As a current journalism major at the University of Maine, I had very little expertise in PR, which is exactly what sparked my interest in interning at Broadreach Public Relations. After searching around and applying at several other outlets, Broadreach seemed like a great fit. I was sure it would provide great opportunity to expand my horizons, try something new, and learn more about a potential career path before entering my senior year and ultimately deciding what on earth I want to do with my life.
I’ve been surprised with the amount of cross-over between the two fields thus far, as they both represent important communication fields. While journalism consists of getting important information to the public, PR deals with representing clients and presenting them to the public as well. Both have similar goals but achieve them differently. However, both professions rely heavily on each other in order to operate smoothly and efficiently.
- News monitoring and media outreach are areas in which I’ve noticed the strongest link between the two professions so far. Public relations professionals monitor news publications and journalists for client opportunities daily, and, based on this monitoring, stories or events covered are frequently the result of different mediums of media outreach. Because of this, it has definitely been interesting to see the world of journalism from a different perspective.
- Media outreach is another aspect of PR that draws a clear connection between journalism and PR. Reaching out to various media outlets is crucial when trying to get coverage or stimulate interest in what a client is doing. As I’ve already learned, it’s also important to pick your media outlets and reporters wisely when pitching press releases and events. For instance, a sports writer isn’t going to care about a business seminar or an art exhibit that your client is sponsoring. I’ve found that selecting outlets that clearly have an interest in the industry that you’re pitching will prove more beneficial and therefore provide better results for your client. Incidentally, this requires careful research. In addition, journalists and outlets receiving the pitch will benefit, especially if the pitch is newsworthy, because now they have a story idea to present to their editors, as well as a knowledgeable contact in the industry.
Thus far, my time at Broadreach has provided me with great learning opportunities. I’m benefiting by exploring a different career path while simultaneously learning how it intertwines with a field that I already have experience in. Over the next few months, I only expect the experience to build and provide me with well-rounded communications knowledge in the PR field.
Overall, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Broadreach team, and look forward to “sailing” through these next few months!
~ Casey
