Investigating relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners: Working together to set, frame and build the public agenda, 1991-2004

A content analysis of 413 reports of interviews conducted with 418 journalists from 1991 to 2004 grounded in agenda-setting, framing and agenda-building theories found that journalists giving higher estimates of practitioners' influence on the news reported having better relationships with practitioners. On average, journalists estimated that 44% of the content of news media in the United States is influenced by practitioners. Journalists who were interviewed in 2002-2004 valued public relations more, but expressed love-hate sentiments as much as those interviewed in 1991-1996. Journalists who had worked 18-45 years reported improving relationships with practitioners more often than journalists with 8 or fewer years of experience. Journalists believed good relationships with practitioners are important, but hold practitioners responsible for them. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.