Business
The Essential Guide to Media Relations for PR and Journalists
Fernando Henrique Ahuvia outlines key rules on meeting deadlines, staying transparent, and building mutual trust.
The relationship between newsrooms and PR professionals relies on clear ground rules. Fernando Henrique Ahuvia outlines practical strategies to avoid friction and build lasting partnerships across the media landscape.
Fernando Henrique Ahuvia, from the communications department at SBT, joined Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast to discuss guidelines for a balanced and productive relationship between reporters and PR professionals. The daily dynamic between newsrooms and corporate communications requires mutual respect for each side's workflows and deadlines.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
What journalists expect from PR pros
For PR professionals looking to secure coverage from newsrooms, the foundational rule is aligning with a reporter's routine. Ahuvia emphasizes the need to "respect the journalist's schedule, understand their deadlines, and know what they need so we can assist them in the best way possible."
Honesty regarding whether a request can actually be fulfilled is another decisive factor. Avoiding empty promises protects the story's deadline and the practitioner's credibility. According to Ahuvia, a lack of clarity causes major friction: "The worst thing you can do, what frustrates people the most, is stringing someone along saying you'll deliver, only to drop the ball at the very last minute."
Beyond prompt responses, cultivating ongoing relationships is what sustains daily workflows. Ahuvia points out that corporate communicators shouldn't limit their outreach to one-off pitch pushes: "We shouldn't reach out to journalists only when we need to promote something."
What PR pros need from newsrooms
On the newsroom side, understanding internal corporate dynamics is equally essential. In the video above, taken from an episode that covers behind-the-scenes reporting insights, Ahuvia stresses that "not every request can be handled instantly right then and there; sometimes journalists expect a turnaround on the same day."
Reporters providing clear context on story angles and desired information makes fulfillment smoother and improves the final piece. "The more context and information provided, the better a PR pro can help," Ahuvia explains. For him, nurturing a continuous dialogue goes both ways: "You shouldn't reach out only when you need an interview or data. It’s a mutual collaboration—at the end of the day, everyone is working toward the same goal."
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
