Marie-Berbick Graham, chief consultant-strategic communications at Berbick Graham & Associates (BGA) and friend of Spike, has released the results of her latest survey on the "10 things PR people do that annoy editors". The Spike gets to share these results with you by kind courtesy of BGA and, of course, you are free to let me know if you agree or disagree.

I can't help noticing that of the editors who participated in the survey, only four were willing to be identified! Commendations to Milton Walker of CVM, Gillian Haughton of TVJ and Pete Sankey of the Observer for having the courage of their convictions. Here are the results:

10 things 'PR people'
do that annoy editors
Journalists and public relations practitioners have a love/hate relationship. Editors want news and PR people can be good sources of information. If they don't have the information they probably know someone who does.

For these reasons, editors and PR practitioners need each other and are likely to get along... unless the PR practitioner is guilty of any of these 10 annoying things that editors identified in a STRATCOM informal survey.

1. Poorly written Press Releases: Editors get really teed off over this. For the Observer's Executive Editor- Operations, Desmond Allen aka The Spike, this was the number one issue. A poorly written press release makes an editor's job more difficult. If you're guilty of this 'crime' your press releases are likely to end up in file 13.

2. Frequently calling the editor to find out if your event will be covered or when your press release will be published: This was one of the biggest issues for the Observer's National News Editor Pete Sankey and the editors at CVM news.

Managing Editor at CVM Television, Milton Walker, says sometimes his newsroom gets five calls in one hour about the same event or three different persons calling to confirm coverage of the same event. One call to the newsroom is enough for the former. As for the latter, if something newsworthy came out of the event, the story will get published, but don't harass the editor for a specific date.

3. Insisting that questions be faxed to you or your client, prior to an interview: If there's one thing journalists find a huge turn-off, it's an interviewee who sounds like a recording or reads his answers from a prepared document. There's nothing wrong with asking the programme's producers what issues you/your client will be required to discuss, but DO NOT ask for a list of questions.

4. Faxing 'a million' copies of the same press release/sending the press release to all section editors or the same photo to all newspapers! All the Editors interviewed by STRATCOM had this one on their list of grouses. According to a Gleaner editor who does not wish to be identified, this is a practice that really ticks her off. On the matter of recycling photos, most newspapers will not publish a photo that has already been used by another paper, so avoid doing this.

5. Hiding/refusing to comment when there's negative news about their client, or, being reluctant to allow their client to speak to the media: PR practitioners have the tough task of ensuring the client's reputation is not further damaged during a crisis, but a smart PR practitioner will encourage transparency in times of crisis. Get the facts from your client, put honesty at the forefront of your strategy, brief your client properly in terms of the media dos and don'ts, and allow them to speak.

6. Reminding an editor how much money your client spends advertising with their media house: If you want to remain in an editor's good books, DO NOT try to use your client's advertising spend as justification for why a release should be used.

RJR's Gillian Haughton and Milton Walker of CVM TV (centre).

TVJ news editor Gillian Haughton finds this a huge turn-off... in fact, it makes her "really angry" when persons do this. Of course media houses are also businesses - they need ad support to remain profitable, but the good PR practitioner will not wave advertising spend like a carrot or a cane above the editor's head.

7. Functions which fail to start on time: Media houses are often stretched in terms of having enough resources to cover every assignment. When your event begins late, you are putting the media houses that you invite in a tight spot. Some government ministers are famous for late arrivals, and this throws off journalists. As Gillian Haughton puts it: "If you invite us to a press conference at 2:00p.m. I expect it to be starting at 2:00pm - not seeing persons just setting up."

8. Sending gifts to the editor or reporter after the publication of a press release: This is one of the don'ts which was mentioned in the article "How's your company's Media Relations?" in the June issue of STRATCOM, but it's a practice a number of PR and marketing executives are guilty of. Now you're hearing it from the horse's mouth - it's a turn-off!

9. Telling the editor that refreshments will be served at the function: Oh, my. Never, never do that. Journalists are not the best paid professionals, but trying to seduce them with the promise that they will be fed is a big turn-off!
"Telling us you need to know how many persons are coming for catering purposes is irrelevant.our reporters are not being sent out to eat," said one television editor.

10. Making yourself "the star of the show": It is necessary for PR practitioners to interact with the company's publics including the media, but it is not necessary to always "put yourself in the picture".

As one Gleaner editor pointed out, "It's not about you. It's about the client... the company. Some PR people are in every picture they send to the press!"
Interestingly, some clients do complain that their PR representative will ignore the real news photos from their events and will instead send photos of themselves posing with the VIPs to the media!

Media movement

. Andrew Green has moved on from The Gleaner.
. Claire Clarke, Star editor, has joined the RJR Group in their marketing department
. Camilo Thame has joined The Gleaner from the Observer

From Spike's e-mail bag

Hello Desmond, for the longest while I have been meaning to offer congratulations on your appointment as Executive Editor - Operations of the Observer. Anyway, 'better late than never' so please accept my heartiest congratulations and best wishes for the future. Keep up the good work and maintain your usual high standards of integrity, objectivity and professionalism.
- Audley Morris: orville_2005@yahoo.com

Hi Desmond, I am oh so angry over that Church Dayton deacon case I cannot help but ask you a couple of questions. I just saw a clip of the tapes that have now become (what seems to me anyway) the nine-day-wonder thing we as a people are so famous for!!! I am so sick to my stomach, angry and well simply beyond words/belief!!! What is happening in this case?

What do they intend to do with ALL the people involved??? I cannot even begin to think how sick I feel watching that man/boy (whatever the hell he is - male!) thrust himself into that screaming, writhing child!!!

Desmond, what has happened to the Jamaica that I grew up in, or is it that this was always happening and I was just protected from it all??? Oh my God!!! I suppose I just had to say something to someone in Jamaica and you were the first person I thought of! Hope you understand!
- Claudette Cameron bogwalk1@yahoo.com

Send comments to The Spike at desal@cwjamaica.com

Desmond Allen, aka The Spike, is a 32-year veteran of journalism, past president of the Press Association of Jamaica and past secretary general of the regional Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM)

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