PR Glossary

Fullintel’s comprehensive PR, marketing, news, and media monitoring glossary defines key terms for today’s communicators. This updated edition adds depth and clarity to each definition, reflecting current industry standards and emerging trends in PR analytics, media intelligence, and measurement. From foundational concepts to advanced metrics, this glossary is a handy resource for beginners and experienced PR professionals. We hope you find it useful.

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A

Above the Fold

Content positioned in the upper section of a newspaper broadsheet or the immediately visible area of a webpage before scrolling. “Above the fold” material is considered prime real estate for catching audience attention, whether in print or online. Even if metaphorical.

Active Audience

A group of individuals who actively seek information on a topic, engaging with multiple sources and verifying facts before forming opinions. Active audiences participate in discussions (often via social media or forums) and are more likely to create or share content, as opposed to passive audiences who simply consume information.

Advertising

A paid form of marketing communication intended to promote products, services, or brands. Advertising is typically controlled messaging placed in media channels (e.g., print ads, TV commercials, online banners) with the goal of influencing consumer behavior. It differs from PR in that ad content is purchased and fully controlled by the sponsor, whereas PR focuses on earned or free media coverage.

Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE)

A widely discredited metric that attempts to measure PR coverage in terms of equivalent advertising cost. AVE is calculated by measuring the column inches or airtime of earned media and multiplying by advertising rates. Modern PR practice strongly rejects AVE as a valid measure of value – global industry bodies (AMEC, PRSA, CIPR, etc.) agree that AVEs are flawed and do not reflect true communication impact. As the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) bluntly puts it: “Anyone attempting to use them today is fooling themselves, fooling their clients, and failing the profession. AVEs have no place in modern, professional PR practice.”. Instead, PR measurement focuses on meaningful outcomes like audience reach, sentiment, and engagement rather than advertising cost proxies.

Advertorial

A piece of paid content that is presented in the style of an editorial or news article. An advertorial (also called native advertising) blends in with the publication’s editorial content in tone and format, but it is sponsored by an advertiser. Ethically, advertorials should be clearly labeled as advertising to distinguish them from independent journalism.

Angle (News Angle)

The specific perspective or emphasis chosen for a news story is also known as the hook or peg. The angle is what makes the story newsworthy and relevant, guiding how facts are framed. For example, a journalist writing about a new product might choose an angle focusing on its impact on consumers, its innovative technology, or a related human-interest story.

Agency of Record (AOR)

A public relations or advertising agency is officially designated as a company’s primary agency for a particular service. An AOR typically has an ongoing retainer relationship to handle the client’s campaigns or media outreach over the long term, providing continuity and strategic oversight across all PR or advertising efforts.

AP Style

Refers to The Associated Press Stylebook, a widely used guide for grammar, punctuation, and word usage in news writing. Most U.S. news organizations and PR professionals follow AP style to ensure consistency and clarity in press releases and media materials. (For example, AP style prescribes guidelines on abbreviations, capitalization, numerals, dates, and other writing conventions.)

Assignment

A task or story given to a journalist or reporter by an editor. An assignment typically includes the topic, angle, or details the reporter should cover. In PR, understanding reporters’ assignments (and beats) helps professionals pitch relevant stories that fit what a journalist is currently working on.

Attribution

In journalism and PR, attribution means crediting the source of a statement or piece of information. This is usually done by quoting a person by name (“…,” said Jane Doe) or referencing a source (e.g., a company statement or report). Proper attribution is vital for credibility and transparency in news stories, ensuring readers know where information originated.

Audience

A defined group of people who receive or consume a communication. In PR and marketing, “audience” often refers to the target audience – the specific segment (by demographics, interests, etc.) an organization intends to reach with a message or content. Understanding one’s audience is crucial for tailoring messages and selecting the right media channels.

Audience Share

Usually expressed as a percentage, audience share represents the portion of an available audience tuned in to a particular media outlet or program. For example, if 20% of TV viewers in a given time slot are watching Channel X’s program, that program has a 20% audience share. This metric is commonly used in broadcast media to gauge a show’s relative popularity in its market.

Audio News Release (ANR)

A news release formatted for audio distribution, often used in radio. An ANR is a pre-recorded 30- or 60-second audio segment that includes a scripted news story with quotes (voiced by an announcer or spokesperson) and sometimes natural sound. Organizations distribute ANRs to radio stations in hopes that the stations will air the content as a news item.

Average Hours Tuned

In broadcast audience measurement, this refers to the average number of hours individuals tune in to a specific station or channel over a given period. It’s calculated by totaling all hours listened to or watched by the audience and dividing by the number of people in the sample. This metric helps radio and TV outlets understand how engaged their listeners/viewers are beyond just headcount.

Average Minute Audience

A metric used in television and digital streaming to determine the average number of viewers (or listeners) during any given minute of a program or time block. For example, a TV show’s average minute audience might be 500,000 – meaning on average, 500,000 people were watching at any minute during the broadcast. This is a key figure in TV ratings and is often used to compare the relative viewership of programs.

B

Backgrounder

A backgrounder is a supplementary document often provided in a press kit to give reporters deeper context about an organization, event, or issue. It might include an organization’s history, mission, key milestones, biographies of key executives, or an overview of a complex topic. Journalists use backgrounders to better understand the subject beyond the basic news facts.

Backlink

In digital communications, a backlink is a hyperlink on another website that points to your website or content. Backlinks (also called inbound links) are important in SEO – when reputable sites link to your content, it can improve your site’s search engine ranking. PR plays a role in earning quality backlinks by securing online coverage and references on news sites, blogs, and other platforms.

Backpack Journalist

A journalist who is a multi-skilled solo reporter, capable of producing stories across various media. This “one-man-band” reporter typically carries a backpack of gear (camera, laptop, audio recorder) and can write, shoot photos/video, and edit pieces alone. The rise of backpack journalists reflects modern newsrooms’ need for versatile content creators who can file stories quickly from the field.

Bandwidth (figurative)

In a PR or business context, “bandwidth” is often used figuratively to denote a person or team’s capacity to handle tasks or projects. For example, saying “I don’t have the bandwidth” means lacking time or resources to take on more work. (In a technical sense, bandwidth is the data transfer capacity of a network, but PR usage usually relates to workload capacity or skill breadth.)

Baseline Media Measure

An initial set of media analytics collected before a campaign or initiative, used as a benchmark. This baseline might include volume of media mentions, sentiment, share of voice, or other metrics for a brand or issue. By recording where things stand at the start, PR professionals can later compare and determine the impact or lift provided by their PR efforts.

Beat

A reporter’s assigned topic area or geographic area of coverage. Common beats in journalism include subjects like politics, health, technology, sports, or regions like “city hall” or “education in Boston.” PR professionals often maintain media lists organized by beats so they can target the right journalists (e.g., pitching a healthcare story to reporters on the health or science beat).

Benchmark

A standard or point of reference against which things are measured or compared. In PR and marketing, benchmarking involves comparing campaign performance to either a past result (e.g., last year’s metrics), industry standards, or specific targets. For instance, an organization might benchmark its share of voice or media sentiment against a key competitor or against its own goals for the quarter.

Billboard Announcement

A brief public-service style announcement, typically by a community group or nonprofit, is often aired on the radio or local TV. It highlights community needs, upcoming events, or activities. In broadcasting, these free announcements are sometimes required or encouraged as part of a station’s public service. They are usually short (under 60 seconds) and contain only essential details (who, what, when, where, why).

Blogroll

A list of recommended or affiliated blogs displayed on a blog’s sidebar or page. Blogrolls serve as a curated set of hyperlinks to other blogs that the author endorses or finds useful. In early blogging culture, including someone on your blogroll was a sign of respect or partnership. For PR, getting a client’s blog added to influential blogrolls can help increase visibility and credibility via association.

Boilerplate

A standardized blurb about an organization that appears at the end of press releases and other PR documents. A boilerplate usually provides background info: when the company was founded, what it does, its size, mission, and key achievements. It’s essentially the organization’s “about us” statement. Keeping the boilerplate up-to-date is important, as journalists may pull this info for articles.

Boolean (Search)

Refers to a system of logic used in search queries that utilizes operators such as AND, OR, and NOT to combine or exclude keywords. In media monitoring and research, Boolean search strings help PR analysts filter content precisely (e.g., “Apple” AND “iPhone” NOT “fruit” would find articles about Apple iPhone but exclude those about the fruit). Boolean logic is fundamental for building complex searches to ensure relevant results.

Bounce Rate

A web analytics metric indicating the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page (and take no further action). A high bounce rate means many users are not clicking deeper into the site. In PR and marketing, bounce rate helps gauge the effectiveness of a webpage (for example, if a press release page has a high bounce rate, it might not be engaging enough, or the content isn’t what visitors expected).

Brand

More than just a logo or name, a brand encompasses the identity and perception of a product, service, or organization. It includes tangible elements (name, design, colors) and intangible elements (reputation, values, personality). A strong brand evokes certain emotions or associations in its audience – for instance, trust, innovation, or affordability. PR efforts often focus on shaping and maintaining a positive brand image in the public’s mind.

Brand Advocacy

Active promotion of a brand by individuals who love it. Brand advocates can be customers, employees, or fans who voluntarily speak favorably about a brand based on positive experiences. In the age of social media, brand advocacy is powerful word-of-mouth marketing – advocates might write glowing reviews, refer others, or defend the brand in discussions. Some advocates are incentivized (through ambassador programs), while others do it organically out of loyalty.

Brand Advocate

A person who champions a brand and publicly supports it, often without being paid. This could be a satisfied customer who frequently posts about a company’s products, or an industry partner who touts the company’s strengths. Brand advocates are valuable in PR because their third-party endorsements carry authenticity. Companies may engage with brand advocates by amplifying their content or giving them sneak peeks and rewards, further strengthening the relationship.

Brand Association

The set of ideas, qualities, or emotions that consumers connect with a brand. For example, Volvo might evoke “safety,” and Nike might evoke “athletic excellence.” Brand associations develop through marketing, PR, personal experience, and word-of-mouth. Positive associations (like quality, innovation, reliability) are what brands strive for, as they influence purchase decisions and loyalty.

Brand Character Statement

A concise declaration that defines a brand’s core attributes, values, and what makes it unique. It’s similar to a mission statement but focused on brand identity. For instance, a brand character statement might say: “XYZ is a friendly, innovative tech company that empowers creativity in everyday life.” PR and marketing teams use this internally to ensure all communications consistently reflect that character.

Brand Character/Personality

The human traits or personality characteristics attributed to a brand. For example, a brand might be described as youthful, adventurous, and humorous, or alternatively as professional, reliable, and sophisticated. Defining a brand’s personality helps guide the tone of PR messaging and marketing, whether it’s casual or formal, playful or serious. Consistent brand personality makes it easier for audiences to relate to and remember the brand.

Brand Equity

The value and strength of a brand in the marketplace – often considered as an intangible asset. Brand equity is built on factors like consumer awareness, perceived quality, loyalty, and associations. A brand with strong equity (e.g., Coca-Cola or Apple) can charge premium prices and is more resilient in crises. PR contributes to brand equity by maintaining a positive reputation and high awareness through media visibility and effective storytelling (turning media exposure and public sentiment into long-term brand value).

Brand Identity

The collection of all brand elements that a company creates to portray the right image to its audience. This includes the name, logo, tagline, colors, typography, and the tone of communications. Brand identity is what the company says about itself, whereas brand image is how the public actually perceives it. PR ensures brand identity is consistently presented across media materials, helping to align public perception with the intended identity.

Brand Management for Public Relations

The ongoing process of maintaining and improving a brand’s image, reputation, and value. Brand management involves monitoring public perception, communicating brand values, and making strategic marketing/PR decisions to uphold the brand promise. This can include everything from handling brand messaging on social media to responding to crises that threaten the brand’s reputation. Effective brand management is data-driven and often uses media monitoring, surveys, and other feedback to adjust strategy in real time.

Brand Positioning

The place a brand occupies in the minds of its target audience relative to competitors. It’s how a brand differentiates itself – for instance, is it the affordable choice, the luxury option, the innovator, or the customer-service leader? Positioning is typically summarized in a positioning statement (identifying target audience, the category the brand is in, the benefit, and what makes it unique). PR campaigns reinforce desired brand positioning by consistently highlighting those unique values and advantages in media stories.

