Champagne corks are popping in PR offices as a survey by the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism has found that, on average, more than 50% of newspaper content could be identified as from a media release or clearly of a promotional nature. In late 2009, the survey looked a 5 days of coverage in 10 Aussie metropolitan newspapers analysing more than 2,000 stories. Sydney’s Daily Telegraph was shown to have 70% PR-driven (or drivel) content. Previous surveys by RMIT in Melbourne suggested an average of 70%, while Aussie stat guru (and my fellow presenter at IABC Hong Kong) Jim Macnamara suggested up to 80% of all newspaper editorial stemmed from PR sources. My old blogpal Trev Cook discusses it too.
I dunno Gerry. Those stats sure seems like a PR disaster to me.
Best,
Rich
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For the editorially impartial press industry maybe Rich!! Think of all those PR cuttings siles bursting at the seams tho…
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