The explanation given was that I was “too much of a journalist”. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.

Presumably some journalists parachuted into these position aren’t “too much of a journalist”.

But in general, I think you have a point.

Any who don’t subscribe to these notions, I believe, do not deserve to work in this great profession.

- yes, I admit, I was being deliberately provocative. But I do subscribe to my arguments, nevertheless
- I think when you say that journalists have a negative mentality, that goes some way to supporting my assertion that they are better are destroying than building
– journos have the potential to be excellent PR bosses, but until they get a grip (conceptually and practically) on the wider remit of the profession, they are profoundly lacking. Most importantly, if they don’t get and don’t aspire to practicing two-way symmetrical communication, then they are selling the profession very short indeed.

But, speaking as a reporter-turned PR officer, we have skills built through years of news gathering, ‘client’ negotiation and the innate ability to know what will interest a journalist before we fire off a random press release.

“Public relations build. Journalists – after you strip away the spin of being society’s conscience – are too focused on destruction. They, unlike public relations professionals, are problem not solution-oriented.”

Which reporters have you got in mind when you say this? If I just focus on the ‘problem’ line, it’s one area of experience that means journalists can become brilliant crisis communicators (I know you dismised this point but it’s important in some fields). We know how to react quickly to issues while some PRs are left floundering.

And maybe my roles haven’t involved white paper production or round tables but they have included everything else on that arrowed list and my experience as a reporter had a marked effect on the ability to carry those out.

On the other side, it’s true that journalists can have a negative mentality: we spend such a long time looking for corruption, tragedy and heartbreak that it takes a while to shift into the happy positive PR mindset and wholeheartedly promote a product/company/event. That was definitely true when I shifted into PR: the company I moved to was one I used to criticise as a journalist but in the end, one that I felt ethically ok about.

I’d like to hear more opinions from your ‘modest peer’ and whether they have had any good experiences of journo-to-PRs in high positions. In job interviews I’ve had, marketing/sales bosses have generally shown a healthy interest in getting an ex-journo on board because they understand the system.

In a post to come I focus more on the extensive value ex-journos can bring to the PR function.

Firstly, Craig is talking about NEW ex-journalists moving into PR, and secondly, he is talking about them moving in as HEAD of the function.

I think ex-journos have a lot to bring to a PR department, and many have been very successful in PR, and gone on to become excellent strategic contributors to a business as head of the function.

However I agree with Craig that a move STRAIGHT from the newsroom to the boardroom is not wise. Good post Craig.