Flickr Image: lakelandlocal
Last week I wrote a post summarizing some recent posts on the topic of PR interns pitching the media, adding my own two cents along the way. I tweeted the link to my post and it sparked a lot of conversation.
@CMM_PR suggested that an informal web-poll could be an interesting measurement for this question. I set-up a very basic poll with yes/no answers based on whether you’re a PR pro, student or educator on PollDaddy and tweeted the link. @prcindy suggested that I add a yes/no for members of the media, which I did immediately.
Forty-six people registered their opinion in the poll and the breakdown is as follows:
- 18 Out of 24 PR pros say, “Yes, PR interns should be allowed to pitch the media.” Six say “no.”
- Of the 18 PR students that replied, 16 said, “yes.” Two said “No, they shouldn’t be allowed to pitch the media.”
- Only Two PR educators voted, both of whom said “yes.”
- Two members of the media split their vote with one having indicated “yes” and one “no.”
Obviously, this isn’t a scientific study but it does show most agree that PR interns should be educated, prepared, coached and allowed to pitch.
Some follow-up comments/quotes:
I asked Heather Huhman, journalist/career expert to students and young professionals and founder of Come Recommended, for her thoughts on the subject. She replied, “If interns aren’t going to pitch the media during their internship, then what skills are they leaving with, exactly? They can learn the principles of pitching in the classroom. I completely agree with Abby Gutowski—it’s up to the supervisor to manage the situation properly.”
My BurrellesLuce colleague Valerie Simon, and #PRStudChat host, offered “An internship is an excellent opportunity to get some firsthand experience in the pitching process. Interns can gain valuable experience doing the necessary research, writing the draft of a pitch, and assisting with the necessary follow-up.”
And, finally, Chris Sleight, editor at KHL Group Publishing in the UK, replied on the poll page with, “Yes, as long as they’re trained and well-briefed. This includes knowing the client’s business well enough to be able to answer simple follow-up questions on the spot. Amazing how many agencies throw their students/interns to the lions without any of the tools they need to do the job. Not only is it unfair on the individual, it means the pitch fails and the agency comes across as a bunch of unprofessional idiots. So short-sighted!”
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kelly_Growley and Jenna Brossman, BurrellesLuce. BurrellesLuce said: Poll: Should PR Interns Pitch the Media? BurrellesLuce blogger @tressalynne reveals the results http://budurl.com/fz4k [...]
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by BurrellesLuce: Poll: Should PR Interns Pitch the Media? BurrellesLuce blogger @tressalynne reveals the results http://budurl.com/fz4k…
I think this poll was a great idea. I also agree and strongly believe that PR interns need the experience of pitching to the media during their internship. I recently graduated from the University of Florida with a public relations degree. I had internships, but I did not learn to pitch to the media during my internships. Currently, I work as a public relations manager at Ashworth Creative and I’m definitely facing difficulties when it comes to building relationships with the media. Previous experience makes you feel confident and takes away the pressure. It is much better to learn while an intern, so that when you are faced with a real world job you can represent your company as an experienced PR practitioner. The media gets constantly bombarded with pitches, the last thing they want is an inexperienced PR practitioner that sheds a negative light on their own company through lack of experience.
Aysel, thanks so much for sharing your specific circumstances. I think you really hit the nail on the head here, that seasoned pros should be teaching/coaching young professionals so that when they need that skill, they are up to the task!
Thanks for sharing this and taking the time to get other opinions on the matter. I totally agree that interns should be able to pitch to the media. I am a firm believer that you need to put what you have learned into practice and get hands on, otherwise you are going to get thrown into your first career without those skills and be expected to make that pitch. As an intern it is your time to be perfecting those skills, making you more valuable to your future employer.
Makenzie, real-world experience is definitely necessary. The internship is the time for turning your theoretical learning into actual practice.
[...] answer Tressa Robbins’ question, posted on the BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas blog, “Should PR Interns Pitch the Media?” … YES, they should – I am a living example of how it can prepare interns for the “real [...]
[...] It’s been nearly two years since I first broached the subject of whether PR interns should pitch The Media. At that time, it seemed, most people had a very strong opinion one way or the other so I decided to do a quick poll and report the results. [...]
[...] It’s been nearly two years since I first broached the subject of whether PR interns should pitch The Media. At that time, it seemed, most people had a very strong opinion one way or the other so I decided to do a quick poll and report the results. [...]