Branding

The act of creating and disseminating the brand name, design, and messaging. Branding encompasses all efforts to shape how a brand is perceived, from designing a memorable logo to crafting a compelling narrative around a product. In PR terms, branding often means communicating the brand’s story through media outreach, events, and content. Good branding results in brand recognition (people identify it easily) and brand recall (people remember it when thinking of a category).

Breaking Story

A news story that is the first to report on an event or development, often while the situation is still unfolding. “Breaking” implies urgency and timeliness. PR teams monitor breaking stories closely, especially if they involve their industry or company, to decide if they should respond or contribute. If your company is the breaking story (e.g., you’re the first to announce a major innovation), being prepared to handle the rapid media attention is crucial.

Brief (News Brief)

A short news item or summary covering just the essential facts of a story. A brief often answers the “Five Ws” (who, what, where, when, why) in a concise manner, usually within a few sentences or a single short paragraph. Briefs are common in news digests or summary sections. For PR, sometimes complex announcements are distilled into briefs in media coverage, so clarity in press materials is key to ensure the main facts survive the cut.

Briefing Book

A compilation of information prepared for an organization’s spokesperson or representative prior to a media event or interview. A briefing book might include Q&As (anticipated questions and suggested answers), key messages, facts and figures, background on the journalist or outlet, and details about the issue at hand. Essentially, it’s a prep packet to ensure spokespeople are well-armed with accurate info and talking points.

Broadcast Measurement

The process of measuring the audience reach and impact of broadcast media (TV and radio). This can include ratings (percentage of audience tuning in), share (percentage of audience with sets in use who are tuned to a particular program), and audience demographics. In PR and advertising, broadcast measurement helps determine how many people potentially heard or saw a message on a given program and is used to evaluate the success of campaigns on those channels.

Broadcast Media

Traditional media channels that distribute audio and/or visual content to the public, namely, television and radio. Broadcast media can be live or pre-recorded and reach audiences through electromagnetic signals (over-the-air, cable, satellite, or streaming). In PR, getting coverage on broadcast media (like a TV news segment or a radio interview) is often a key goal due to the large audiences and perceived credibility of these outlets.

B-roll

Supplementary video footage that’s used to enrich a news story or segment, often without sound. In TV news, B-roll might show scenes of a location, cutaway shots of an interviewee’s surroundings, or illustrative footage relevant to the story, which editors cut to while the reporter or narrator continues speaking (voiceover). PR professionals often provide B-roll to TV outlets alongside video press releases, ensuring that broadcasters have high-quality visuals to use in their stories about the organization.

Bumper

A brief transitional segment in broadcast programming. Bumpers can be graphics, music, or voice-over clips that signal a transition, such as going into a commercial break or coming back from one. For example, a TV news show might have a branded bumper (“We’ll be right back after the break”) or a radio show might use a music sting as a bumper between segments. In PR, if your spokesperson’s interview will be on air, knowing where bumpers occur can hint at how the interview might be segmented.

Business-to-Business Marketing (B2B)

Marketing of products or services from one business to other businesses (rather than to the general public). B2B marketing often involves professional audiences, longer sales cycles, and relationship-driven sales. PR in a B2B context might focus on industry trade media, white papers, case studies, and events that reach decision-makers within businesses. The messaging tends to be more specialized, focusing on how one company’s offerings can improve another company’s operations or bottom line.

Business-to-Consumer Marketing (B2C)

Marketing of products or services directly to individual consumers. B2C campaigns typically appear on consumer-facing channels like mainstream media, social media, and retail advertising. PR for B2C involves pitching stories to mass media, engaging influencers or celebrities, and creating buzz that appeals to the general public’s interests and needs. The communication style is often more emotional or lifestyle-oriented compared to B2B.

Buzz

Informal refers to the amount of attention or excitement a topic, product, or person is generating in the media and among the public. “Buzz” can be measured by the volume of mentions on social media, news coverage, and word-of-mouth. A successful PR stunt or campaign creates a lot of positive buzz, meaning people are talking about it organically. High buzz can sometimes translate into trending topics or viral…buzz can sometimes be measured by an uptick in social media mentions or trending hashtags. In PR, generating buzz means creating excitement that gets people and the press talking spontaneously about your brand or campaign.

Byline

The line in a published article that names the author or reporter. In news stories, the byline appears at the top (e.g., “By Jane Smith”). For PR, securing a bylined article means getting an article published under an executive’s or expert’s name (often ghostwritten by PR) in a reputable outlet. Bylines give credit and also confer authority on the named author.

Bylined Article

An article written by an expert or company representative that appears in a publication under that person’s name. In PR, bylined articles are a form of thought leadership – companies pitch opinion pieces or how-to articles authored by their executives to industry publications. While not overtly promotional, these articles allow organizations to showcase expertise and gain credibility.

C

Camera-Ready Features

Pre-packaged feature stories (with copy, photos, and graphics) provided to media outlets are intended to be published with minimal editing. They are “camera-ready” in the sense that a newspaper or magazine could run them as-is. PR professionals might create such features on evergreen topics (non-time-sensitive content) and distribute them, especially to smaller outlets that need filler content.

Central Area

In media terms, a designated geographic region is used for audience or coverage analysis. For example, a “central area” might refer to the primary city or region that a local TV or radio station is assigned to cover (and measure audience in). For PR campaign planning, knowing the central area of media outlets helps target geographic demographics, ensuring local angles for local media.

Channel

A medium or platform used to communicate a message to the public. PR and marketing channels include print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast (TV, radio), online news sites, blogs, social media platforms, email, and events. Selecting the right channel is a key part of strategy – for instance, Twitter might be the channel for immediate news updates, while a company blog is a channel for in-depth stories. “Channel” can also refer to distribution paths in marketing (retail channel, online channel), but in PR, it’s mostly about communication vehicles.

Circulation

The number of copies a print publication distributes on average (daily, weekly, etc.). Circulation figures indicate the potential reach of a newspaper or magazine. For example, if a newspaper has a circulation of 100,000, that’s roughly how many people buy or receive it. PR professionals use circulation (and its digital equivalent, unique visitors) to estimate how many people might see a placement. Keep in mind, circulation is not the same as readership – actual readership is often higher because of pass-along readers.

City Editor

An editor at a newspaper who oversees local news coverage (often the news happening within the city or metro area). The city editor assigns stories to reporters on the city beat (like crime, local politics, community events) and edits their work. For PR, the city editor is a key contact when pitching local news or events, as they decide what local stories get covered.

Clip Count

The total number of media clips (press mentions) that feature a company or its key message. A “clip” traditionally referred to a clipping from a newspaper or print publication, but now extends to any article, broadcast segment, or online post. Clip count is a basic output metric in PR measurement – it showsthe  volume of coverage. However, modern PR evaluation looks beyond clip counts to quality of coverage (sentiment, key message inclusion, etc.), because sheer quantity doesn’t guarantee impact.

Clipping

Another term for a press mention or piece of coverage. It originates from the practice of physically cutting out newspaper articles. Clippings can include print articles, online news stories, blog posts, or broadcast transcripts where the client is mentioned. Services (or media monitoring teams) compile clippings to report on what is being said about an organization. Today, “clippings” are often provided as digital links or PDFs rather than paper.

Collateral PR

This refers to supporting materials used in PR and marketing, such as brochures, pamphlets, product fact sheets, videos, or infographics that supplement the main message. Collateral is often used by sales teams or at events (e.g., a leave-behind brochure after a media briefing, or a PDF of case studies shared with a journalist). The term can also include digital collateral like PDF white papers or slideshow decks. Good PR collateral reinforces key messages and provides additional detail or visuals that help journalists write their stories.

Column

A regular feature or opinion piece in a publication, typically written by the same person (the columnist) on a specific subject area or theme. Columns often reflect the personal viewpoint of the writer (e.g., a tech columnist giving analysis of industry trends, or an opinion columnist discussing politics). For PR pros, getting a client featured in a columnist’s piece (or cited as an expert) can be valuable due to the columnist’s established audience and influence.

Column Note

A pitch or brief memo directed specifically to a columnist, suggesting an idea that aligns with their typical topics or angle. Unlike a general press release, a column note is highly tailored: it acknowledges the columnist’s perspective and explains why the suggested story or information would be of interest to their readers. Essentially, it’s a personalized pitch for an opinion or analysis piece.

Columnist

A writer who produces a regular column for a publication. Columnists often have leeway to express personal opinions or analysis and are considered subject-matter experts or influential voices. Examples include financial columnists, advice columnists, or sports columnists. In media relations, a columnist might be approached differently from a straight-news reporter – PR might provide them with expert sources or unique insights that support the columnist’s narrative or argument.

Communications Audit for Public Relations

A thorough evaluation of an organization’s communications, both internal (within the company) and external (public-facing). A communications audit looks at all channels and materials (press releases, social media, website content, newsletters, memos, etc.) to assess effectiveness, consistency, and alignment with goals. The audit typically identifies strengths, weaknesses, and gaps. For example, it may reveal that key messages are not consistently conveyed, or that certain stakeholder audiences are underserved. The outcome of an audit guides improvements in strategy and messaging.

Communication Effectiveness Index (CEI)

The Communication Effectiveness Index (CEI) is a composite scoring model designed to measure how well a company’s communication efforts align with and support its broader organizational goals. Unlike basic media metrics, CEI blends both qualitative and quantitative data — including media sentiment, message alignment, stakeholder feedback, internal engagement, and behavioral outcomes — to provide a single, holistic score that reflects overall communications performance. Often customized per organization, the CEI is particularly useful for tracking long-term reputation, employee perception, brand trust, or ESG communication impact. It helps communicators link strategic messaging to business value, providing an executive-friendly metric for quarterly or annual reporting.

Community Relations

Public relations activities aimed at building and maintaining relationships with the local community. This can include charitable activities, local sponsorships, employee volunteering, and participation in community events. The goal is to establish goodwill, demonstrate corporate social responsibility, and be seen as a supportive member of the community. Good community relations can turn residents into brand advocates and can also provide a reservoir of goodwill that helps during challenging times (locals might be more forgiving of a ccompany’smisstep if the company has a strong community track record).

Controlled Communication Channels

Channels of communication that an organization fully controls the content and distribution of. These include company-produced materials like brochures, websites, company blogs, email newsletters, and corporate social media accounts. Because the content is controlled, messaging can be delivered exactly as intended (unlike uncontrolled channels such as news media, where journalists decide what is said). PR and marketing use controlled channels for direct messaging, brand storytelling, and announcements, while recognizing that these often work best in tandem with earned media for credibility.

Copy Editor

An editor who reviews written material for accuracy, clarity, and correctness in grammar and style. In the news context, copy editors ensure that articles meet the outlet’s style guide (like AP or Chicago style) and that facts, names, and dates are correct. They also write headlines and captions. In PR, some agencies employ copy editors to polish press releases, reports, and any content that will be published or sent to journalists, ensuring the copy is professional and error-free.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A self-regulating business model where companies are conscious of their impact on society and the environment, and take active steps to contribute positively. CSR initiatives can include sustainability efforts (reducing carbon footprint), philanthropy (donations to charity, community programs), ethical labor practices, and more. From a PR perspective, CSR is about building trust and goodwill – communicating these efforts shows stakeholders that the company values more than just profit. Authentic CSR programs, when promoted well, enhance reputation; insincere ones risk being called out as tokenism or “greenwashing.”

Coverage Valuation Models

Coverage valuation models are methodologies used to assign financial or strategic value to earned media coverage, helping organizations translate media performance into business-relevant metrics. These models aim to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of PR efforts by estimating the worth of publicity gained without paid placement.

There are several types of valuation models, including:

• Ad Value Equivalency (AVE): Calculates the cost of equivalent advertising space or time. While still used by some, it’s widely criticized for lacking nuance and context.
• Earned Media Value (EMV): Estimates the advertising value of coverage while also factoring in engagement or influence, particularly on digital and social platforms.
• Impact-Based Models (e.g., Media Impact Score): Assign weighted scores based on reach, tone, prominence, message inclusion, and outlet tier — offering a more nuanced, credibility-based valuation of coverage.

Cover Story

The feature story is given the most prominence in a magazine or newspaper issue, often literally the story that earns a mention or photo on the front cover. In magazines, the cover story is typically an in-depth article on a high-interest topic or a big exclusive interview. For PR, landing a client as the focus of a cover story is a major win due to the high visibility and implied importance. It usually requires a strong narrative and often exclusive access or an interview arranged by the PR team.

