In this Stuff You Should Know episode, hosts Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark explore the world of publicists and their essential role in managing public image. They examine the core responsibilities of publicists, which include securing positive media coverage, handling crises, coordinating public appearances, and drafting statements for their clients. The hosts also discuss the complex relationship between publicists and journalists, where both parties rely on each other for success despite occasional tensions.
The episode delves into what makes an effective publicist, from necessary skills like strong writing abilities and journalistic instincts to the importance of building media relationships. Bryant and Clark outline typical career progression in the field, noting that while formal education isn't always required, practical experience proves invaluable as publicists advance from entry-level positions to senior roles or establish their own firms.
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A publicist's primary responsibility is managing and promoting their clients' public image. They secure positive press coverage, handle crisis management, and coordinate public appearances. Beyond these core duties, publicists often take on additional responsibilities like drafting public statements and managing day-to-day requests for their clients.
According to Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark, successful publicists need strong writing abilities and journalistic instincts to craft compelling press releases and promotional materials. They emphasize that building and maintaining relationships with media professionals is crucial for success. Bryant notes that publicists, especially those working with major celebrities, sometimes need to "bend truth" to spin narratives favorably for their clients, though this practice varies depending on the type of client served.
The journey typically begins with internships or assistant positions, where aspiring publicists handle fundamental tasks like managing schedules and assembling press kits. As Clark points out, formal education isn't always necessary; practical experience and skills matter more than degrees. With experience, publicists can advance to senior roles or start their own firms, often specializing in specific areas like entertainment, corporate, or political PR.
The relationship between publicists and journalists is symbiotic but complex. Publicists provide journalists with story ideas, access to events, and necessary information, while journalists offer the media coverage that publicists seek for their clients. However, Bryant's discussions reveal that tensions can arise when publicists are perceived as manipulative or dishonest, particularly when they're too protective of their clients or issue insincere apologies. The success of both parties often depends on maintaining professional and mutually beneficial relationships.
1-Page Summary
Publicists play a critical role in managing and promoting the public image of their clients. They engage in a variety of activities ranging from securing positive press and managing crises to handling the everyday requests and scheduling that keep a client’s public profile on track.
Publicists are proficient at pitching ideas and generating interest from the media in their clients. They work to ensure that press releases don't get overlooked and are adept at strategizing around specific goals, such as a tour, to obtain press coverage. This often involves getting clients on local radio, morning television shows, and in newspapers. They also look beyond obvious industry-related media, considering pitches to wider-audience platforms like "The Today Show" when a topic relevant to their client is trending.
Part of the publicist’s job is crisis management; when negative rumors or events put a client in the spotlight, journalists often reach out to the publicist for the story. Publicists must respond swiftly and sometimes at odd hours, including taking calls late at night, to provide statements or manage fallout from their clients' actions. They also have to manage gaffes, such as inappropriate tweets, by spinning the situation or retracting statements.
Chuck Bryant underscores that a publicist's remit involves working with a range of clients and often entails ersatz management or personal assis ...
The Role and Responsibilities of Publicists
The role of a publicist is intricate and requires a diverse set of skills and traits to navigate the challenges of media relations effectively.
As explained by the dialogue in the content provided, to be an effective publicist, one must have strong writing skills and journalistic instincts. Publicists often have a background in journalism because their job requires thinking and writing like journalists. Publicists need to be objective and craft pitches that will interest other journalists. To do this, they must see through a journalist's eyes and present stories that pique the interest of media professionals. Understanding the importance of local media can also play a crucial role; relationships with local journalists can grow into valuable connections when these journalists move to larger outlets.
Fostering relationships with individuals in the media, such as reporters, editors, or news producers, is tied to a publicist's success. The ability to cultivate these relationships is paramount. Effective networking is about creating professional acquaintances that may become advantageous in the long term. This skill is just as important as having journalistic intuition. Indeed, publicists and journalists can build mutually beneficial connections, which was illustrated with SpaceX's relationship with the media.
Truth manipulation is another element of a publicist's job when it comes to managing their clients’ public images. Both Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark discuss how publicists sometimes need to alter narratives or issue insincere apologies to spin situations favorably. In particular, when handling negative r ...
Skills and Traits for an Effective Publicist
The journey to becoming a publicist generally begins at the grassroots level through internships and entry-level jobs, ultimately leading towards more senior roles within the field.
Chuck Bryant explains that aspirants typically start their career journey as interns or assistants, enduring tasks like picking up laundry, which may even be handed down the chain. In the early stages, junior publicists handle foundational tasks like returning phone calls, drafting press releases, keeping track of a publicist’s schedule, managing contacts, assembling press kits, and distributing electronic press kits. These duties are essential to understanding the nuts and bolts of public relations work.
Once established, publicists may progress from junior to senior roles or might start their own firms. By this point in their careers, they have built connections and reputations which provide a platform to leverage for further success. Julie Lichtenstein of 37 media and Lily Gellitly of Gellitly media are prime examples, focusing their expertise mainly on working with bands and musical artists.
A formal education is not always a necessity on the path to becoming a publicist. As Josh Clark points out, practical experience takes precedence over investing in higher education for this career. Literacy and the ability to write in a journalistic manner ar ...
The Career Path and Progression For Publicists
The relationship between publicists and the media is complex, featuring interdependency, potential tensions, and collaborative efforts to meet each other's needs.
Publicists and journalists have a symbiotic relationship, with each relying on the other for success in their respective roles.
Publicists maintain good relationships with the media by offering journalists story ideas, access to events, and necessary information. They manage interview requests and topics and prepare interviewees to effectively handle questions.
For instance, publicists provide story ideas to journalists, potentially giving them access to their client's charity actions or suggesting features based on a client's song about the oil industry. They also use services where journalists request quotes on specific topics, connecting them with the appropriate sources in their contact list. Josh Clark highlights that PR people, including publicists, use Twitter to share leads with journalists, offering story ideas and information without expensive subscription services.
Chuck discusses the importance for bands to hire a publicist, particularly for an album release, as publicists work to maintain and promote their client's public image. Josh outlines the necessity to inquire about a publicist's past campaigns and successes to ensure effective media coverage.
When journalists cover stories pitched by publicists, it results in the media coverage that benefits the clients' public profile. Journalists facilitate this by using the information provided by publicists and attending events as per publicist pitches.
Despite there not being an explicit mention in the conversation, Josh Clark's discussion indicates that the information shared by publicists through venues like Twitter helps journalists provide their clients with the desired media coverage.
The relationship can be tense as media might view publicists as manipulative or dishonest, a sentiment arising from actions like lying or denying a story to protect a client's image. Terms such as "PR ...
The Relationship Between Publicists and the Media
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