My post What to Do When PR Hits a Paywall covered the growing number of ways PR folks get hit up for fees when working the media.
That post was seven years ago. I am writing again because the issue remains very relevant. In fact, our team reports back weekly about the new and creative ways that media are finding to flip the pitch on PR. Below, I repeat the list from 2017 and add the more recent offers we have gotten.
| 2017 | 2024 |
| – The publication has decided to charge for that byline, as part of their new native advertising arm. – Worse, said arm is an embedded agency that competes with yours. – Product reviews, once a PR staple, are no longer free in many cases. – The “reporter” we pitched for CES is – charging to take briefings. – Another one makes a heavy pitch to sponsor their exclusive newsletter. – The TV spot comes with a “production fee.” – That brand page that used to get great organic reach needs a paid boost to get the same results. | – Charging for inclusion in a Lumascape-style infographic. – Social posts about news for a price. – Some make you pay for inclusion in their “People on the Move” section. – Trade outlets say they’ll post a press release for a fee. – There’s a ton of pay-for-play for ranking lists/awards: some charge to be considered for the lists or to improve ranking. – “Come on my podcast, throw me a few bucks, will also work you into an article.” |
I don’t begrudge our journalist friends, reporting is an increasingly tough business and way to make a living. The trend does show, however, the increasing erosion of the church and state wall that has separated the editorial and business sides.
Perhaps it is time for another wall to come down – the psychological one separating how we view earned and paid media. It should not be that big a barrier, but I find that many in our field struggle with it, as if paid media or advertsing is beneath us.
True, we are not ad folk, but we too are in the business of steering client stories to the right audiences. While it may be outside of our comfort zones, the ability to vet paid media opps is growing in importance. PR pros should not be afraid of questions like: what paid media opportunities would you recommend? Is it worth paying X (above and beyond your PR fee) to get Y result?
With knowledge of the strength of the media brand, the audience they reach, and the value of exposure, there’s no reason we can’t learn to sift the wheat paid opps from the chaff BS. Forward thinking PR pros will factor this cost of doing business into our plans, budgets and client recommendations.