Penrose Financial’s CEO gives a revealing insight into public relations today

Gay Collins, CEO at Penrose Financial, believes that PROs are increasingly invaluable to journalists, who are struggling to cope within a transformed media landscape.

“Had I foreseen the pace of change in communications at the start of the so-called noughties, I may never have had the courage to leave my secure PR agency role to establish Penrose 11 years ago. The PR landscape has changed so exponentially that many aspects are unrecognisable.

“Talk to colleagues today about how we used to courier, post or fax every press release and borrow the company mobile phone ‘brick’ and they might question why we aren’t collecting our pension already. And that’s just from the PR-advisory perspective.

“Like the PR consultant, the journalist has been thrown headlong into a transformed terrain. The rise of online news sources, the convergence of different types of media, the development of online versions of main publications and the mergers between Sunday and Daily new desks have changed the journalist’s role irrevocably. Publications are no longer final products or destinations – they are news gateways, increasingly connected through a global network of news.

“The move online is effectively turning all newspapers into real-time news operations. In addition, they are becoming quasi-broadcasters with the introduction of vodcasts and podcasts, while blogging on newspaper websites introduces an interactive element that has never been seen before. Online social networks transform the landscape still further. To accommodate these extra outlets we would have assumed major increases in journalist headcount, but that has not been the case. Journalists have been expected to deliver more with similar resources, often leading to instances where journalists over commit and then struggle to deliver.

“The way PR works has changed significantly to address these new communication channels. We are now much quicker and more effective in the communication of news and issues, as we manage PR in real time and embrace all aspects of online technology. Thankfully, the ability to work remotely and the rise of Blackberries means we no longer need to come into the office at weekends – still, waiting until the next business day is rarely an option.

“At the same time, ever-rising time pressures on journalists make the role of the PR professional as educator more crucial than ever before. PROs with specialist knowledge are increasingly valued by busy journalists in need of a quick background briefing.

“But what of the next decade? Will hard-copy newspapers exist? Will we be working a 24-hour rota and briefing journalists on a virtual social networking site? Undeniably the pace of change will increase at a greater speed. News will become even more commoditised, with greater value placed on views and judgement. At the same time, many things will remain the same. The appetite for informed opinion will never disappear, and while news will be a commodity, a scoop will always be relished. Advice on dealing with fast-moving, influential and hard-to-induce audiences will always have a value. The business of shaping reputations will remain a challenging yet indispensable skill for many decades to come.”