Journalism and PR

Jim Macnamara (PhD, University of Western Sydney) is Professor of Public Communication at the University of Technology Sydney, a position he took up in 2007 after a 30-year professional career spanning journalism, public relations, and media research. He is author of 12 books including The 21st Century Media (R)evolution: Emergent Communication Practices (Peter Lang, 2014) and Public Relations Theories, Practices, Critiques (2012).

• Contents: The Contentious Relationship between Journalism and PR – Understanding Journalism – Understanding Public Relations – What 20 Years of Practice and Case Studies Reveal – What 100 Years of Media Research Reveals – Journalism and PR Today - An International Qualitative Study – New Media Practices and the Blurring of Boundaries – Future Directions for Journalism, PR, and the Public Sphere.

«Jim Macnamara sets the stage for a long-needed dialogue between journalism and public relations, defining their respective roles and the relationship between the two fields. The evidence of their interdependence is abundant, and this dialogue is essential in today’s crowded communication landscape. Both journalism and PR have fringe operators and high-minded operators … significant codes of practice grounded in transparency must become paramount in both journalism and PR. The scholarly background needed to advance professional excellence is detailed in this book.» (Max McCombs, University of Texas)«A sharp and astringent account of the love that dares not speak its name – PR and journalism. Jim Macnamara’s book challenges stereotypes and makes a compelling case for the positive role PR can play in our democracy and our media, while at the same time cautioning about some PR practices and calling for improved standards and transparency in both journalism and PR.» (Catharine Lumby, Macquarie University)