Do PR–media relationships still matter?
Journalists and PR pros say yes, but no one has time for coffee chats and slow follow-ups.
Knowing a reporter or texting them occasionally isn’t enough to get your story in a small-town paper, let alone the New York Times.
So what’s the real value of having a relationship with a reporter? Journalists need PR teams more than ever.
“When you have a relationship, you’re not just a name in an inbox,” said Trine Hindklev, senior partner and global strategic media relations lead at FleishmanHillard. “You’re someone a journalist knows will deliver the right story at the right time – and get it right.”
A familiar name might get a text read, but it’s the pitch and your consistency that get the story told.
“If you’re going to a journalist with a transactional attitude, you’re not going to be successful,” said Joanne Denyeau, SVP of media strategy at Hotwire Global. “You’re just trying to check a box – and they can tell.”
What journalists want
The dynamic has changed, but the fundamentals haven’t. The best PR pros make a journalist’s job easier – without wasting their time.
“As a reporter or news manager, I need PR specialists who are available, knowledgeable and represent their business concerns while still supporting our interest in fair and timely reporting,” said Chip Mahaney, a longtime newsroom leader for The E.W. Scripps Company and a current professor at SMU.
“They can answer a question with just one call, email or text.”
Walter Smith Randolph, executive producer at CBS New York and VP of the National Association of Black Journalists, said the best PR partners anticipate newsroom needs and deliver fast – b-roll, photos, facts, access – without overcomplicating things. Being available when needed – even on weekends or overnight – is a major plus as well.
While strong relationships can influence coverage, there’s no guarantee, Smith Randloph said.
“Just because we have a relationship doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed coverage,” he added. “I have to convince my newsroom as well.”
That’s echoed by Bowdeya Tweh, Chicago bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal. Tweh doesn’t oppose outreach but keep it focused.
“It’s not as helpful to me to say, ‘Hey, what are you working on?’” he said. “If you do three minutes of due diligence, you’ll have a sense of what coverage areas I oversee.”
PR pros: Human connection still drives results
Hindklev sees media outreach as a long game.
“Striking up a relationship from scratch is an art and a science,” she said. “Read their work. Follow them. Show up at events. Know when they change beats. Reach out with something helpful before you need something.”
That helps cut through inbox clutter.
Denyeau saw this firsthand while booking guests for MSNBC and CNBC. “I used to get 500 to 700 emails a day,” she said. Recognizing a name or email became a shortcut.
“That familiarity matters,” she added. “Knowing they’ll deliver what they pitch is huge.”
The worst pitches, she said, come from people treating outreach like a checklist.
“Don’t reach out because you need four pieces of coverage,” she said. “Pitch because you have a great story – and you know why it matters to me.”
At Arizona State University, assistant director of media relations Jerry Gonzalez said groundwork pays off when pitching recurring events like its Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony.
“That kind of regularity can make it harder to get attention,” he said. “But because we’ve built relationships with local reporters, they still watch for our pitches.”
Last fall, two outlets picked up a story about Javier Aguirre Martinez, a Marine veteran and former janitor who immigrated from Mexico as a child. Gonzalez had trouble placing the story elsewhere but reached out to two reporters he’d worked with before at NBC’s local affiliate and the Arizona Republic.
ASU’s responsiveness and track record helped secure coverage they wouldn’t have otherwise gotten, he said.
“His story stood out, but the relationship helped it land,” Gonzalez said.
To keep relationships strong, his team prioritizes check-ins and prompt support. But if a reporter doesn’t respond, take the hint.
“Be persistent, not annoying,” Gonzalez said.
How to build better media relationships in 2025
The old playbook – coffee chats or vague check-ins – doesn’t work. Journalists don’t have time. Neither do PR pros.
Tweh couldn’t recall a single PR person he’s met in person just to talk shop. Personal relationships with sources are rare – and not the goal.
“People can develop friendships outside of work. That’s normal,” he said. “But it’s important to be careful of how relationships develop and how we’re representing our enterprise.”
“Setting up the outside coffee is a little tough sometimes, just due to scheduling,” said Denyeau. But more importantly, it’s often not worth it.
“Instead, show up at industry events. Know what journalists care about. Respect deadlines. Be relevant.”
Denyeau also flagged the current reality: the consolidation of newsrooms. “People hop around all the time… you have to be nimble.” She recommended watching media moves in trades or on LinkedIn – and using job changes as an opening to connect.
Hindklev agreed and said those moments are golden for building a relationship.
“By helping them quickly get up to speed, you can forge mutually beneficial relationships,” she said.
Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Thank you for this article. The best comment I can ever receive from a reporter, editor, or producer is: “You made it easy to do the story.”