Public relations: spin cycle

There are two main ways to approach public relations (PR): from the point of view of a media practitioner, and from the point of view of a PR practitioner. While these are often held to be diametrically opposed positions, that is not necessarily the case, and they share a lot of common ground. The reality is that many people trained in journalism, and who may have been successful journalists, do become PR people. Journalism-trained people have long been considered suitable for PR because of the very skills that made them good journalists, although it is important to note that PR involves far more than media liaison. Journalists often face a steep learning curve when they shift to PR, as they must acquire a number of new skills. No matter where in the media you end up working, understanding this huge and growing phenomenon is going to help you. It is not overstating the case to say that PR has implications for how our society functions, driving change and fundamentally altering the way human beings organise themselves. This chapter will provide an overview of how PR operates, and will provide advice to those on both sides of the dividing line between the two professions