CP Style

Short for Canadian Press Stylebook, a writing style guide similar to AP Style but used by most Canadian news organizations. It dictates conventions in spelling (Canadian English), punctuation, and other usage for consistency in Canadian media. PR practitioners working with Canadian media will write press materials in CP style (e.g., “colour” instead of “color”) to meet journalists’ expectations.

Crisis Communication

The practice of effectively communicating during a crisis to minimize damage to an organization’s reputation. It involves quick, accurate information dissemination to media, employees, customers, and other stakeholders when an emergency or scandal occurs. Key aspects include having a crisis communication plan, a trained spokesperson, and clear messaging that addresses the issue and expresses empathy or accountability as needed. Modern crisis comm often leverages multiple channels (press conferences, social media updates, website statements) to reach audiences in real time. The goal is to maintain or restore trust by being transparent and responsive.

Crisis Management

The broader process of preparing for, dealing with, and recovering from a crisis. Beyond just communication, it includes identifying potential threats, forming a crisis response team, establishing protocols (like product recalls or customer support escalation), and post-crisis analysis. PR plays a crucial role in the crisis management team by handling the information flow and public perception, while other parts of the organization address operational fixes. Effective crisis management can significantly reduce the long-term impact of negative events on a company’s reputation and operations.

Crisis Media Monitoring

Continuous media monitoring focused specifically on coverage of a crisis or negative event. This often means tracking all news, social media, and online conversations about the incident in real time. Crisis media monitoring provides immediate alerts on how the story is spreading, what’s being said (sentiment and key themes), and emerging issues or rumors. PR teams use this intelligence to adjust their communication strategy on the fly and to correct misinformation quickly. It may include daily or even hourly briefings to leadership during the height of the crisis.

D

Dateline

The line at the start of a news article or press release that indicates the location (and sometimes date) from which the story is reported or issued. For example, “NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2025 – …” might begin a press release. The dateline helps establish context; in news articles, it tells readers where the journalist was (especially for on-the-scene reporting), and in press releases, it often shows the company’s headquarters or where the news is originating.

Delivered Audience

The total potential audience reached by a particular media content. For example, if a PR newswire distribution results in pickup by outlets whose combined circulation/viewership is 1 million, the delivered audience is 1 million (though not every one of those people may actually see the story). It’s similar to reach, indicating how many people could have been exposed to your message. Delivered audience can be broken down by channel (print, online, broadcast) to see where the story had the most exposure..

Digital Media

Media that are electronic and accessible via digital platforms, as opposed to traditional print. This includes online publications, news websites, blogs, podcasts, streaming video, social media, and any other internet-based content. The term highlights the digital format and distribution (often instant and interactive). In PR, digital media strategies might involve engaging with online influencers, optimizing press releases for online search, and creating multimedia content that can be shared on digital channels.

Digital News Release (Online News Release)

A press release that is created specifically for online distribution, often incorporating multimedia elements. Unlike traditional plain-text releases, a digital news release might include hyperlinks, images, infographics, videos, and social sharing buttons. It’s usually distributed via email and posted on a newsroom website or a wire service online. The advantage is that journalists and bloggers can download assets easily, and the release itself may attract traffic and SEO value if posted publicly..

Data Storytelling in Public Relations

The practice of communicating insights from data through a compelling narrative and visuals. Data storytelling goes beyond charts and figures – it weaves data into a story with context and meaning, making it easier for audiences to understand and act on the informatio . In PR, data storytelling might involve presenting survey results or research findings in a relatable way. For example, instead of just releasing stats, a PR team might craft a story around what the data means for people’s lives or for industry trends, often accompanied by infographics. Effective data storytelling helps transform dry numbers into impactful messages that support a campaign’s narrative.

E

Earned Content (Earned Media)

Any content about a company or brand that is not paid for or controlled by the company, but rather “earned” through its newsworthiness or interest value. This includes news articles, interviews, op-eds written by journalists, customer reviews, social media mentions, or word-of-mouth referrals. Earned media is considered highly credible because it’s independently produced (for instance, a tech magazine reviews your product on its own). PR is largely concerned with generating earned media by pitching stories, staging events, or creating content that journalists and the public will voluntarily share or cover.

Earned Media Value (EMV)

Earned Media Value assigns a monetary figure to the exposure generated by earned coverage. This estimate reflects how much the same visibility would cost if it were achieved via paid advertising. Though approximate, EMV is useful for translating PR outcomes into financial terms, helping business leaders evaluate ROI. It is often calculated using reach, impressions, or ad rate equivalents.

Editorial Calendar

A schedule that outlines themes or special coverage topics planned by a media outlet over a period (often a year). For example, a magazine’s editorial calendar might show that the March issue will focus on “Green Technology” and the July issue on “AI in Healthcare.” PR professionals use editorial calendars to time their pitches – aligning relevant story ideas with an outlet’s planned theme increases the chance of interest. Many publications publish their editorial calendars for advertisers, and PR folks take advantage of that insight for media outreach.

Effective Audience

The portion of the audience that is not only reached by a message but is also relevant to the communicator’s objectives. It’s a way of narrowing down raw reach to the people who truly matter for your campaign. For example, if a press release got 1,000 viewers (reach) but only 300 were in your target customer demographic, those 300 are the effective audience for your PR purposes. In advertising, this term can also mean the audience that meets certain criteria of exposure frequency (like those who saw an ad at least 3 times). Essentially, it’s making sure your message hits the right folks enough times to be effective.

Embargo

An agreement between a news source and media outlets that information provided (e.g., a press release) will not be published until a specified date and time. PR professionals use embargoes when they want to give reporters time to prepare a story (perhaps for a simultaneous big announcement) but control the timing of when news breaks. For instance, a company might give tech journalists an embargoed press release about a new gadget two days in advance. Journalists who agree can write their articles but must hold them until the embargo lifts (say, 9 AM on launch day). Embargoes are handshake agreements; if broken, trust is lost. They are useful for coordinating coverage, but only work if the media honor them.

Engagement

A measure of how actively audiences interact with content, particularly online. Engagement can include actions like clicking, reacting (likes, etc.), commenting, sharing, retweeting, or otherwise participating in a conversation. In PR and social media, engagement metrics indicate resonance and interest – for example, a tweet that gets 100 replies and 500 shares has high engagement, meaning it struck a chord. Engagement is often seen as more valuable than passive impressions because it shows the audience is not just seeing the content but interacting with it. Building engagement might involve asking questions in posts, encouraging user-generated content, or promptly responding to comments to spur conversation.

Event Media Monitoring

Media monitoring concentrated on a specific event or time-bound happening. For example, a PR team may set up special monitoring around a product launch event, a conference, or a crisis event. During that period, they’ll track all media mentions related to the event, including live reporting, social media chatter (like tweets during a press conference), and follow-up stories. Event media monitoring helps PR gauge the immediate impact of the event, measure share of voice during a big news cycle, and capture any issues or feedback popping up in coverage so they can be addressed quickly if needed.

Evergreen

A term for content or stories that are not time-sensitive and remain relevant long after they’re published. An evergreen story (or PR pitch) could run at virtually any time – for example, “tips for a healthy workspace” or “how to improve your credit score” are topics that don’t depend on current events and can be revisited. PR practitioners often keep evergreen pitch ideas handy for when a journalist has column space to fill or when there’s a slow news cycle. Evergreen content is also great for blogs and websites because it can continuously attract readers over time (and is good for SEO).

Exclusive

A story or interview given to one journalist or outlet to the exclusion of others, usually as a special arrangement. For example, a PR team might offer a major scoop or an interview with a CEO exclusively to a top-tier newspaper to secure a high-profile piece. In return, that outlet gets a head start or a unique angle that competitors don’t have. Exclusives can generate goodwill with the chosen outlet and often result in more prominent placement (like a feature story). The downside is other outlets might be annoyed they didn’t get the news first, so PR teams use exclusives strategically, often balancing them out over time or choosing different media for different exclusives.

Executive News Brief

A curated daily or weekly summary of important media coverage, tailored for an organization’s executives. Often delivered early in the morning, an executive news brief (also called a daily news brief) highlights key news articles, broadcast summaries, and social media buzz relevant to the company, competitors, or industry. PR teams compile these briefs through daily media monitoring, providing busy execs with a quick grasp of what’s happening in the media landscape that could affect the organization. They typically include headline summaries and sometimes analysis or actionable insights.

F

Feature Story

A longer-form article that explores a topic in depth, often with a human-interest angle, narrative style, or creative approach that goes beyond straight news reporting. Features can be profiles of people, trend pieces, personal experience stories, or explorations of an issue. They usually allow for more storytelling flair – colorful descriptions, quotes, and background. In PR, getting a feature story about your company or cause (as opposed to a brief news item) is highly valuable because it engages readers more deeply and can convey richer detail and emotion.

Filler

Short, timeless content used by publications or broadcasters to fill small spaces when needed. Filler could be an amusing anecdote, a “News of the Weird” blurb, a horoscope, or any ready-to-go content that isn’t tied to current events. In print layout, if an article doesn’t exactly end at the bottom of a column, fillers are handy to plug the gap. For PR, there’s not much direct application besides understanding that sometimes even a small quirky pitch might get picked up as a filler item if it’s evergreen and entertaining.

Formative Research

Research conducted at the beginning of a PR campaign or project to gather insights and inform strategy. It might involve situation analysis, surveys, focus groups, or media audits to understand the current landscape. Formative research helps identify the problem or opportunity, set benchmarks, and shape objectives and key messages. For example, before launching a health awareness campaign, a PR team might do formative research on public attitudes and knowledge levels about the health issue to tailor their messaging effectively.

Frequency

In media terms, frequency can mean two things:

1. Publication/Broadcast Frequency: how often a media outlet publishes or airs content (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
2. Audience Exposure Frequency: the number of times an individual is exposed to a message or advertisement.

In PR measurement (borrowing from advertising), frequency (the second definition) is used alongside reach; for example, an average frequency of 3 might mean target audience members saw some coverage about your campaign three times on average. Managing frequency is more of a concern in advertising, but PR folks consider it in terms of reinforcing messages – multiple mentions across outlets can increase the likelihood the audience internalizes the message.

Full Coverage Area

The total area (and audience) a broadcast station can reach with its signal. For instance, a local TV station’s full coverage area might include not just its city but the surrounding counties where its broadcast signal or cable coverage reaches. In radio, this might be defined by signal strength maps (e.g., 50-mile radius). PR people need to know this, especially for regional outreach – if you get coverage on a certain station, who potentially can hear it? It’s essentially the geographic reach of that media outlet.

G

Ghostwriter

A writer who composes text that will be officially credited to another person. In PR and corporate communications, ghostwriters often draft articles, speeches, blog posts, or even books for busy executives or public figures. The ideas and voice are tailored to the person being credited, but the actual writing is done by the ghostwriter behind the scenes. This is common for thought leadership pieces – for example, a CEO’s column in a magazine might be ghostwritten by a PR team member and then approved by the CEO.

Greenwashing

A pejorative term for when an organization spends more effort on marketing itself as environmentally friendly than on actually minimizing its environmental impact. It’s essentially PR or advertising that misleads by overstating green credentials. For example, a company might launch a flashy eco-campaign or tagline while its core operations are polluting. In today’s climate, greenwashing can backfire badly – watchdogs and savvy consumers will call it out. Ethical PR counsel would advise companies to “do good and then talk about it,” rather than try to paper over bad practices with green PR.

Gross Rating Point (GRP)

A metric used in advertising to measure the impact of a campaign. It is calculated as a percentage of the target audience reached multiplied by the frequency of exposure. For example, if an ad reaches 20% of the target audience and they each see it an average of 3 times, that’s 60 GRPs. In PR, we don’t use GRPs directly (since we don’t buy ads in the same way), but we understand that it is useful when coordinating with marketing teams or evaluating sponsorships. GRPs give a sense of the weight of an ad campaign. Some advanced PR measurement attempts to borrow similar concepts for earned media (like impression counts and frequency), but it’s not straightforward.

H

Hard News

News about timely, significant, and factual events, typically reported in a straightforward, no-nonsense style. Hard news often covers topics like politics, economics, crime, accidents, or major announcements – essentially anything that has immediacy and impact. It contrasts with soft news, which is more feature-like, human-interest, or lifestyle-oriented. In PR, if you have a hard news story (e.g., a major corporate announcement or responding to a crisis), your press release and pitch will focus on the factual angle and newsworthiness (the classic who, what, when, where, why). Hard news usually gets priority in news cycles, but also faces more scrutiny for accuracy and substance.

