Trust, the Media and Society: The Bermuda Triangle of Public

Relations?Kaja Tampere, PhD

University of Jyväskylä (FIN)www.kajatampere.wordpress.com

Role of PR• Existential question how we will see PR: short

term narrow approach or wider manner including interests of public?

• PR and Media: – historical heritage– Roles of media and PR in society are determined

by the dominant model of public communication (Lauristin&Vihalemm)

– PR and Media are not necessarily the opposite

The essence of public relations and organizational communication

Communication flow and result: relations

Main questions: If communication flow is always full, who fills this flow? And who’s messages are dominant? And – who designs relations?

Journalists

Public relations officers

Advantages and Drawbacks of Media Relations

• Media creates the public’s knowledge?• Media audience is always anonymous and

very abstract• Effective informing process cannot be

guaranteed• Media as a gatekeeper

Problems in the relationship between journalists and PR

• Different goals• The pressure of commercialization

• Trust problems – low trust toward media and also toward PR

• Special post-communist experience– Attempts to influence media

Confidence in the media

Marginals of Info and TrustLow level of info – low confidence Continously increasing info levels do not increase trust itself