Contact journalists yourself or leave it to a consultant?

Recently, two PR consultants wrote an opinion piece in the Swedish industry media Resumé suggesting it’s often more effective and appreciated when communicators reach out directly to journalists rather than going through PR consultants. At Mynewsdesk, we agree and think the article highlights something important.

The authors write: “Companies and organizations have a lot to gain by contacting journalists directly, rather than leaving this task to us PR consultants. Direct contact builds credibility, produces better results, and helps establish long-term relationships with the media” (Resumé, 24/3/2025).

The fact that this comes from two PR consultants – exactly those professionals companies often hire to build relationships with journalists – is particularly telling. Of course, PR consultants have an important role to play, especially in providing strategic advice, market analysis, and communication planning. But when it comes to direct interactions with journalists, we believe communicators themselves are best suited. As the authors rightly point out, direct communication fosters credibility, builds lasting media relationships, and increases the likelihood that the right message reaches the right journalist at the right time.

At Mynewsdesk, this has always been central to what we do – helping communicators effectively get their messages across. Our solutions empower communicators to easily find relevant journalists, create tailored media lists, distribute news efficiently, and build direct, meaningful relationships with the media. Our goal is to enable communicators to own their journalist relationships and maximize the impact of their PR efforts.

Effective PR is about the right mix: your own hard work, smart tools, and external support. Nobody can do everything alone; the key is knowing what you should handle yourself, where to use technology solutions, and when to seek outside help.

We highly recommend the article in Resumé for an interesting read and would like to take this opportunity to celebrate all the skilled communicators who work hard every day to share relevant and valuable news!