Hashtag

A word or phrase preceded by the # symbol is used on social media (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) to categorize content around a topic. Hashtags turn topics into clickable/searchable terms – for example, #Oscars or #ClimateAction. In PR and marketing, hashtags are used to join or spark conversations. A campaign might create a unique hashtag to track engagement (#BrandLaunch2025), or a social media manager will include relevant trending hashtags to increase discoverability. They are powerful for rallying discussions (e.g., #MeToo, #IceBucketChallenge). It’s important to research a hashtag before using it to avoid unexpected associations.

Human Curated News Bulletin

A brief news update, often one that interrupts regular programming or is an on-the-hour summary. On TV or radio, a bulletin might be just a few quick headlines and key facts about late-breaking news. On the internet, it could be a short post or push notification about a breaking event. Think of it as a condensed newscast, usually focusing on the latest important items. PR implication: if something is significant enough to warrant bulletins (e.g., emergency announcements, major breaking developments involving your organization), you must respond rapidly. Also, PR teams might issue bulletins internally to stakeholders in crisis situations to ensure everyone has the latest information.

I

Impact (Media Impact)

In PR and communication measurement, “impact” refers to the effect or influence that coverage or a campaign has on audiences and stakeholders. It’s a qualitative measure that goes beyond simple reach. For example, impact can include changes in awareness, attitudes, or behaviors due to exposure to a message. Some metrics try to quantify impact (like an Impact Score that weights media mentions by sentiment, message inclusion, outlet credibility, etc.). Ultimately, impact asks: Did the communication move the needle? For instance, securing 10 articles is coverage (output), but seeing a subsequent 20% increase in web inquiries could be considered impact (outcome).

Impressions

A metric indicating how many times content was displayed or potentially seen by people. In PR terms, impressions are often used as an estimate of how many eyes your earned media might have reached – usually derived from circulation or audience figures. For example, if you got a story on a website that has 500,000 monthly visitors, you might say it garnered 500,000 impressions. Note that an impression does not guarantee the person actually read or paid attention to the content; it simply means an opportunity to see (hence impressions are also called “OTS” – Opportunities To See). Impressions are useful for showing scale, but PR pros interpret them with caution and pair them with qualitative metrics like sentiment or engagement for fuller insight.

Influencer Marketing

A marketing/PR strategy that focuses on using key individuals (influencers) who have credibility and a large following in specific niches to drive a brand’s message to the broader market. Instead of marketing directly to a large audience, you inspire, hire, or pay influencers to get the word out to their fans. Influencers can be bloggers, YouTubers, Instagram personalities, TikTok creators, or any public figures with a devoted audience. Modern PR often overlaps with influencer marketing: sending products to influencers for review, collaborating with them on content, or inviting them to events. The key is authenticity – the influencer’s endorsement should come across as genuine. The industry has grown rapidly (with guidelines now requiring #ad or #sponsored tags for paid partnerships), reflecting the trust consumers place in peer-like voices over traditional ads.

Informal Opinion Leaders (Influencers)

Individuals who, by virtue of charisma, expertise, or network, sway the opinions and behavior of others in their community or circle, even though they may not hold an official leadership position. In the context of PR, these could be community activists, popular social media figures, or respected bloggers. They aren’t formal spokespeople, but what they say about your brand or issue can significantly influence public perception. Identifying and engaging these opinion leaders (perhaps by providing them information or involving them in dialogues) is a part of stakeholder mapping in PR, especially in grassroots or public affairs campaigns.

Insight-Led Strategy

A communications or branding strategy grounded in research and insights about the audience, market, or issue. Instead of going with gut feeling or generic approaches, an insight-led strategy means you’ve done your homework (e.g., analyzed customer feedback, market trends, media coverage, etc.) and discovered meaningful truths to shape your messaging. For example, insight: young consumers trust peer reviews over ads. Strategy from insight: fFocusPR efforts on getting testimonials and influencer content rather than just issuing ad-like press releases. This approach is more effective because it is built on understanding what resonates with or motivates the audience.

Issues Management

A proactive process in PR is identifying and addressing issues that could affect an organization’s reputation or operations. This is about early detection and action – monitoring the environment (media, regulations, public sentiment) for potential problems (like emerging controversies, social or political issues, industry changes), and engaging or communicating to prevent them from escalating into crises. For example, if a beverage company sees growing public concern over plastic waste, issues management would involve that company taking steps to address packaging sustainability and communicating those efforts before it faces backlash. It often involves cross-functional collaboration (PR, legal, policy, operations) to mitigate risks and is a key part of strategic PR planning.

K

Key Message

A specific, important point or statement that an organization wants to communicate consistently across all channels. Key messages are the core ideas you want your target audience to hear and remember, often aligning with your mission or campaign goals. An organization usually has a handful of key messages (e.g., “Company X is committed to sustainability through innovation,” or “Our product helps save time and money for small businesses”). PR professionals craft key messages and ensure that press releases, interviews, and social media posts all hit those points regularly, so over time, the public internalizes them.

Key Opinion Leader (KOL)

A term often used in healthcare, pharma, and some consumer sectors to describe influential individuals whose opinions are respected and can affect the behavior of others. KOLs could be subject matter experts like doctors, professors, or seasoned industry analysts. They are similar to influencers but usually with more emphasis on expertise than on social media fame. For example, a pharmaceutical company might engage a leading oncologist as a KOL to speak about a new cancer drug. KOL endorsement or involvement lends credibility. PR strategies may involve KOLs for speaking at events, being quoted in press materials, or advising on communication approaches.

Kill (a Story)

To cancel or halt the publication of a story. If an editor decides to “kill” a piece, it means it won’t run. From a journalist’s perspective, they might kill their own story if new facts emerge that invalidate it, or an editor might kill it for lack of space or concern over accuracy. In PR, you might hear “the story got killed,” meaning despite all indications it was going to run, the outlet pulled it (which can happen for various reasons). Also, magazines sometimes pay a “kill fee” to freelance writers if they decide not to publish an already-commissioned story. PR pros generally dread a story being killed, especially if it was expectedto have  positive coverage; conversely, if it’s a negative story, a PR might try to get it killed by providing clarifications or appeals (ethically, of course).

L

Lead Story

The first and usually the most important news story in a bulletin or news program. In a TV or radio news broadcast, it’s the story that the newscast opens with. In a newspaper, the lead story might be the top story on page one, often with the biggest headline. Getting your organization featured in a lead story means it’s considered highly newsworthy. For PR during a crisis or major announcement, being the lead story indicates the gravity or success of your media relations (depending on whether it’s good or bad news).

Lead Time

The amount of advance notice or preparation time needed before something goes live. In PR, lead time often refers to how far in advance the media need information. For example, monthly magazines have long lead times – you might pitch Christmas gift ideas in July because the magazine issues are prepared months in advance. Newspapers or online outlets have short lead times and can handle news pitched the same day or week. It’s crucial for PR planning: always consider lead times (event invites should go out weeks ahead for journalists, etc.). Also, in event management, lead time means how much time you have to plan. “Long lead” and “short lead” are phrases used to categorize media by their production timelines.

Lead-in

In broadcasting, a lead-in is an introduction by a news anchor or reporter that comes just before a correspondent’s live report or a recorded news package. It’s usually one sentence that sets the stage: e.g., “Now we go to Jane Doe, who’s live at City Hall with more on this story.” Lead-ins are also used in radio news to introduce sound bites. For PR, if your spokesperson is going to be on air, understanding the lead-in can help ensure they don’t repeat the same info immediately and instead build on it. In written pieces, a lead-in could also mean an introductory phrase or paragraph that leads into a quote or section (sometimes also called a “segue” in scripts).

Lede (Lead)

The opening sentence or paragraph of a news story wontains the most critical information. (Spelled lede in newsroom jargon to distinguish it from the metal lead typesetting.) A strong lede hooks the reader by answering key questions or highlighting a compelling element. PR professionals aim to craft press releases with a clear, newsworthy lede to grab journalists’ attention. For example, instead of starting with background, a release might lead with: “XYZ Corp today announced a breakthrough  [what] that will [impact] ….” If a journalist picks up your story, how they write their lede indicates what they saw as most important – useful feedback for PR.

M

Masthead

1. In a newspaper, the section (often on the editorial page or inside cover) that lists the publication’s name, ownership, management, and key staff (publisher, editors, etc.).
2. In magazines, people often use “masthead” to mean that staff list (usually near the front).
3. The term is also sometimes used to refer to the nameplate or flag on the front page, but “flag” is more precise for that usage.

From a PR standpoint, checking a publication’s masthead is how you find editors’ names and titles. For instance, if you see on the masthead that John Doe is the Features Editor, you know who to address feature story pitches to.

Media Alert

A one-page notice to the media about an upcoming event or availability, formatted in a quick bullet-point style (answering Who, What, When, Where, Why). Unlike a full press release, a media alert is meant to alert journalists to something they may want to cover or attend. For example, you’d send a media alert a few days before a press conference, grand opening, or photo opportunity: “Media Alert: What: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for new community center; Who: Mayor and other officials; When/Where: Date, Time, Location; Media Ops: Interview availability and visuals, etc.” Media alerts are straightforward and help assignment editors quickly assess if they’ll send a crew or reporter.

Media Analysis

The process of analyzing media coverage to derive insights, trends, and metrics. Media analysis looks at the content collected via media monitoring and asks: What does all this coverage mean? It can involve qualitative assessment (tone, key message penetration, prominence of coverage) and quantitative metrics (volume of mentions, share of voice, impressions). For example, a media analysis report might reveal that 60% of coverage was positive, the main themes mentioned were A, B, and C, competitor X had more mentions than you, and sentiment improved after your campaign. Media analysis is often done at regular intervals (monthly, quarterly) and is crucial for demonstrating PR impact and informing strategy adjustments.

Media Availability

A scheduled opportunity for reporters to interview a news source, often an official or expert, about a particular topic or event. It’s like saying, Thee spokesperson will be available to the media at this time.” Media availabilities can be standalone (like an official making themselves available for Q&A in a press room) or part of an event. PR uses media availabilities to proactively offer up their subject for questions – for instance, after a press conference statement, the speaker might stick around for a media availability. The advisory for it typically outlines when/where the person will take questions. It’s a way to concentrate press interactions in an organized way.

Media Briefing

A meeting (in-person or virtual) where an organization provides information to a group of journalists, often about a complex issue or major announcement. Unlike a press conference (which is often more formal and about breaking news), a media briefing might be more educational or background in nature. For example, a company about to launch a new tech might hold a media briefing to walk tech reporters through the science in detail, so their subsequent coverage is well-informed. It can also refer to a document (“media brief”) that PR gives to spokespeople to prep them on the media attending and likely questions. The aim is to ensure the media have clarity and context; sometimes briefings are “on background,” meaning the info is for understanding only, not for direct quoting.

Media Drop

A PR tactic where you “drop off” a package of promotional material or product samples to media outlets or journalists. It’s usually some creative or interesting package intended to catch their attention and generate buzz (perhaps even be shared on social media). For example, before a movie release, a studio might send media a box with props, a screener, and snacks themed to the film. Media drops are a kind of influencer outreach as well – you might do it with bloggers and YouTubers. The goal is to entice them to write about or review the product/event. It’s important to target such drops carefully to those who’d be genuinely interested, to avoid wastage or annoyance.

Media Impact Score

The Media Impact Score (MIS) is a proprietary, weighted scoring model that quantifies the effectiveness and quality of media coverage by combining multiple factors into a single, actionable metric. Unlike basic media counts or Ad Value Equivalency (AVE), MIS emphasizes strategic impact over volume.

This score typically incorporates:

• Reach – How many people were potentially exposed to the coverage.
• Prominence – How visibly and centrally the brand appeared (e.g., in headlines or opening paragraphs).
• Message Inclusion – Whether key brand messages or talking points were included.
• Sentiment – The tone of the article (positive, neutral, or negative).

Each component is weighted based on its importance to the organization’s communication goals, allowing teams to track not just how much coverage they’re getting — but how meaningful and influential that coverage really is.

Media Exposure

Media exposure tracks how often and across how many channels your brand appears in front of a target audience. Unlike impressions, which are passive estimates, exposure is an aggregate signal of visibility over time. High media exposure — especially when paired with strong sentiment and message inclusion — typically correlates with increased awareness.

