Journalists moving from the media into PR are exercising a time-honored career option, often based upon a desire to escape from deadline pressure and to punch a more regular 9-
to-5 clock. But the number of refugees positioning for PR jobs has spiked lately in the wake of dotcom deaths and nationwide consolidation in the biggest news organizations
(PRN, March 26).
Joan Zoloth, who until recently worked as an editor for Food.com, took a PR job at the San Francisco-based law firm Littler Mendelson in January after her former employer
canned 100 people in its content division. "[Food.com] had $80 million in funding, but oops, they didn't have a business plan," she says. The fact that Zoloth has a law degree
helped her land her new gig, in spite of the fact that she had no prior PR experience.
But while some hacks fancy themselves shoo-ins for media relations jobs (often viewing PR as a great "fall back" option), not all PR hiring managers are welcoming the tired,
the poor and the downtrodden with such open arms these days.
"Don't get me wrong. I do believe that having a thorough understanding of the editorial process is vital for most aspects of PR today," says Peter Himler, EVP and managing
director of media relations at Burson-Marsteller in New York, noting that his agency employs a handful of veteran journalists, including Keith Harmon, a Pulitzer Prize-winner for
The L.A. Times, and Steve Fox, formerly with ABC's "Good Morning America."
"I just don't always believe it's a natural transition," Himler says. To excel in media relations "you have to be a good advocate. You have to be sticky, as in convincing. You
also have to be very diplomatic. Building consensus is important."
Among the biggest challenges facing converts: ex-news hounds tend to work alone and don't always play well with others; they bristle at the thought of selling anything that
smells advertorial; they occasionally suffer from acute arrogance; and they loathe the bureaucracy of the approval process.
"There is a huge difference between what goes on at a TV station and inside a corporate structure," says Beverly Hayon, a broadcast veteran who now serves as director of
national media relations and issue management for Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. "TV is in the moment. You have a deadline. You meet it. If the [information] is wrong, you
get in trouble later. On the other hand, a corporation is a slow-moving environment where you have to ask permission first in order to get things done. Some people don't have the
patience to make that transition."
Angles and Viewpoints
The metamorphosis from devout objectivity to strategic maneuvering can be a rocky one for many reporters. "Journalists are not trained to have a point of view, and sometimes
when clients ask for a recommendation, [they won't] have one," observes Ken Eudy, president and CEO of Capital Strategies in Raleigh, N.C.
"Writing a media plan [was a learning experience]," concedes Roger K. Lowe, who joined Porter Novelli's DC offices last August after 11 years as the Washington bureau chief for
The Columbus Dispatch. "What would you do to promote this? What's your press strategy? Strategy and tactics. That was new to me," he says.
Nevertheless, Lowe is quick to highlight other sexy skills he's brought to the table in his new position as VP, Public Affairs. "Good writing is always appreciated. Even more
than that, fast writing is appreciated. I can turn around a press release or op-ed faster than most, because [writing] was my job for 21 years."
And in an industry where hiring managers have, at times, characterized bad writing as an epidemic problem (PRN, Aug. 14), journalists certainly have a leg up in the
prose department. Not to mention their instinctual ability to spot a news peg a mile away, and their first-hand understanding of newsroom etiquette.
"I still cannot believe how many idiotic PR people call daily newspaper reporters at 4:00 p.m. and want to chat about their client's latest hairdo when that time of day is hot
and heavy with deadlines," observes Candace Talmadge, principal of Talmadge Writing Services in Lancaster, Texas. "If you've worked in a newsroom, you understand," says the ex-
journalist whose resume includes writing stints for Adweek/Southwest, The Dallas Times Herald, Orange County Register, Reuters, Forbes,
The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune and Business Week.
Experience Counts
Leslie Aun, who previously worked for The Washington Business Journal, WTOP AM/FM and CBS Channel 9 in Washington, DC, says her first-hand knowledge of press mentality
ultimately helped her structure a more effective media relations team at Sodexho Marriott Services, Bethesda, Md., where she now serves as VP, Public Relations.
"In my heart, I still think like a journalist," Aun admits. "I am anal about editing press releases using AP style and I organize my PR managers into beats," she says, noting
that her team members specialize in areas such as healthcare and higher education. "I don't believe in generalists. I tend to believe specialists do a better job, just as
reporters covering specific beats are better experts." She explains, "when you call my PR person who handles food safety, I want her to be able to tell you everything about food
safety law and the impact of various programs. I want her to be able to help you quickly."
While none of Aun's present staffers has a journalism background, she says she'd willingly hire more ex-reporters - provided they're not directly on the rebound. "My dream
candidate would be someone with maybe seven to 10 years of experience, with four or five of those years as a daily journalist. But I'd want the person to have gotten his or her
junior PR skills somewhere else. I don't have time to train people from scratch to understand the tools and the lexicon of PR," she says.
Among recruiters, reviews are mixed. Juanita Myrick, VP of HR at Porter Novelli DC (who works with Lowe) says ex-journos often prove brilliant acquisitions. "They end up being
tremendous assets to the office overall because they understand how to get reporters' attention and they know what's newsworthy," she says. Plus, they can provide media training
dress rehearsals that read like the real thing.
Arnold Huberman, president of the eponymous recruiting firm Arnold Huberman Associates in New York, remains skeptical about hacks turning themselves into flacks. He seldom
entertains them as serious candidates. "Now that the economy has slowed, there's a glut of good people in the marketplace," he says. "We're looking for candidates with experience
before we look at people who are looking for a lifestyle change." He adds, "in theory, it's a logical crossover from journalism to PR, but in practice it rarely works. There's a
big difference between being a buyer and a seller."
No doubt journalists hoping to land jobs in PR these days have some selling to do.
(Leslie Aun, 301/987-4550; Ken Eudy, [email protected]; Beverly Hayon, 510/271-6437; Peter Himler, 212/614-4082; Arnold
Huberman, 212/545-9033; Roger Lowe, Juanita Myrick, 202/973-5800; Candace Talmadge, [email protected]; Joan Zoloth, [email protected])
What assets and shortcomings do journalists bring to PR? Does this touch a nerve? Judging by the 90+ responses we received to a ProfNet query on the topic, industry insiders
are more than willing to make sweeping these judgments:
Journalist Pros
- Knowledge of what's newsworthy.
- Ability to spot news hooks and relate corporate initiatives to current events.
- Understanding of when and how to contact newsrooms.
- Familiarity with video/photography needs in newsrooms.
- Ability to lend "real world" experience to media training.
- Great writing skills (usually).
- Ability to work well under pressure.
Journalist Cons
- Little patience for bureaucratic approval processes.
- Tendency to gag in the presence of hyperbole and "client speak."
- Tendency to be blunt and pessimistic.
- Tendency to sympathize with media concerns rather than corporate concerns.
- Preference for solo work over teamwork.
- Unfamiliarity with strategic planning process