I’ve received some fascinating feedback on my posts about having company executives pitch the media directly.

In particular, see the thoughtful comments on this post.

I agree with some of the excellent things that were written.

But here’s a big problem area for me:

PR professionals believe the media-executive relationship needs to be managed. By them.

As a former syndicated Chicago Tribune tech columnist, I can tell you that PR folks often hold up the relationship. They often get in the way of a story. They often take more of a journalist’s valuable time than is necessary. This is because:

• PR people that pitch are too young. They’re usually in their first job, just out of school.
• PR people making pitches are generally unsophisticated.
• PR people like to “own relationships.” Journalists hate that.
• PR people like to “manage” the communication between a journo and an executive.
• None of this even begins to deal with the terrible state of the press releases being distributed.

I realize this is their job. It’s what they’re paid to do. But that’s the point: the system is screwed up. Do you think the media enjoys being “managed?” Do you think high-level executive enjoy being “managed” by a 22 year-old? Would you, if you were them?

PR people often attach themselves to conference calls between the media and the company expert being interviewed. The media doesn’t like this either. They add nothing to the conversation. If they do involve themselves, it’s usually to inject meaningless rote messaging that’s a further turn-off to media.

Sorry, but that’s the reality. Media deal with young PR pitch-folk because it’s just the way it has always been. They’re a necessary evil. Think about that. A necessary evil!

What if you removed the young PR pitch-folk from the equation entirely?

I’m not saying to eliminate them entirely — they certainly have an important role in the company — but they hurt your PR outreach efforts more than they help them.

If your executives pitched the media directly — 5 minutes per day — the “necessary evil” is removed is eliminated.

I’m leaving comments on here, as I expect to receive some on this! 🙂