Media Kit

Also known as a press kit, it’s a collection of informational and promotional materials provided to the media to assist in covering a company, product, or event. A media kit often includes a press release, company backgrounder, product/service fact sheets, high-resolution photos, bios of key people, and contact info. For events, it might have an agenda and speaker bios. Media kits were traditionally folders handed out at press conferences or mailed, but now are frequently digital (hosted on a press site or USB drive). They serve as a one-stop resource for reporters – everything they might need for a story is in one package.

Media Monitoring

The practice of systematically tracking media coverage of topics, organizations, or individuals. This involves scanning newspapers, magazines, TV and radio broadcasts, online news, blogs, and social media for mentions of your company, brand, competitors, or other keywords. Media monitoring today often leverages digital tools and Boolean searches to capture relevant content each day. Most PR teams do daily media monitoring with early morning reports to see what news broke overnight and to compile press clippings. It helps in measuring PR efforts, staying informed of industry news, and catching any negative coverage or misinformation that needs a response. Increasingly, media monitoring uses AI (machine learning and natural language processing) to automate and refine the process.

Media Placement

Media placement is the strategic act of securing content in relevant outlets at the right time and format. In PR, this refers to earned placements — i.e., stories or mentions secured without payment — in channels that resonate with the target audience. Successful media placements often reflect strong media relationships and story positioning.

Media Penetration

Media penetration refers to how effectively a brand’s message reaches and engages its intended audience across media channels. It goes beyond the number of mentions to assess whether coverage is appearing in the right outlets, at the right frequency, and in front of the right people. Strong media penetration suggests that your message is consistently landing with high-value audiences, increasing brand recall and strategic impact.

Media Relations

The aspect of public relations that deals with building and managing relationships with the media (journalists, editors, producers, etc.). The goal of media relations is to secure positive coverage or manage communications in the media on behalf of an organization. This involves knowing what journalists need, providing newsworthy information, responding to inquiries promptly, and sometimes negotiating how a story is told. It’s a two-way street: helping journalists get their stories while advancing your organization’s objectives. Strong media relations are built on trust, credibility, and understanding deadlines and news values. When a crisis hits, those relationships become crucial in getting fair coverage or corrections.

Media Relevance

How pertinent a specific media outlet or opportunity is to an organization’s target audience. An outlet is “relevant” if its audience overlaps significantly with the people you want to reach. For example, an article in a trade journal is highly relevant for a B2B company targeting that industry, while a mention in a general lifestyle magazine might be less relevant. Media relevance is about quality of reach, not just quantity – better to be in a publication your stakeholders actually read than in a huge outlet that your stakeholders ignore. Evaluating media relevance is part of building a targeted media list and also comes into play in analysis (did we get coverage in the right places, not just the biggest places?).

Media Saturation

Media saturation refers to the point at which a target audience is exposed to a brand’s message so frequently across various media channels that additional coverage no longer increases awareness — and may even reduce engagement. It occurs when a campaign becomes so widespread or repetitive that the message blends into the background, leading to audience fatigue or desensitization. While some saturation is necessary to build awareness, excessive repetition can signal diminishing returns. In PR measurement, tracking saturation helps teams adjust messaging frequency and diversify content to maintain relevance and impact.

Media Tour

A series of pre-arranged interviews or appearances by a spokesperson across different media outlets, often condensed into a short time frame. There are different types:

• Press Tour: an in-person tour where an author, celebrity, or executive travels to key cities to be interviewed by various media.
• Radio Media Tour (RMT): A spokesperson does back-to-back telephone interviews with a string of radio stations (often from a studio or even from home).
• Satellite Media Tour (SMT): similar concept for TV – a spokesperson in one studio is interviewed via satellite by multiple TV stations one after another.
• Virtual Media Tours have also become common (using video calls).

Media tours are an efficient way to get wide coverage, especially for book launches, political campaigns, or product announcements, allowing one to speak with many outlets in a day or two. PR teams coordinate the scheduling and provide the spokesperson with briefing books on each outlet.

Media Training

Coaching sessions and exercises are designed to prepare individuals (executives, spokespeople, etc.) to effectively interact with the news media. Media training typically covers how to develop and stick to key messages, techniques for handling tough questions or bridging back to your points, body language and voice tips for TV or radio, and general dos and don’ts of interviews. Trainees often practice via mock interviews on camera. The goal is to build confidence and skill so that when the real interviews happen, the spokesperson can deliver clear, quotable, and positive messages and avoid common pitfalls (like “no comment” or getting provoked into speculation). Regular media training is essential, especially for those who might face high-pressure press situations.

Media Tiering

Media Tiering is the classification of media outlets based on reach, influence, and editorial credibility. For example:

• Tier 1: Major national publications or broadcasts.
• Tier 2: Regional outlets or specialized industry publications.
• Tier 3: Small blogs or niche platforms.
  Tiering helps prioritize media outreach and assign weight to coverage in PR measurement models like MIS.

Meme

In internet culture, a meme is a concept, joke, or piece of media that spreads virally from person to person, often evolving in the process. It usually takes the form of an image or short video with text overlay that people share and remix (think of the “Distracted Boyfriend” image with different captions). Memes carry cultural inside jokes or relatable humor. In PR and marketing, brands sometimes tap into popular memes to seem relevant or to create “memes” as part of a campaign. This can be powerful for engagement if done authentically and with understanding of the meme (getting it wrong can cause backlash). Example: a brand might use the Drake “Hotline Bling” meme format to compare two product features humorously. The term originated from evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, who described how ideas spread, but now it’s squarely in pop culture territory.

Media Type

The format or category of media through which content is delivered. Common media types include: print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast (TV, radio), online (news websites, blogs), and social media. It could also refer to earned vs. paid vs. owned media. In PR planning, one assesses which media type is best for which message – e.g., a visual story might aim for TV (broadcast) or Instagram (social), while a complex story might be better in print/online where details can be elaborated. Knowing the media type also guides how you format your materials (video B-roll for TV, high-res photos for print, bite-sized quotes for social, etc.).

Media Quality

Media quality assesses the depth, relevance, and strategic value of a media placement. This includes factors like outlet tier (e.g., national vs. niche), tone, message inclusion, presence of visuals or spokesperson quotes, and how prominently the brand is featured. A high-quality media hit doesn’t just reach people — it reaches the right people, with the right message, in the right context

N

News Conference

A gathering organized to deliver an announcement to the media and allow journalists to ask questions, essentially synonymous with a press conference. In a news conference, one or more speakers (spokespersons, company executives, public officials) make statements or presentations; then the floor opens for Q&A. It is used when the news is significant enough to assemble the media (e.g., crisis response, major product launch, political announcement). PR teams handle the logistics: sending out advisories, preparing statements and media kits, setting up the venue (with branded backdrops, podium, audio equipment), and managing the flow of the Q&A. Also crucial is media follow-up afterward and monitoring immediate coverage. A successful news conference clearly conveys key messages and provides sound bites while also addressing press queries transparently.

News Release

A written communication (also called a press release) directed at the media that announces something newsworthy on behalf of an organization. News releases follow a journalistic style – often the inverted pyramid – and include quotes from company officials, the core news facts, and contact information. They are disseminated to journalists via email or wire services (and often published on the company’s website). The purpose is to entice the media to write their own story or to provide them with the content to publish directly. Key elements of a news release: a clear headline, date and location (dateline), an engaging lede, solid supporting paragraphs with details and quotes, and a boilerplate at the end about the organization. Even in the age of social media, press releases remain a staple for official announcements like earnings, acquisitions, product launches, new hires, etc., though they are often supplemented by more engaging content.

News Value

The criteria that determine whether a story is newsworthy enough for media coverage. Classic news values include: timeliness (is it new/recent?), impact (how many or how deeply people are affected?), prominence (does it involve well-known people or entities?), proximity (is it local or otherwise close to the audience’s interests?), novelty (is it unusual or the first/last/biggest?), conflict (is there a clash or problem?), and human interest (is it emotionally compelling or about people’s experiences?). The more of these a story has, the higher its news value and the more likely the media will cover it. PR professionals evaluate their announcements against these values and often frame the story to heighten the relevant news values (e.g., adding a human-interest angle to a tech announcement to broaden its appeal).

Newsjacking

A PR tacticis whene a brand or individual inserts their ideas or opinions into a breaking news story to garner media attention. Coined by marketer David Meerman Scott, newsjacking involves monitoring trending news and quickly offering a relevant take or angle that ties your brand to the news. For example, during a big tech news event, a cybersecurity company might newsjack by releasing expert commentary on the security implications, thereby getting quoted in coverage of that event. When done well, newsjacking is timely, adds value or insight to the original news, and can significantly boost visibility. However, it must be handled tactfully; poorly executed newsjacking (especially on tragic news) can appear opportunistic or tone-deaf.

O

Off-Message

When a spokesperson or communication strays from the aagreed-uponkey messages or talking points, if a CEO in an interview starts discussing something unrelated or contradictory to the main narrative the PR team wanted, that’s going “off-message.” It can dilute or confuse the intended communication. PR teams work hard to keep communications “on message” through prep and media training. For example, if the message is “our company is focused on sustainability,” but the spokesperson keeps talking only about short-term profits or irrelevant topics, they’re off-message, and the opportunity to reinforce the desired point is lost. In political comms, staying on message is practically an art form; going off-message can cause news cycles to spiral into unwanted areas.

Off the Record

Information given to a journalist with the understanding that it will not be published or attributed to the source. It’s a bit of a risky move and relies on trust. “Off the record” means the reporter should not use the info in the story at all (not even anonymously). People use it to provide context or guide a journalist without it appearing in print. However, it must be agreed upon by the journalist before the information is shared – you can’t say something and then retroactively declare it off the record. PR professionals often caution: truly, nothing said to a reporter is 100% safe; it can leak or influence their thinking. So off-the-record should be used sparingly. Many journalists prefer to use information that is at least on background rather than completely off the record.

On Background

Information provided to a reporter that can be used in a story, but without attribution to the specific source by name. Instead, the info might be attributed generally (e.g., “according to sources familiar with the matter” or “a senior company official said on background”). Going “on background” is a middle ground between off-the-record and on-the-record. It allows journalists to use the info, but protects the identity of the source. PR might use background briefings to explain sensitive details as long as the anonymity is respected. Often, ground rules are clarified: e.g., “you can use this information, but not quote me or mention the company by name directly as the source.” It’s used to provide context or facts that a company can’t officially endorse or to test reactions through unofficial statements.

On the Record

The default mode of any interaction with a journalist: anything said is attributable to you or your organization by name and can be quoted or reported. When you speak on the record, assume it will appear in print or on air tied directly to you. Good PR practice is to always assume you’re on the record unless explicitly agreed otherwise. Being on the record provides transparency and credibility, but it also means you have to stand by what you say. In media training, spokespeople are taught that even small talk around an interview could end up on the record inadvertently. So, the best rule: if you absolutely don’t want to see it in the news, don’t say it. Even informal chats can slip into the story if not clearly delineated.

Op-Ed Page

Short for “opposite the editorial page,” it’s the section of a newspaper (or the portion of a news website) devoted to opinion columns and guest editorials. Traditionally, newspapers have an editorial page where the publication’s editorial board gives its opinions, and the facing page (op-ed) is for outside contributors and columnists. Op-eds are valuable targets for PR when you want to get a client’s viewpoint into the public discourse, because they allow a person (say, a CEO or subject expert) to speak in their own voice at length. Pitching an op-ed requires a strong, timely argument – not a sales pitch – and often an op-ed must be exclusive to one outlet. Many op-ed pages also carry editorial cartoons. The term “op-ed” is now general for any opinion piece by an outside writer.

Owned Media

Communication channels that a company or brand controls and operates itself. This includes the company’s website, blog, email newsletters, and official social media accounts, as well as brochures or any publications the company produces. Owned media is one part of the PESO model (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned). The benefit of owned media is complete control over content and messaging; the challenge is attracting an audience to it. PR and marketing strategies use owned media to publish press releases (in an online newsroom), post educational content (like case studies on a blog), or directly engage stakeholders (via a corporate Twitter or LinkedIn post). Success in owned media is often measured by metrics like website traffic, time on site, subscribers, etc., and it often serves as a destination that earned and paid media can drive traffic to.

