From the news desk to becoming a brand advocate: My journey from journalism to PR

When I began my career in journalism back in 1988, it never crossed my mind to shift into Public Relations (PR). Despite my interactions with press officers from both the public and private sectors, I never really thought that one day I will find myself being on the 'other side' crafting and sending out press releases, pitching and organising interviews, and doing client servicing as well as media relations.

Yet, 20 years later in 2008, I accepted the invitation to join a reputable PR firm based in the UAE to help reinforce their editorial team. Seventeen years later, here I am, still making the most out of my background in journalism and continuing to pursue a productive career in PR. And, throughout those 17 years, I’ve been working with agencies, in-house, and freelance.

The transition

At first glance, the transition from journalism to PR might seem like a shift in allegiance: from delivering the news and informing the public or readers to becoming a brand advocate. But it really was not about switching sides—it was more about adapting skills to a new form of communication.

During my early days in PR, my main tasks involved crafting newsworthy editorial content, as well as pitching stories and interviews. These tasks were primarily driven by my years of training and experience in writing news stories, as well as my familiarity with journalists who I used to cover media events with. And, having done so many media interviews, I also provided advice and guidance on key messaging, and on what one can say and not say when speaking to the media.

Similarities and differences

As both journalism and PR thrive on compelling narratives, there is further common ground in their mission: to communicate clearly, to build narratives based on truth, and to offer value to audiences. The difference lies mainly in that in PR, communication is being delivered through the perspective of a brand or organisation.

While in journalism, the responsibility is to the reader, in PR, your responsibility is to multiple stakeholders: the client, the target audience, the media, and internal teams. Learning to balance expectations without compromising integrity is both the art and challenge of the profession.

The advantages

So, does having a background in journalism have an advantage when making the shift into PR? Without a doubt, it does. Because journalists bring an edge to PR that can’t be taught in traditional communications programmes, more and more journalists are actually being offered jobs by PR firms.

Here are just some of the advantages that ex-journalists have when they move into PR:

· Dealing, engaging and interacting with journalists – a former journalist knows about deadlines because some even live with it daily; being able to handle tough questions because he/she have asked it; knowing what a newsroom is like and how it is to be at the receiving end of hundreds of press releases; and lastly, being able to interact with empathy helps build and maintain relationships with relevant media titles and journalists.

· Crafting newsworthy content – time spent in covering and writing stories for publications trains a journalist to “have the nose for the headline”; this is extremely important when capturing the attention of journalists and gaining positive media coverage for a brand or organisation.

· Media training and creating interview briefs – having been on the other side doing interviews and firing questions, a former journalist can craft an interview brief to a spokesperson and provide guidance on how to deal and respond to tough and even controversial questions; simply put, a former journalist can also provide valuable input during media training sessions.

· Bringing a code of ethics – accuracy, fairness, and transparency: in an age of misinformation, brands that tell honest stories and engage authentically will win the trust of journalists and the public.

Some advice

So, for those looking to shift from journalism to PR, here’s some important tips to keep in mind:

1. Strategise. While as a journalist, worrying about what topics to cover and stories to write, as well as meeting very tight deadlines are your priorities, PR is all about crafting and communicating newsworthy and relevant content in a timely manner based on a communications strategy geared towards a specific campaign and/or communications objectives.

2. Facilitate journalists’ pursuit of exclusive stories. Getting a huge amount of positive media coverage for clients aimed at reaching a wider audience is, of course, paramount. However, a press release isn’t really meant to be published word-for-word. Rather, it is primarily aimed at grabbing journalists’ attention to pursue maybe an exclusive story through, perhaps, an interview.

3. Stay curious. Just like in journalism, asking the right questions in PR is key to communicating the right messages and to intended target audiences.

4. Build and nurture relationships. The best media strategies come from genuine connections. Pursuing advice number 2 will certainly help in building and maintaining long-term, beneficial relationships with key media.

5. Never stop writing. Whether it’s a press release, op-ed, executive speech, thought leadership piece, or social media post, perfecting your writing skills matters a lot in PR.

6. Be an advocate for truth. Never abandon your pursuit of facts. Editorial content based on credible and verifiable data helps build clients’ brand credibility.

Coming full circle

Throughout my career in PR, somehow, I feel like I haven’t stopped being a journalist. I have simply broadened its application through storytelling and relevance. And, in crafting editorial content for clients and brands, I continue to use the power of words to inform, influence and inspire.

So, if you're a journalist thinking of shifting and pursuing a career in PR, be sure to bring all the skills you’ve learned and developed as a journalist because those can very well serve as your tools to success in your new career.