Investigating relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners: Working together to set, frame and build the public agenda, 1991–2004

Journalism–PR relations revisited: The good news, the bad news, and insights into tomorrow's news

“…However, despite evidence that editors and journalists admit to positive relationships with and contributions from PR, which was found in this and other research (e.g., Sallot & Johnson, 2006), a generalized negative discourse about PR continues. While most senior editors and journalists interviewed did not personally participate in such discourse, they acknowledged it is prevalent.…”

“…While Sallot and Johnson (2006) reported that journalists' recognition of the value of PR increased between 1991 and 2004 and Cameron, Sallot and Curtin concluded that "assumptions of outright animosity may be exaggerated" (1997, pp. 111), numerous studies reveal negative perceptions of and attitudes towards PR (DeLorme & Fedler, 2003;Jeffers, 1977;Kopenhaver, 1985;Kopenhaver, Martinson & Ryan;1984;Ryan & Martinson, 1988;Sallot & Johnson, 2006;Stegall & Sanders, 1986;White & Shaw, 2005;Wilson & Supa, 2013).…”

“…111), numerous studies reveal negative perceptions of and attitudes towards PR (DeLorme & Fedler, 2003;Jeffers, 1977;Kopenhaver, 1985;Kopenhaver, Martinson & Ryan;1984;Ryan & Martinson, 1988;Sallot & Johnson, 2006;Stegall & Sanders, 1986;White & Shaw, 2005;Wilson & Supa, 2013). In their historical review of journalist-PR relations, DeLorme and Fedler (2003) concluded that the relationship is "tense and complex" (2003, p. 101).…”

“…Based on long-standing anti-PR rhetoric and concerns about PR influence on media among journalists, paradoxically co-existing with high and arguably increasing media usage of PR information, Sallot and Johnson (2006) and Tilley and Hollings (2008) described the interaction as a "love-hate" relationship -a view echoed by Harcup in a contemporary UK journalism text (2009, p. 72). The relationship is also ambiguously described as both "antagonistic" and "symbiotic" (Merkel, Russ-Mohl & Zavaritt, 2007).…”

“…For example, Sallot and Johnson's (2006) analysis of 413 reports of interviews with US journalists found that journalists themselves estimated that, on average, 44 per cent of the content of US news media was the result of PR contact. Journalists' estimates could be expected to be conservative, given negative attitudes towards PR widely expressed by them in the same survey.…”