P

Page Views

A web analytics metric that counts how many times a page on a website has been viewed. Each time a user loads a page, that’s one page view (regardless of how long they stay). If a single user navigates to five different pages on the site, that’s five page views. PR cares about page views when measuring the traffic that a press mention or campaign brought to the company’s site. For example, a press release on the website that got 10,000 page views indicates strong interest. However, page views alone don’t indicate unique visitors (one person could view multiple pages), so it’s often paired with unique visitor counts to differentiate repeat vs. new traffic.

Paid Circulation

The number of copies of a print publication that are distributed on a paid basis (purchased via newsstand or subscription). For instance, a magazine might have a paid circulation of 50,000 (subscribers + newsstand sales). Some publications also have free distribution, but that’s counted separately (as controlled or free circulation). Advertisers (and PR pros assessing media outlets) value paid circulation because it reflects an engaged readership willing to pay for the content, which often implies they actually read it. Note, many papers will state two numbers: paid circulation and total circulation (which includes free copies). PR people should cite the appropriate figure when, say, reporting the potential reach of a placement.

Passive Audience

An audience that receives information without actively engaging or questioning it. Passive audiences tend to absorb messages at face value and typically do not seek additional information or interact with the content. For example, someone half-listening to the evening news while making dinner is a passive audience member. In PR, understanding if your target segment is more passive or active can shape your strategy – a passive audience might need simpler, more repetitive messaging across channels to make an impression, whereas an active audience might seek out details (and thus you’d provide more in-depth content). The goal often is to move people from passive consumption to some level of interaction or interest.

Pitch Email

A tailored note sent to a journalist or editor to propose a story idea. Unlike a press release (which is a full story ready to publish), a pitch is more personalized and conversational, meant to persuade the journalist that your idea is interesting and relevant for their audience. It typically starts with a hook (why this story is timely or intriguing), explains the angle and what you can offer (interview, data, etc.), and why it fits that journalist or outlet. Pitch letters are usually one page or less if written out, and these days, commonly take the form of an email. A good pitch shows you’re familiar with the journalist’s work or beat, and clearly states the news hook and the who/what. PR pros also sometimes do pitches by phone (especially for broadcast), but many journalists prefer email first.

Placement

The coverage obtained in a particular media outlet as a result of PR efforts. When PR folks talk about “securing a placement,” they mean getting a story, mention, or feature into a newspaper, magazine, newscast, blog, etc. It’s the tangible outcome of a successful pitch or campaign. Placements can be described by quality: e.g., a full feature, a brief mention, a quote, etc., and by prominence: front-page placement vs. a small blurb. PR reports often list placements achieved and their respective outlets. The term underscores that the goal isn’t just sending out information, but actually placing it into media content consumed by audiences.

Positioning Paper

A document presenting an organization’s stance on a particular issue, complete with arguments and evidence to support that perspective. It’s typically written to persuade or inform, often in policy or academic contexts. NGOs, companies, or industry groups create position papers to outline their views on, say, proposed legislation, industry regulations, or social issues, aiming to convince stakeholders or regulators of their point. In PR, a position paper can serve as source material for op-eds, press materials, or discussions with journalists who cover that issue. It is usually formal in tone, structured with an introduction, background, the position/thesis, supporting points, and a conclusion. Think of it as a whitepaper focused on an opinion or policy stance.

PR Photographs

Images produced or provided by an organization for use in press coverage. These could be photos from an event, headshots of executives, product images, etc., specifically intended to support PR efforts and media stories. High-quality PR photographs increase the chance of media pickup, especially if outlets lack their own visuals. For example, a newspaper might run a story with a photo supplied by the company’s PR if it’s compelling and relevant. PR teams often hire professional photographers for big events or have an archive of PR-ready images (in high resolution, with captions and credits). They may distribute these via a media kit or online newsroom. Iconic PR photos can sometimes tell a story on their own (think of the classic photo of Steve Jobs holding up the first iPhone at launch – that served as both news and PR image worldwide).

PR Pitch

A proposal made to the media by a PR professional, suggesting a story idea, interview, or segment. It can be via email, phone, or even social media DM, depending on the journalist’s preference. A PR pitch is usually personalized and concise, explaining why the journalist’s audience would care about this story and offering any assets (exclusive info, access to a spokesperson, data, etc.). Pitches are the bread and butter of proactive media relations. They range from soft pitches (“I have a client who can comment on this trending topic”) to hard news pitches (“Company X will be announcing a major discovery tomorrow, would you be interested in an advance briefing?”). The success of a PR pitch depends on timing, relevance, news value, and the relationship with the journalist.

PR Wire Service

A service used by PR professionals to distribute press releases and announcements to a wide array of newsrooms, journalists, and databases simultaneously. Examples include PR Newswire, Business Wire, GlobeNewswire, etc. When you send a release via a wire, it gets posted on that wire’s feed (which many news outlets subscribe to) and often also gets indexed in financial terminals and news websites. Some smaller news sites auto-publish certain wire releases. The advantage is a broad reach and guaranteed posting in certain places (good for SEO and public disclosure). However, it’s not a guarantee of earned media writing original stories – for that, one still must pitch key journalists. Wire services are especially common for regulatory disclosures, financial earnings (to satisfy fair disclosure rules), and broadly relevant announcements.

Print Circulation

The total number of physical copies that a print publication (newspaper, magazine) distributes. This usually includes both subscription copies and newsstand sales for newspapers, or the subscriber base and any verified free distribution for magazines. Circulation is usually audited by bodies like the Audit Bureau of Circulations. It’s a key metric for print media health and is used to set advertising rates. In PR, knowing a publication’s circulation helps estimate the potential reach of a story in that outlet (e.g., “Our article in X Magazine had a circulation reach of 200,000”). However, one should note that actual readership could be higher than circulation due to pass-along readers (one copy read by multiple people). Circulation has been declining for many print outlets in the digital age, making readership and online metrics more integrated into evaluation now.

Prominence

In media analysis, prominence refers to how prominently a brand or message features in a piece of content. Factors affecting prominence include: placement (front page vs. back page, lead story vs. brief mention), story length or airtime, headline mention, and whether a company spokesperson is quoted. For example, a company might be mentioned in passing in the last paragraph (low prominence) or be the focus of the entire article with their name in the headline and lead (high prominence). PR professionals assess prominence to gauge the quality of coverage – a single feature story can be more valuable than ten minor mentions. Tools in media analysis may score prominence by weights (e.g., 3 points if in headline, 2 if first 100 words, etc.). Greater prominence usually equates to a greater impact on coverage.

Public Affairs

The aspect of PR that deals with building and maintaining relations with government, legislators, and the community on issues related to public policy, regulation, or public interest. Public affairs professionals often work on lobbying efforts, advise organizations on political and regulatory environments, and manage campaigns to influence public policy or public opinion on issues (e.g., a PR campaign to shape public sentiment around new legislation). They might also coordinate grassroots advocacy or coalitions. It’s common in sectors like energy, healthcare, and education where companies or nonprofits need to engage with the government. Public affairs is closely linked to corporate social responsibility and community relations, all aiming to position the organization as a responsible citizen and influence decision-making in its favor.

Public Relations Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The practice of improving a website’s visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results, through techniques involving content, keywords, site structure, and earning backlinks. In PR, SEO comes into play in a few ways:

• When writing press releases or online content, incorporating relevant keywords can help rank content when people search for those terms.
• Ensuring the company’s news and positive stories show up high on Google, sometimes via online press releases or by facilitating coverage on high-authority sites (since those often rank well).
• Managing online reputation by optimizing pages (or creating new ones) so that when people search the company’s name, they find favorable or intended content.
  
  PR and SEO have converged in that getting high-quality earned media links from reputable news sites not only provides publicity but also boosts SEO authority for the company’s site. Many PR practitioners now have a basic understanding of SEO principles, like writing meta descriptions or using linkable headlines, and they might work closely with SEO specialists for a comprehensive digital strategy.

Publicity Stunt

A planned event or action designed primarily to attract media attention and public notice. Publicity stunts are often flashy, unusual, or daring to ensure they are newsworthy and shareable. Classic examples: flash mobs, breaking a weird world record, celebrity antics, or staging something controversial (that doesn’t cross into illegality). The idea is to create buzz and get free media coverage because the stunt is entertaining or shocking enough to report on. If done well and aligned with the brand message, a stunt can significantly raise awareness (e.g., Red Bull’s record-setting skydive from the stratosphere). However, there are risks: stunts can backfire or be criticized if perceived as wasteful, offensive, or irrelevant. PR teams often carefully plan logistics, safety, and messaging around stunts, and have a media strategy in place (like inviting press, prepping social media, etc.) to maximize exposure.

Q

Qualitative Evaluation

Qualitative evaluation in PR refers to the non-numerical assessment of media coverage, focusing on the content, context, and strategic value of each mention. Instead of measuring volume or reach alone, it examines aspects such as tone, message accuracy, spokesperson inclusion, outlet credibility, and narrative framing to determine how coverage aligns with communication goals. This type of evaluation is essential for understanding the “why” and “how” behind media performance, offering deeper insights into brand reputation, public perception, and narrative influence — especially in sensitive or high-impact scenarios where numbers alone don’t tell the full story.

R

Reach

The total number of unique people who are exposed to a piece of content or campaign. In advertising, reach refers to the number of different individuals who saw an ad at least once. In PR, reach can be estimated via metrics like circulation or audience figures for media placements (though those are imperfect). For example, if you got a story on a blog that has 100,000 monthly readers and a mention on a TV show with 500,000 viewers, the potential reach might be summed to ~600,000 (though there could be overlap). Reach is about the breadth of audience – how far your message went out. It’s often considered alongside frequency (how often those people might have seen it). With social media, reach can be measured directly in some platforms (like Facebook’s “people reached” stat for a post). Essentially, reach helps quantify the scale of awareness generated.

Real-Time

In PR and marketing, acting or responding immediately as events unfold, rather than with a long delay, real-time PR might involve monitoring social media live and engaging as conversations happen, or capitalizing on a trending topic the same day with reactive communications (see newsjacking above). Real-time marketing is similar – e.g., Oreo’s famous “dunk in the dark” tweet during the Super Bowl power outage was real-time marketing. The idea is that our media landscape now moves very quickly, and brands that can move at the speed of culture can gain an edge. However, real-time efforts need on-the-fly approval processes and keen judgment to avoid mistakes. Media monitoring tools that alert you in real time to mentions or sentiment shifts help PR teams execute timely responses.

Related Articles

In the context of online news, these are the other stories linked or listed as being on similar topics or as follow-ups. Many news websites show “Related Articles” beneath or alongside a story to encourage readers to continue clicking (e.g., if you read about a new phone launch, related articles might include other tech product news or an earlier piece about that company). For PR, this matters because if your story is popular or significant, it might start getting linked as a “related article” in future coverage by algorithms, extending its life. Also, sometimes PR folks look at what “related articles” pop up next to their coverage to gauge context or to see competitor mentions. In print, the equivalent might be a sidebar box of “see also” references to previous stories.

Reputation Management

The practice of monitoring and influencing the public perception of a brand or individual. It’s about maintaining a positive reputation and mitigating any damage to it. This involves a combination of proactive efforts (like thought leadership, CSR, consistent positive messaging) and reactive efforts (addressing negative news, managing crises, engaging with critics to correct misinformation). Reputation management now heavily includes online reputation – tracking reviews, social media sentiment, search results (hence SEO for positive content), etc. A lot of media monitoring and analysis feeds into reputation management, alerting a company to shifts in sentiment or emerging issues. Some PR firms specialize in this, including more advanced tactics like online reputation repair (for example, pushing down negative search results over time). It’s crucial because a strong reputation can cushion a company in hard times, while a weak one can exacerbate problems.

Return on Engagement (ROE)

A metric (often informal) that attempts to quantify the value a company gets from engagement on social media or other interactive channels, as opposed to direct financial return. It’s a play on Return on Investment (ROI) – since engagement (likes, comments, shares, participation) may not lead to immediate sales, ROE is about the benefits of building relationships. Those benefits could be increased brand loyalty, greater reach through sharing, or the gathering of useful customer feedback. Some try to put a number to it by linking engagement to subsequent behaviors (like does engaging with a customer lead to them becoming an advocate or purchasing later?). In PR reporting, ROE might be shown via metrics like engagement rate improvements or community growth, and then narratively tying that to brand health. It’s a somewhat soft metric, but it underscores that not all value is dollars – engaged audiences often eventually contribute to the bottom line indirectly (via retention, referrals, etc.).

