While large organizations, such as universities and corporations, frequently have a communications department with a variety of media relations positions, individuals in the public eye can also hire media relations professionals for their specific needs. Across the public relations spectrum, media relations firms and departments offer a diverse range of opportunities. Communications officers, directors, assistants, administrators, publicists, and writers are just a few of the media relations positions available. While some of these positions are filled on a permanent basis, others are filled on an as-needed, for-hire basis to supplement the firm’s or department’s current workforce.
Communications officers are responsible for a wide range of tasks in public relations, including handling press inquiries, media monitoring, speech writing, and press release distribution. While a communications officer may help develop and implement media strategies, it is usually the job of a media or communications director to oversee a long-term strategy. When announcing a policy development or implementing damage control, a director may make decisions about the type and manner in which information should be relayed. Communications assistant, communications coordinator, and administrator are some of the more entry-level media relations jobs. An administrator’s responsibilities are likely to include a broader range of administrative duties unrelated to media relations, whereas a communications assistant’s responsibilities are likely to include media monitoring and fielding incoming inquiries.
Unlike a media relations department, which represents only the larger organization of which it is a part, a media relations firm is a company that is hired by a variety of clients. Some of these clients may be well-known individuals, such as actors, musicians, or professional athletes, who employ a large number of people and have similar media relations requirements as a company. Jobs in media relations that involve representing celebrities are often referred to as spokesperson or publicist jobs, and they entail issuing statements on the celebrity’s behalf, arranging and supervising interviews and press conferences for the celebrity, and advising the celebrity on general public image issues.
Most public relations teams include writers who can create communications material. Media relations firms or departments may hire a writer in addition to their other media relations responsibilities, or they may hire a freelance writer on a project-by-project basis. Speeches, media releases, grant applications, newsletters, website content, and other external communications materials are written by media relations writers.