Why you must have a strong media relations team.
A strong media relations team is not a support function. It is a strategic risk-management and value-creation engine. Here are the core benefits when media relations is done at a serious level:
1. You Control Your Narrative Instead of Chasing It
A great media relations team doesn’t wait for stories to happen. They seed narratives with clarity and purpose.
They proactively:
Identify angles aligned with business strategy
Pitch the positioning before competitors do
Shape how topics are framed
Result: Your company becomes a trusted reference point, not a reactive quote provider.
2. You Build Long-Term Credibility, Not One-Off Coverage
Coverage volume is meaningless without trust.
Top-tier media relations teams:
Understand each journalist’s beat, style, and pressure points
Deliver relevant, accurate, and usable information
Never waste a reporter’s time
This creates relationship equity. When something breaks, journalists call you first.
3. You Get Fairness During Crises
In a crisis, goodwill becomes currency.
If reporters trust your team, they will:
Call for your side before publishing
Give space for context
Avoid sensational framing
This doesn’t eliminate negative coverage. It prevents distortion.
4. You Turn Complexity into Clarity
Most businesses are complex. Great media relations teams translate complexity into:
Simple language
Clear headlines
Understandable stakes
If people understand what you do, they’re more likely to trust you, buy from you, and defend you.
5. You Increase Executive Authority
Media relations isn’t about logos. It’s about positioning leaders as thinkers.
Strong teams:
Place thought leadership, not fluff
Align executive commentary with business priorities
Build consistent POVs over time
Executives become sources, not commentators.
6. You Reduce Reputational Volatility
Companies without strong media relations swing between: Praise → silence → scandal → silence → apology
Companies with strong teams show the following: consistency → presence → explanation → correction → follow-through
Markets reward stability.
7. You Create Leverage for Every Other Function
Marketing, employer branding, investor relations, public affairs, ESG, CSR, sales.
Media relations multiplies all of them by adding third-party validation.
Paid media says, ‘We’re good.’
Earned media says, ‘Others confirm we’re good.’
That difference is decisive.
8. You Move Faster Than Issues
Great teams operate with:
Monitoring systems
Scenario planning
Pre-approved holding statements
Trained spokespeople
Speed equals advantage. Silence = risk.
9. You Protect Time at the Top
Executives shouldn’t be firefighting reporters.
A strong team:
Filters noise
Frames answers
Prepares talking points
Handles follow-ups
Leadership stays focused on running the business.
10. You Build Reputation as a Long-Term Asset
Reputation isn’t a campaign output. It’s an accumulated result of thousands of small interactions with media.
Great media relations teams compound trust.
Bottom Line
A great media relations team:
Lowers risk
Increases influence
Builds credibility
Protects leadership
Creates strategic advantage
It’s not a cost centre. It’s a defensive shield and an offensive weapon.
About the Author
Steve Gardiner (exec MBA) is a senior marketing and commercial leader at Lighthouse PR, bringing global experience from Accenture, Electronic Arts, Virgin Media, Telekom, and Etisalat. As VP Business at Etisalat, he was responsible for $1.8B in revenue.
Today, Steve applies his strategic, marketing, and growth expertise to support Lighthouse PR clients as part of the agency’s service offering.