Assessing the Practice of Media Relation:
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Date
2023-05-30
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Media relations is the activity on which the majority of PR practitioners spend most of their time to inform and influence the target audience as well as to keep the reputation of an organization through different mechanisms of contacting the media. It is an observable fact that the Addis Ababa road transportation service has faced problems due to complex issues. AATB as the responsible government organization for managing the city’s road transport sector has been
undertaking various activities to bring solutions to the current transportation service delivery problems.However, unless the information is communicated to the public about the organization's ongoing efforts to solve the current transportation service delivery problem of the city through the media relation activity properly the organization's efforts can be devalued. Therefore the main purpose of this study is to assess the Media Relations practice of AATB in terms of communicating public about the organization’s activities. Research questions were raised in the study in order to meet the objective of the study. This study's research design is a descriptive with a qualitative research approach. Based on research questions data is collected through in-depth interviews and document analysis. The sampling design is non-probability; particularly purposive sampling used for this investigation. For in-depth interview samples were selected from the AATB communication affairs directorate and media journalists. Regarding documents, analysis documents were selected purposefully from one year of media relation practice of the AATB communication affairs directorate. The data gained through these methods are categorized into different themes and the result is presented or discussed in the form of narration.The Communication Department of AATB has annual public relations plan to carry out differentpublic relation activities including media relation practice, but it is not strategically prepared. AATB's media relation practice's primary goal is to gain media attention for the issue of public transport tariffs and other transportation problems. Media organizations also produce news coverage focusing on these problems. AATB has established regular engagement with the media in order to communicate with the public about the organization’s activities to solve road transportation service delivery problems in the city. This relationship is established on both sides, but it frequently begins with media requests. Finally, recommendations are forwarded regarding media relation strategy, media relation focuses and relationship with media.
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Keywords
Media relation strategy, Media relation focuses and Relationship with media.