Return on Investment (ROI)

A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment, calculated as the benefit (return) divided by the cost of the investment. In business terms, if you spend $100,000 on a campaign and it directly leads to $300,000 in increased sales, the ROI is 3:1 (or 300% return). In PR, calculating ROI is tricky since the returns are often intangible (awareness, reputation) or long-term. However, PR ROI might be approached by tying outcomes to business goals: for instance, if a PR-driven increase in brand awareness correlates with sales uplift, one might estimate ROI. More directly, some PR effort,s like events or content marketing, can have clearer ROI (how many leads or sign-ups were generated relative to cost). ROI is a language executives speak, so PR often tries to map its metrics to ROI. Increasingly, with earned media attribution tools, PR can connect media hits to website traffic and conversions, inching closer to true ROI demonstration. Nonetheless, PR ROI is often indirect, and many argue PR should be measured on a broader value spectrum than pure financial return.

Risk, Compliance & Supply Chain Media Monitoring

Specialized media monitoring focused on tracking news that could signal risks, compliance issues, or supply chain disruptions involving an organization or its partners. This could include monitoring for news about safety incidents at a supplier’s factory, regulatory changes, legal troubles for key partners, or broader risks like geopolitical events that could affect the business. Essentially, PR/communications work hand in hand with risk management and compliance departments. By keeping an eye on media coverage of these areas, companies can proactively prepare or respond – for instance, if a supplier in another country is suddenly in the news for labor violations, the company can investigate and craft a response before it becomes a full-blown PR issue. This type of monitoring is crucial for large companies with complex supply chains and strict regulatory environments.

S

Satellite Media Tour (SMT)

Similar to a radio media tour, but for television. An SMT is when a spokesperson (or multiple guests) sits in a studio and does a series of interviews via satellite feed with TV news stations or local morning shows around the country. Each station gets a window, say 5-10 minutes, to ask questions. From the viewer’s perspective, it appears the guest is live just for their city’s station. PR teams like SMTs to efficiently reach many markets without traveling. They often occur in early morning hours (to hit East Coast through West Coast morning shows). Coordination is key: often, there’s a producer coordinating the schedule and feeding the next station’s cues. Topics for SMTs are typically lighter or feature content (new book, lifestyle tips, product launches with a demo). Just like RMTs, we measure success by a number of stations, total audience reach, and quality of the delivered key messages.

Sentiment

The tone or emotion of media coverage or online conversatio is, typically classified as positive, negative, or neutral. Sentiment analysis is a big part of PR measurement. It answers the question, “How are people talking about us – favorably or unfavorably?” For example, an article that praises a company’s actions carries positive sentiment; a scathing blog review is negative sentiment. Social listening tools also gauge sentiment of mentions or posts (sometimes using algorithms to detect positive/negative words). Sentiment is often reported as a percentage or ratio (e.g., 70% of coverage was… Sentiment is often reported as a percentage or ratio (e.g., 70% of coverage was positive, 20% neutral, 10% negative during the quarter). Tracking sentiment over time can show if public perception is improving or worsening. High negative sentiment in media coverage would prompt PR action to address issues, while positive sentiment is a sign that key messages are landing well. Automated sentiment analysis isn’t perfect (sarcasm or context can fool it), so PR teams sometimes manually review important pieces. Sentiment is also known as tone or tonality in reports.

Sentiment Weighting

Assigning different levels of importance or impact to media coverage based on its sentiment. In advanced PR measurement, a positive mention might be “weighted” differently than a neutral or negative one when calculating an overall score or Media Impact Score. For instance, a common approach is to give positive stories a full positive score, neutral stories a moderate score, and negative stories a detractor score, reflecting that negative press can undo some positives. By weighting sentiment, PR teams create composite metrics that account not just for volume of coverage but the quality of that coverage. For example, one might calculate an index where a highly positive article in a top outlet counts more towards PR success than a mildly positive blurb, while a negative headline might subtract points. This helps us understand the net effect of coverage. The Institute for Public Relations suggests that combining sentiment with other factors (like message communication and prominence) can produce an overall impact score for more nuanced evaluation.

Shared Media

Content related to your brand that is shared by the public or stakeholders on social platforms – essentially, social media engagement and word-of-mouth in digital form. Shared media includes retweets, shares on Facebook, reposts on Instagram, repins on Pinterest, and so forth. It’s part of the PESO model (the “S”). Unlike owned media (what you post) and earned media (what journalists write), shared media is amplified by the community. For example, if you publish a great infographic (owned content) and it goes viral on Twitter with many shares (shared media), that extends your reach exponentially. PR strategies often aim to create shareable content and also to encourage sharing by engaging audiences (through hashtags, challenges, etc.). Measuring shared media might involve tracking metrics like share counts, viral lift, or using social listening to see how far and wide a message has spread via personal accounts.

Share of Voice (SOV)

A metric that compares how much media presence one brand has relative to its competitors in the same space. It’s typically expressed as a percentage of total mentions or coverage within a defined set. For example, if in one quarter Company A had 50 media mentions, Company B had 30, and Company C had 20 (total 100 mentions in the industry), Company A’s share of voice is 50%. SOV can be calculated in terms of a number of articles, or weighted by audience size or prominence for more nuance. It’s used to gauge brand visibility and mindshare in the media. Increasing SOV is often a PR goal, under the premise that a greater share of voice can correlate with market share (though not always directly). SOV analyses can also be topic-specific or sentiment-specific (e.g., share of positive mentions). It’s a way to benchmark against peers: if your SOV is lower than a key competitor’s, you might ramp up PR activities.

Sidebar

A secondary story or box that accompanies a main news article, providing additional information or a different angle related to the main story. Sidebars might include profiles, timelines, key statistics, or human-interest elements that complement the primary piece. In newspapers and magazines, sidebars are visually set apart (shaded box, separate but adjacent). For example, in a feature about a medical breakthrough, the main story covers the science, and a sidebar might profile a patient. PR teams can suggest sidebar ideas when pitching complex stories (maybe the journalist writes the main story, and the PR provides data or a case study for a sidebar). Securing a sidebar mention can be as valuable as the main story, especially if it highlights your organization’s role or perspective more directly.

Simulcast

The broadcasting of the same program simultaneously across more than one medium or channel. For instance, a radio show might be simulcast on a TV channel (with video in the studio), or a live event might be simulcast online while also on traditional TV. In today’s terms, a livestream of an event on YouTube that’s also airing on cable is a simulcast. For PR, simulcasts are relevant when planning events or announcements – e.g., a press conference that is simulcast on social media allows broader access. Also, if a PR client’s interview is simulcast on TV and radio, it means you hit two audiences at once. Logistically, PR should be aware of simulcast arrangements as it might affect technical setup (different audience Q&A mechanisms, etc.). In measurement, you also consider the combined audience of the simulcast.

Social Media Buzz

A term for the chatter and discussion on social media networks about a topic, brand, or event. It encompasses the volume of posts, mentions, hashtags, and general noise on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. If something has a lot of social buzz, it means users are actively talking about it (could be trending). PR monitors social buzz to gauge public reaction in real time – say, after a product launch or during a crisis, the buzz can indicate what people are focusing on. Generating social buzz is often a goal of campaigns (like creating a hashtag that gets widely used). Social buzz can be positive, negative, or mixed, so it’s often tracked alongside sentiment analysis. It’s a more colloquial way of saying social media discussion or word-of-mouth.

Social Media Audit

A thorough evaluation of an organization’s social media presence and performance. This involves looking at all social accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.), assessing engagement levels, content types, follower growth, and alignment with brand voice and goals. It also includes reviewing how the competition is doing on social media for benchmarking. From a PR perspective, a social media audit might reveal, for example, that the company’s Twitter sees a lot of customer service queries going unanswered, or that LinkedIn posts get the most traction, indicating where to focus efforts. The audit may lead to recommendations: which platforms to focus on or drop, what content resonates best, whether branding is consistent, andwhetherf community management practices are effective. Typically done annually or before a major strategy revamp, it’s the social equivalent of a communications audit.

Social Media Optimization (SMO)

The process of enhancing social media profiles and content to increase visibility, engagement, and sharing. It’s analogous to SEO (search engine optimization) but for social platforms. SMO tactics include using the right hashtags, crafting compelling captions, optimizing post timing, encouraging sharing (like social share buttons on blog posts), and integrating social media into your website (like embedding feeds or shareable quotes). It also involves ensuring consistency of branding and messaging across all social channels and making content easily accessible (for instance, mobile-friendly content since most social usage is on mobile). From a PR standpoint, SMO might mean tailoring a press announcement into a series of engaging social posts (rather than just posting a link), or creating infographics and short videos that are more shareable. The goal is to maximize the reach and impact of your content through organic social strategies.

Social Media Release (SMR)

A modern format for press releases tailored to be easily shared and discussed on social networks. A social media release often includes multimedia elements like images, videos, and infographics, as well as social sharing links, hashtags, and perhaps even tweet-ready quotes. The text is usually broken into concise facts or bullet points rather than lengthy paragraphs, catering to the quick consumption style of online readers. The idea is to make the press release more modular and conversational. PR practitioners use SMRs to engage bloggers and online journalists who appreciate readily available assets and the ability to quickly grab bits for their own posts. For instance, an SMR might have a YouTube video embedded, some pull-quote callouts, and a sidebar of relevant links, all on one page. This way, when it’s shared or when journalists visit it, everything is at their fingertips to craft a story or a tweet.

Soft News

Stories that are considered not immediately crucial or time-sensitive are often more human-interest, entertainment, or lifestyle-oriented. Examples include feature stories about interesting people, trends, how-to articles, seasonal pieces, or feel-good stories. Soft news often appeals to emotions or curiosity rather than the “need to know” factor of hard news. Many outlets (especially morning TV shows, weekend editions, and magazines) are heavy on soft news. PR leverages soft news opportunities to get coverage that wouldn’t fit in the hard news sections – e.g., a tech company might push a soft news story about its cool office culture or a charitable initiative, which wouldn’t be hard news but is still positive coverage. Soft news generally has a longer shelf life, too; a human-interest feature can run at any point. It’s also less formal; writers have more freedom to be creative.

Source

In journalism, a source is a person, document, or record that provides information. In PR terms, “the source” might refer to your organization if you’re providing info to the media. Being a reliable source is what PR strives for – providing accurate information, access to knowledgeable people, and useful context. There are named sources (identified and can be quoted by name) and anonymous sources (who provide info on background or off-record). Also, in the news, you’ll see phrases like “according to sources” when info comes from unnamed insiders. PR professionals often serve as sources to journalists by giving them data or arranging interviews (thus acting as an intermediary source). Additionally, when doing media analysis, one might use “source” to mean the outlet (e.g., “media sources that picked up our story”). However, in common usage, “source” is just the origin of information. Maintaining good relationships with journalists means becoming a trusted source in their eyes.

Spokesperson

An individual designated to speak on behalf of an organization to the media and public. This could be a company executive, a PR representative, a lawyer (in legal matters), or a trained communications professional. Spokespersons deliver the official messaging, answer questions in interviews or press conferences, and often become the quoted name in articles. They must be well-versed in the subject matter and media-savvy. Some organizations have one main spokesperson (like a CEO or a Press Secretary), others have several, depending onthe  topic (technical expert for technical questions, etc.). PR teams usually prepare and brief the spokesperson with talking points and handle scheduling. The credibility and demeanor of a spokesperson can strongly influence the media coverage tone. Having a consistent spokesperson helps with continuity of message, but sometimes using different voices (e.g., frontline employees as spokespeople for authentic stories) can add impact. In any case, a spokesperson’s words are taken as the voice of the organization.

Sticky Content

Content that is engaging and valuable enough to encourage visitors to stay on a website longer or to return again. “Sticky” means it holds people’s attention (like how sticky substance makes something stay put). Examples: interactive tools, entertaining videos, in-depth articles with useful information, or content series that build anticipation. In terms of PR and owned media, having sticky content on your site or newsroom can enhance your relationship with your audience – they don’t just bounce in and out, but maybe click other pages, or bookmark it. Sticky content often has elements like recommended related articles, community discussions, or gamification to keep users around. For instance, a company blog that not only gives a press release but also has a behind-the-scenes video and a discussion section might be more sticky than just a plain press release. This concept ties into content marketing and user experience; it’s desirable because la onger time spent can increase message absorption and loyalty.

