makes sense.
The other points you raise need a longer discussion about what is the real difference is between what we have called “PR” and what we have called “journalism.”
If you are interested in continuing, it could be your blog, or mine, or right here. I have your blog and this one on my RSS.
In any case, I have a feeling there is something to learn by trying to make clear the real distinctions and similarities between the two professions.
Bill,
You have me with the day job vs no paying client. That makes sense.
The other points you raise need a longer discussion about what is the real difference is between what we have called “PR” and what we have called “journalism.”
If you are interested in continuing, it could be your blog, or mine, or right here. I have your blog and this one on my RSS.
In any case, I have a feeling there is something to learn by trying to make clear the real distinctions and similarities between the two professions.
We probably shouldn’t hijack Mike’s blog this way, but I’m unlikely to get to an original post on this real soon. Lots in the queue right now. But if you post, I’ll join in. Prompt me, OK? I’m not the best at checking the feeds.
Hijack away, guys. Or don’t. But if you pick up the conversation elsewhere, let me know when and where.
Thanks for continuing to make the comments section of this post a far better read than the original post ever was.
That’s the beauty of the medium, isn’t it? Just wish I had all day to do this. Hmm. Come to think of it, I did spend all day online. No work ’til next week!
My trick is to keep the computer on the kitchen table. In between making dinner and watching the tube, it’s a great way to maintain an interesting conversation.
Whenever you’re ready, c’mon over my house….
http://sellingprint.blogspot.com/2009/01/journalism-or-public-relations.html
Twitter Comment by @ellenm53 (Ellen Mrja)
Mike Keliher on why Journalism Schools Should Keep PR: [link to post] @mjkeliher
– http://twitter.com/ellenm53/statuses/1100836393
– Posted using Chat Catcher
[...] Mike Keliher wrote a blog to counter Conrad’s argument. As a part of his post, he writes, “The future of PR is a return to what should have always been our focus: telling stories effectively, communicating and interacting with people. It’s not a business function; it’s a human function.” [...]
I am currently a journalism student and staff writer for my university’s newspaper. Not only do I love writing, I value journalism ethics and enjoy the reporting process.
I do, however, realize that the uncertain future of print journalism has a definite impact on my career path. So, I’m considering entering the PR field after graduation.
Right now, I am enrolled in a PR course and multiple journalism courses. In addition to my sports journalism experience at the newspaper, I also volunteer at the PR department of the university’s athletic department. I can honestly say EVERY DAY that I go to the SAME locations, press conferences etc. with both jobs. The jobs are in direct relation to each other. I see more similarities than differences between the two. That’s why there is such hostility between the two industries. Pink and red are so similar in color that when put together they just clash. Majors don’t have to be identical to be in the same college.
My mother, a dedicated journalist since college, was laid off this year when the newspaper cut her section. A couple months later she was hired by the PR department of a well-respected organization.
The senior associate at the PR department immediately rejected an internship application for one reason: the person applying was a business major. He said he wouldn’t even consider the candidate because the person wouldn’t be able to write well.
With all this talk of PR taking over journalism’s role in providing information, it’s gotta’ make you consider what the public will think: If they think journalism is biased, what will they think of the PR dept. being the only provider of their company’s information?
And isn’t the purpose of PR to present MUTUALLY beneficial relations to the PUBLIC?
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. “Pink and red are so similar in color that when put together they just clash” is a brilliant observation in this context.
Journalism, as a broad discipline, does run into issues of bias, real or perceived. PR, rather understandably, runs into at least as much, if not more. But just like people dislike “politicians” but love their own elected representatives, it’s up to each of us to build our own reputations and, by extension, the reputations of our clients.