ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the main elements in contacting the media. It explores how the ways in which public relations (PR) practitioners contact journalists have changed, but several of the elements of media relations remains the same since the early days. Researching the target news outlet, approaching them with stories relevant to their audience, sending journalists' information in their preferred format, sending information in a timely fashion, all these elements remain same whether using hard copy, telephone, email or social media. Media relations reappear in subsequent case studies as it continues to be a major element of the PR practitioner's role. One of the reasons why PR practitioners use media relations to get their message across is the media's role in forming public opinion. The agenda-setting theory of Lazarfeld and Katz puts forward the idea that the media determine what people think about by selecting the stories which go on the front page or are included in nightly television news programmes.
