How to Rebuild Damaged Relationships With Journalists Successfully
MediaRelations.io
How to Rebuild Damaged Relationships With Journalists Successfully
Rebuilding damaged relationships with journalists can be challenging, but it is essential for maintaining a positive public image. This article provides expert insights on prioritizing radical accountability, seeking understanding and clarity, utilizing clear communication, maintaining professionalism and persistence, and providing value while admitting errors. Discover the key strategies to successfully mend and strengthen these crucial connections.
- Prioritize Radical Accountability
- Seek Understanding And Clarify
- Utilize Clear Communication
- Maintain Professionalism And Persistence
- Provide Value And Admit Errors
Prioritize Radical Accountability
When outdated data led a journalist to accuse our company of greenwashing, I prioritized radical accountability: I apologized without excuses, shared a transparent breakdown of the error, and offered exclusive access to both updated information and key leadership for interviews. By proactively feeding them relevant insights (without self-promotion), we transformed a burned bridge into a trusted partnership. The result? They highlighted our accountability in a follow-up story, and we became their go-to source on industry trends—proving that how you fix mistakes matters more than avoiding them altogether.
Seek Understanding And Clarify
Absolutely! Suppose a journalist wrote a piece about our company, and we didn't like it because we thought it was unfair or inaccurate. Perhaps we didn't have enough context, or they got something wrong. Rather than lashing out defensively, I'd first step back and attempt to view things from their point of view.
I'd reach out personally--maybe with a quick, polite email or a call--to acknowledge their work and clarify any misunderstandings respectfully. The goal wouldn't be to demand a retraction but to open a conversation. I'd offer additional insights, invite them to chat and suggest a relevant follow-up story.
If the relationship was strained, I'd also look for ways to rebuild trust over time--sharing exclusive insights, giving them early access to news, or simply keeping the communication warm and open. At the end of the day, journalists have a job to do and treating them as partners rather than adversaries usually goes a long way.
Utilize Clear Communication
Certainly, we once had a misunderstanding with a journalist covering an art exhibition for a client. The information was misinterpreted, leading to negative coverage. I personally reached out, clarified the misunderstanding, and invited him to a private viewing. We discussed the artist's vision and this one-on-one interaction helped rebuild our relationship. I believe clear communication is key in such situations.
Maintain Professionalism And Persistence
In PR, relationships with journalists and producers can sometimes be challenging, but persistence and professionalism always pay off. I had been pitching a popular TV show regularly, and one particular producer was often combative and difficult to work with. However, despite the challenges, they were ultimately receptive to our clients, and the segments they helped bring to life were incredible.
Instead of taking the difficult interactions personally, I focused on maintaining the relationship and delivering strong, well-prepared pitches. Even when they were rude or dismissive, I stayed professional, respectful, and consistent. Over time, that persistence paid off. Now, that producer has moved on to another show, and not only do we have a solid working relationship, but we've also collaborated on off-season projects. It's a great example of why, in PR, you never burn bridges--every connection has long-term value, and the key is to stay professional and solution-oriented, no matter the challenges.
Provide Value And Admit Errors
I remember at Freight Right Global Logistics, I broke up with a journalist when I missed the deadline for an exclusive interview. They had approached me for guidance on global supply chain disruptions, and while I would have liked to have contributed -- major client issues drew me in other directions -- the opportunity fled. So the journalist published the article without us, and I could tell from their short response afterward that the relationship had cooled.
Instead of sending a generic apology email, I planned a more creative way. I responded with a personalized note acknowledging the missed deadline that, rather than shift blame, gave them an exclusive look at a data-driven report we were about to publish on emerging trends in global freight rates -- something of great value to their beat. I also provided them with a behind-the-scenes view into how we were managing high-stakes shipping challenges, which offered them fodder for an in-depth feature.
This not only mended the relationship, it also brought deeper collaboration. They liked the openness, and the decent content, and our inputs were included later in an article. What worked was admitting my error head-on. And giving something that could genuinely help -- one that changed a backlash into a stronger, win-win collaboration.
