Exploring Media Relations: Discourse Analysis of PR-Media Conversations in Philippine Media Events

Abstract

Background: Media events serve as spaces where public relations specialists and members of the media mutually benefit from one another. In these settings, conversations are shared, relationships are established and maintained.

Objective of the Study: This study examines the conversations exchanged between public relations specialists and media members, which constitute the language of media relations in media events.

Methodology: Adopting a qualitative approach, six audio recordings of conversations were used as the study’s corpus. These recordings took place in various settings and at different times, involving different participants to ensure data triangulation. Conversations during a press conference, a protest action, and a degustation event were recorded. The recordings were transcribed and analysed using two approaches to discourse analysis in communication: Ethnography of Communication and Conversation Analysis.

Results: The findings revealed that each type of media event requires a specific tone to maintain effective conversation. Periods of silence can lead to awkwardness or tension within the group, which can be alleviated through the initiation of small talk. Social capital functions as the guiding norm of interaction in media events, where conversations are generally smooth in terms of turn-taking and adjacency. Regardless of the type of media event, all participants engage in conversation with the aim of fulfilling their objectives for attending the event.

Unique Contribution: By focusing on the conversations shared between PR specialists and media members, this study serves as a foundation for further exploration of discourse in media events, addressing a gap in discourse studies on media relations.

Conclusion: Reciprocation of compliments, reliance on information, and shared interests drive conversations in media events.

Key Recommendation: This study examines the verbal aspects of media relations in media events. It is recommended that future research explore the non-verbal cues exhibited by PR specialists and media members to broaden and deepen the understanding of media relations.