Top Ten: What journalists find most annoying about media spokespeople
What annoys journalists most about media spokespeople? Answer: When they don't get honest answers to their questions. This is the result of the current media trend monitor by News Aktuell and Faktenkontor.
In second place comes whitewashing. The accusation that company spokespeople too often deliver adulation instead of facts is widespread among media professionals. They are just as often annoyed by complicated authorizations. More than 500 journalists took part in the survey.
According to the survey, the issue of credibility plays a major role in the relationship between journalists and media spokespeople: Just under half of those surveyed are annoyed when communications directors are dishonest and not authentic (49 percent). Survey participants are also annoyed that they are too often delivered adulation instead of facts (46 percent). They are just as annoyed about time-consuming authorizations (46 percent).
Also cause for criticism: the great silence of media spokespersons. 39 percent of respondents complain that company spokespeople do not respond to their inquiries. 36 percent are annoyed that they cannot be reached after a media release has been sent out.
Worryingly, almost a quarter of respondents criticize unprofessional media material (24 percent). The more experienced the editor, the more critical the view of PR content: While only nine percent of young professionals (1-5 years of professional experience) are bothered by bad media releases, 38 percent of journalists with 11-15 years of professional experience are.
On the other hand, making follow-up phone calls for media releases seems to be slowly becoming a thing of the past: Only just over one in ten still feels disturbed by this (13 percent). Legal interventions are also rarely a cause for annoyance: A meager eight percent of survey participants are annoyed when media spokespeople threaten to call a lawyer.
Top 10: What journalists find most annoying about media spokespeople
1. no authentic, honest statements: 49 percent
2. adulation instead of facts: 46 percent
3. complicated authorizations: 46 percent
4. no response to requests: 39 percent
5. not being reachable after sending a media release: 36 percent
6. unprofessional media material: 24 percent
7. lack of support for searches: 15 percent
8. telephone follow-up of media releases: 13 percent
9. threatening with the lawyer: 8 percent
10. demand voucher copies: 4 percent
Source: Media Trend Monitor 2017 by News Aktuell and Faktenkontor. Participants: 501 journalists. Survey period: March 2017. Method: online survey. The report volume is available here available for download free of charge.
