What do the media expect from communications coordinators and press officers?

The question was debated in a Strickland Foundation seminar on Wednesday which brought together journalists and public relations officers to talk about the hiccups they encounter.

The information session, moderated by PR director and former journalist Chris Peregin, explored the dynamics between the media – striving for newsworthy, engaging stories – and PR professionals, whose job it is to promote the most flattering media stories about their clients.

The seminar was well attended, with an audience of PR officers from the public service, government entities, NGOs, politics and the private sector. It was addressed by Fr Joe Borg, a commentator and university lecturer, who examined the value of journalism in a democracy.

He was followed by Herman Grech, the Times of Malta’s head of digital media, who spoke of what the press expected of PR officers. Former L-Orizzont editor Frans Ghirxi advised on the formulation of press releases.

Establishing trust and keeping open communication proved to be a key issue. PR officers lamented that, at times, they felt let down by unreliable journalists, which damaged trust. PR officers often ended up juggling client demands, organisational structures and the media.

It was debated whether it was acceptable to request viewing an unpublished story prior to going to print, with journalists arguing that, often enough, the stringent deadlines coupled with excessive interference in the written text made it impossible to accede to such demands.

However, it was agreed that technical stories needed to be checked for inaccuracies or misrepresentations.