Public Relations vs. Journalism

Originally starting my college career as a journalism major, I have been asked countless times why I switched to public relations and how it differs from journalism. While there are similarities that require journalists and public relations professionals to coexist, there are a number of differences that need to be highlighted if a journalist was considering a switch in careers and vice versa. PRSA chair and CEO, Rosanna Fiske, has written an article explaining these differences and similarities and how it could affect professionals considering a position in the public relations field.

Below I have outlined 5 tips she gives on what to remember when working in public relations.

• Know your audience. Your audience can be any combination of client, employer and new audiences that can change almost daily. You need to be able to change direction at a moment's notice.


• Understand short and long-term business implications of your work. Every decision you make for your client impacts their business. Any mistake you make can cost your employer money, so think twice before making split-second decisions.


• Know, respect and appreciate PR's ethic code. Every professional needs to uphold these standards in order to be credible.


• Be an advocate. Promote others' work whether you are advocating on behalf of a client or employer.


• Focus on outcomes, not outputs. PR professionals can be judged on the business value of their work, so keep in mind the business's goals to help them succeed in the long run.

To read Rosanna's entire article, click here.