The importance of good engagement
By Jimmy Sygrove, Infrastructure Advisor
The above article by Cas Carter is a refreshing take on the communications industry and represents a view almost never portrayed in traditional media.
Contrary to popular belief – PR and the media aren’t at war with one another.
Communications and engagement professionals are very well-versed in the consequences of deliberately spreading misinformation, and the vast majority have neither the time nor the inclination to tell porkies as part of their jobs.
The rise of the communications profession represents a step change in the media landscape. The fact is that many organisations now choose to own their content instead of relying solely on media to tell their story.
In my experience (both in the private and public sectors) a good, open and honest relationship with the media always works better than an adversarial one.
While some in the old guard of the media may see this as a negative shift in the traditional story telling power balance, most pragmatic communications professionals accept this as the new normal and realise that there can be (and should be) win-wins.
In today’s world of instant news, social media commentators and online clickbait, telling a complicated story in ways that everyone can understand is more important than ever. Organisations need to work with the media to tell the story in a way that benefits both parties.
In all cases transparency is the best (and only) policy. Covering the reality of a situation in flowery words is never helpful and any good communications professional knows what happens when this is your go-to approach.
Sir Walter Scott had it right well over 200 years ago, in his 1808 poem Marmion.
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive
BACK