South Korea Follows Tradition

Relations between public relations types and the press have always been interesting. Before there was  social media, the press very much had the upper hand. Newspapers decided what they wanted to cover with little coaxing from outside sources such as publicists. Those press agent folks needed reporters for the simple reason they had very few outlets at their disposal to contact a wide audience. This put the press very much in the driver's seat. Even with the efforts of creative communicators as Edward Bernays, the press had the final word as what they would give attention to. It was an uneven relationship.

The Internet changed everything. This provided publicists with the means to reach the public without having to use the traditional press such as newspapers and television and radio. A key result was that it made reporters much more receptive to what public relations professionals brought to their attention, thus giving greater balance to the dynamic between the two. Generally, this is how the relationship stands today, particularly in Western cultures such as the United States. Working with both the media and public relations agencies here in South Korea as I do these days, however, the dynamic is similar but with a slight variation.

Despite the obvious fact the Internet is alive and well in South Korea, public relations agencies continue going out of their way to court reporters far beyond what their counterparts in the U.S. do. For example, often when publicists plan a press conference for a client, part of the itinerary is providing reporters with a formal lunch. Not just coffee and - maybe - doughnuts, but a sit-down lunch with silverware and catered food. It is as nice as it is expected. Why go to such trouble and expense when the press can easily be bypassed? In South Korea, it is a matter of tradition. The press expects to be courted and public relations professionals seem to be content with courting them.