This is the first week in a long time where I have a Saturday that is free, free from all commitments and work, just a short time to enjoy anything I would like. I must say I really enjoy this little break.
Recently internship has been keeping me pretty busy and therefore that leaves me with little time to update this space. I learn a lot more about Public Relations in this short period of time. I used to think that there is much glamour in doing PR, I mean you manage media relations. Isn't that pretty cool? Plus, I used to wonder what happens backstage at the radio and broadcast stations and behind the production of magazines and newspapers. I watched lots of Korean dramas but they usually paint PR in a very extreme or an inaccurate light. Now, I learnt after being in the industry that being in PR, is a lot of work.
Here are 5 things I have learnt now that I have worked with the media, in no particular order:
1. Journalists can churn up to 5 articles in a day
I learnt about it when my boss was commenting that our lives as a PR personnel was a lot of easier because we do not have 5 articles to churn by the end of the day (which includes a lot of research and going to place to place in search of answers). This was further made real to me upon knowing that one of my friends interning as a journalist rushed out 4 articles in a day.
Sometimes, I hear that they will go back to work during wee hours of the night just to churn out an article by the morning of the next day. I can't help comparing them with doctors that are on-call. However, I wouldn't say our lives are very much better too. HAHA! But I definitely found a new-found respect for the journalists.
2. DJs plan and find their own content
Over the last week, my boss gave me the opportunity to head to the radio station with my colleague to see what goes backstage at the radio station at mediacorp. That was also because this radio interview was under an account that I was partly in charge of.
The radio station that I got to go for was Capital 95.8 for a morning programme aimed at drivers driving to work. I personally witnessed a really capable DJ multi-tasking between him speaking to the radio listeners, switching to the music or traffic reports and bringing us (the PR team and radio interviewees) into the recording room and making us feel comfortable all by himself.
As I was curious, I decided to ask my colleague how the DJs bring up new guests and topics each week. I was expecting to hear that there would be a brainstorming team doing and planning all that. Much to my surprise, my colleague told me that DJs had to plan and find their own content each week and they work with different PR teams to liase for suitable speakers and content for their radio stations.
3. Many articles in the newspapers/magazines are facilitated by PR
One of the routines that I do each day when I go to work is to flip through all the newspapers in the different languages and that includes the Malay paper, Berita Harian as well.
Having been in a PR agency for some time, I read the news with a new pair of eyes. I read knowing that some articles were the work of a journalist and an unknown PR person whose work was not credited. This is because I have seen for myself colleagues around me who send press releases on the updates of their clients to the media and many times, they would even actively call the media to pitch (or in layman terms to persuade) for a story. I worked with my colleague in facilitating a Gundam story recently with the media and helped to answer a media query in a recent event. I finally understood what a PR practitioner does - we clarify doubts, answer questions relating to our clients and provide the media with any additional information required (even in sending them photos).
The truth of the matter is that I learn so much more than what books can teach me about PR when I actually work with the media and had hands-on experience with working with them.
4. The job scope of a PR personnel includes being a receptionist, admin staff, designer, photographer, events planner and a writer (and sometimes even the emcee)
Many of my textbooks always mention that a PR personnel has to have many different skills and some stated in my textbook includes writing skills, research ability, planning expertise, problem solving ability, expertise in social media etc.
I understand why now. I was given the opportunity during internship to tend the media booth, speak with the media, facilitate in media coverage reports, do media clippings (which includes a lot of scanning), send out daily media reports to clients, write events listings and a press release, come up with a PR plan, brainstorm for media pitching angles, facilitate in media drops, research, take photos and answer media queries. I have even seen my boss give artistic directions for brochures and my colleague took the role of an emcee in a recent event.
All in all, after being exposed to the many activities that a PR personnel does on a daily basis, I understand the need for the different skills that is required. Not only do you need these skills, you need to be relatively good at it. Hence, PR is a job for people that falls into the category of "Jack of all trades but Master of none". But somehow, I do like the diversity of work. But this can also be the reason why there is no end to our work. I have stayed back or return back to work on weekends many times simply because there's too much work to complete in a very tight dateline.
5. PR personnels are essentially the Client's (whichever brand/event you are working for) spokesperson
This means that anything good or bad that happens to the client, you take part in answering for them as well. Especially when it comes to the media. I witnessed once when a media seems to have an inaccurate understanding of our client and my boss had to apologise on my client's behalf even though it seems like a completely unrelated matter to our job.
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Having stepped into the real world, I learnt that more than being a stone's throw away from the media and a few pop stars (if you are lucky - to which I did have an opportunity to be really close to some Japanese stars whom I am clueless of), there is a lot of hard work and dedication in this line of job. Will I be back in this line of work? At this point, I really can't say for sure.
What I am sure of is that I have never regretted this internship even though there are some days when things can be really difficult for me. But on those days, I remember why I stepped into PR in the first place and I know I have come a long way. And I know deep in my heart that all these opportunities and downfalls were God's lessons for me whether I liked it or not. Also, I am very thankful for the angels that God sent to speak with me during the difficult days at work and I am really grateful for the encouragements I received.
I have exactly one month to go! I am sure God has more in store for me and I can't wait - because the journey with God is more fruitful that any other journeys I have planned for myself.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose."
- Romans 8:28
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