Syndicated

Content that is published or broadcast through a syndication network, meaning it’s distributed to multiple outlets from a central source. Examples: syndicated columns (one writer’s column that appears in many newspapers), syndicated TV shows (like reruns or talk shows provided to local stations), or syndicated radio segments. For news, syndicated often refers to material from wire services (AP, Reuters) that many papers reprint. If your story is picked up by a syndicate, it can appear in dozens of outlets with one effort. PR often aims for syndicated placements for wide reach – e.g., getting an op-ed syndicated via a service or having a video news release picked up across a network. “Syndicated content” can also mean when a website republishes an article from another site with permission. The key is that the same content hits a variety of publications, sometimes with slight local tweaks, sometimes verbatim. It’s an efficient multiplier of exposure. However, syndicated pieces might be seen as less exclusive by top-tier outlets, so PR must balance exclusives vs. syndication.

T

Target Audience

The specific audience segment that your communication efforts are intended to reach and influence. This could be defined by demographics (age, gender, location), psychographics (interests, values), stakeholder type (investors, customers, employees, regulators), or any combination. A PR campaign might have a primary target audience (e.g., prospective customers in a certain industry) and secondary ones (e.g., industry analysts or current customers for loyalty). Understanding the target audience helps determine the tone, content, and channels of PR: for a youth audience, you’d use more social media and perhaps a casual tone; for C-suite executives, maybe trade press and data-heavy content. Often, target audiences are determined through research and are explicitly stated in campaign plans to keep efforts focused.

Timeliness

A core news value referring to how current or immediate something is. Timeliness is crucial in determining newsworthiness – recent events or those about to happen are more newsworthy than old news. In PR, timeliness can be about the timing of releasing information (ensuring you share news when it’s fresh or when people are most receptive) and also tying into current events (piggybacking on what’s timely in the broader world). It also matters when responding to inquiries or crises; a timely response can contain a story, whereas a slow one can make it worse. An otherwise trivial story can gain news traction if it’s timed right (e.g., pitching a tax expert on Tax Day). Conversely, if you pitch something a week after everyone else did, you’ve missed the window – your story idea loses timeliness and becomes stale. So, PR involves a lot of timing considerations – from embargo times to aligning with news cycles and cultural moments.

Thought Leadership

The practice of positioning a person or organization as an expert authority in a particular field, whose views are widely recognized and influential. Thought leadership is built through consistent, insightful commentary and sharing of expertise – for example, writing authoritative white papers, speaking at conferences, publishing op-eds, or maintaining a highly informative blog. A thought leader doesn’t just promote their own products; they shape discussions in their industry or on societal issues. PR plays a key role in developing thought leadership by securing speaking opportunities, ghostwriting articles for executives, facilitating research that can be published, and pitching thought leaders’ commentary to the media. The payoff is reputational: when your CEO is considered a thought leader in innovation, medi,a and stakeholders will come to you for insights, which in turn keeps your brand front and center in important conversations.

Trending

A term used to describe topics that have gained sudden popularity and widespread attention, especially on social media and search engines. On platforms like Twitter, a “trending” topic is one being discussed by many users in a given moment (often indicated by a trending hashtag). In Google search, trending queries are those spiking in volume. For PR, tapping into trending topics can be beneficial (newsjacking, as noted earlier). If your brand or message becomes part of what’s trending, you gain visibility. There’s also risk if you’re on the wrong side of a trending topic (like a negative hashtag campaign). Monitoring trends is part of social listenin,g so you can react appropriately. Some PR campaigns aim to “trend” on Twitter at an event or launch moment by orchestrating a lot of social chatter. However, trending is typically fleeting – by natu,re it often lasts hours or a day or two – so the key is leveraging that burst of attention effectively and knowing when a trend has run its course.

Trust Score

The Trust Score is a composite metric that evaluates the level of trust conveyed by media coverage about a brand, executive, or organization. It analyzes a combination of factors — such as sentiment, source credibility, tone of voice, accuracy, and the presence of reputational risk indicators — to determine whether coverage is likely to reinforce or erode audience trust.Unlike sentiment alone, the Trust Score goes deeper by considering who is saying what about a brand and how believable or influential that content is. It’s especially useful for monitoring brand perception in high-stakes scenarios like crises, leadership changes, or ESG communication.

X Handle/Twitter Handle

A username on Twitter, the platform’s unique identifier for a user, is formatted as @username. For example, @OpenAI is the Twitter handle for OpenAI. Handles are how people mention each other on Twitter (by including the @username in a tweet). If a press release says, “Follow our updates at @CompanyXYZ,” it’s giving the Twitter handle for that company. In PR, when communicating anything involving Twitter, using the correct handles is crucial for tagging people or organizations. Also, journalists often include handles in stories to point readers to related accounts. The term can apply to similar formats on other platforms informally, but “handle” is most associated with Twitter. (Side note: sometimes people confuse “Twitter handle” with a hashtag or just say “Twitter name” – handle is the proper term for the @ identifier).

Type of Coverage

Refers to the format or genre of a media piece in which a story appears. Coverage can come in various types: straight news article, feature story, editorial, op-ed, interview/Q&A, listicle, product review, press mention in a roundup, etc. It also encompasses mediaformatst: print, online, TV broadcast, radio segment, podcast, etc. PR analysis often breaks down results by type of coverage to assess quality and diversity. For example, did we get mostly brief mentions or full feature profiles? Was the coverage news reporting or opinion pieces? Different types serve different purposes – a feature might allow deeper storytelling, an editorial indicates influence on opinions, and a brief mention might just be baseline awareness. You might also categorize by whether it’s earned (news story), paid (sponsored content), or owned (maybe a guest article you provided). When planning, PR teams consider what type of coverage to aim for in each outlet (perhaps shoot for a profile in one magazine, a product review in a trade journal, and an op-ed in the local paper). It’s important because it affects the message delivery and how audiences perceive it.

Tone/Tonality

This is essentially another term for sentiment – the overall tone of an article or piece of content, whether it’s positive, negative, or neutral toward the subject. Tonality can also describe style (formal, informal, sarcastic), but in PR evaluation, it usually means the sentiment angle. If a coverage report says “tonality: neutral to positive,” it indicates the piece didn’t overtly praise or criticize – maybe it just stated facts or gave a balanced view (neutral), with a slight positive lean. PR aims to maximize positive tone coverage and minimize negative tone. Some analyses use a tonality scale (e.g., +2 very positive, +1 somewhat positive, 0 neutral, -1 somewhat negative, -2 very negative). “Tone” might be used interchangeably with sentiment in discussions and reports. It is subjective to evaluate sometimes; that’s why consistent criteria (like evaluating language for loaded positive/negative words) are set when coding tonality.

Traditional Media

Refers to the established means of mass communication that existed before the advent of the Internet age. This primarily includes newspapers, magazines, television, and radio. Traditional media have typically had one-way communication and gatekeepers (editors, producers) deciding what content gets disseminated. Even as digital media has grown, traditional media outlets often still command large audiences and high trust (especially print and broadcast news organizations). PR strategies still heavily involve traditional media – e.g., getting a story on the evening TV news or in The New York Times – as those confer a certain credibility and reach. However, traditional media now also have digital platforms (newspaper websites, TV news apps), so the lines blur. When someone contrasts “traditional media” vs “social media” or “new media,” they are distinguishing legacy outlets (often with professional journalism standards) from online-only or social-driven content. It’s important for PR to integrate both: a mention in traditional media can spur social media chatter, and vice versa.

V

Video News Release (VNR)

A press release in video format, essentially a pre-packaged news segment produced by or on behalf of an organization and distributed to TV news outlets in hopes they will broadcast it. A VNR typically looks like a real news report: it might have an announcer voice-over, interviews (with provided “experts” or company spokespeople), and B-roll footage, all wrapped in a narrative. Stations can use it as-is or edit it into their own story. VNRs became controversial if not clearly identified, because they can appear to viewers as independent journalism when they’re actually PR content. Ethical stations will label the source or use it only for background footage. Modern PR still uses video assets, but often distributes raw B-roll and soundbites rather than a fully scripted VNR to give newsrooms more flexibility. However, for some lighter content (like tech or medical bbreakthroughpieces), VNRs are a way to get TV exposure when a station doesn’t have the resources to produce a segment from scratch. Today, one could also consider any short, packaged video intended for media or web distribution a form of VNR, though the classic TV distribution is the origin.

Viral Campaign

A marketing or PR campaign that is specifically designed to spread rapidly and widely by word-of-mouth or sharing, much like a virus (but in a positive sense). It often relies on compelling content that people will want to share on their own – for example, a funny video, a catchy hashtag challenge, a surprising interactive website, etc. A true viral campaign leverages the network effect: each person who shares exposes it to new people who might also share, creating exponential growth of awareness. PR efforts in a viral campaign might include seeding the content with influencers, using social media advertising initially to kickstart momentum, or even working with the press to cover the phenomenon of it going viral (sometimes media coverage of a viral trend makes it go even more viral). The hallmark of a viral campaign is that the audience does a lot of the distribution work for you via sharing. Of course, virality can’t be guaranteed – it’s a bit of a holy grail that many aim for. And viral isn’t always strictly good; you could go viral for the wrong reasons, too. But generally, when a campaign “goes viral,” it’s seen as a huge success in reach and impressions, far exceeding whata  paid budget might have achieved.

Voice Over (VO)

A production technique where a voice that is not part of the narrative’s visuals is heard over the video content. In TV news, a “VO” often refers to a segment where the anchor’s or reporter’s voice is heard while viewers see video footage – essentially a short news story without any on-camera reporter speaking, just their voice narrating over clips. PR might provide a script or suggested VO for a video news release or B-roll package. In marketing videos or PSAs, a voice-over might be used to deliver the message with supporting visuals. For example, a company promo might show scenes of their operations with a narrator doing a voice-over about the company values. In the context of media coverage, if a PR person asks, “Will it be a VO or a full package?”, they’re asking if the station will just do a short narrated piece with provided footage (VO) or send a reporter to do a complete story. Voice-overs are also used in radio, obviously (the whole medium is voices), but there it’s not distinguished since everything is voice. In PR training for broadcast, if your B-roll goes out, you might provide a sample script for anchors to VO. Lastly, film and documentary contexts aside (where voice-over narration is a stylistic choice), in PR, we mostly encounter VO as ashort-formm news piece format.

W

Wire Service

In the news, a wire service is a news agency that gathers and distributes news to subscribing media outlets. Examples include the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and in Canada, Canadian Press (CP). These services provide a steady stream of news articles that newspapers, TV, and radio can publish or base stories on. From a PR perspective, getting your story picked up by a wire service can result in very widespread coverage, since one AP story can appear in hundreds of newspapers nationwide. PR folks often proactively send releases to wires or pitch wire reporters as a priority. Wire services value clear, factual releases, especially for business news, etc., as they often run them verbatim or with slight editing.

Word Cloud

A visual representation of text data where the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance in the source text. In a word cloud (often used in PR reports or social media analysis), the more often a word appears in press coverage or tweets, the larger and bolder it appears in the cloud. It gives a quick snapshot of key themes – for example, if you run a word cloud on all coverage about your product launch and see “innovative” and “affordable” as big words, that’s good (those messages landed); if you see “glitch” as big, that’s a problem. PR and marketing teams use word clouds to analyze open-ended survey responses, social media chatter, or coverage to identify common words and thus trending topics or sentiment indicators. They’re more of a qualitative tool, but make data approachable for presentations. Many free tools can generate them. They’re popular in PR for showing clients which words are most associated with their brand in media or social conversations, as a complement to more nuanced analysis.

Word of Mouth

The organic transmission of information from person to person, verbally or through personal networks, rather than through mass media or formal communications. Word of mouth (WOM) is one of the most credible forms of promotion because people tend to trust recommendations from people they know more than ads or press releases. In PR, generating positive word of mouth is often an ultimate goal – it means the public is talking favorably about your product, service, or message on their own. Things like influencer marketing and viral campaigns are attempts to spark word of mouth at scale. Before social media, WOM literally meant people chatting to friends, coworkers, and family. Now, social media posts can be considered digital word of mouth. A satisfied customer telling their friend, “you should try thi,s” is WOM marketing gold. PR stunts or exceptional customer experiences are often designed to fuel word of mouth (because it’s essentially free advertising via buzz). On the flip side, negative word of mouth (people sharing bad experiences) can severely hurt a reputation, which is why PR also focuses on customer satisfaction and community management. The term underscores the power of the audience as a communication channel in its own right.

Sources: The definitions above have been updated and expanded using current public relations frameworks and industry standards, including insights from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC).