MEDIA RELEASE: Podcast launch
Demystifying the dark arts of public relations, publicity and all things media: new podcast
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ex-journalists turned Public Relations specialists launch a new podcast demystifying the PR, publicity and media industries
A must-listen for media and communications professionals, business owners and startups wanting to know more about the power of PR and media
It’s PR Darlings is a joint venture between Greer Quinn of Forward Communications and Jo Stone of Sticks and Stones PR that is set to launch mid-January
First five-part series includes interviews with an array of journalists and industry experts
To combat the lack of understanding on how news becomes news and to shine a spotlight on the complex relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners, two former media colleagues have joined forces to demystify the misunderstood professions of PR and journalism.
Due to launch mid-January, the It’s PR Darlings podcast is a joint-venture between Greer Quinn of Forward Communications and Jo Stone of Sticks and Stones PR who’ve been dusting off their much-loved radio craft skills to produce the show alongside their “day jobs”.
In their first five-part series, Jo and Greer speak to an array of journalists and industry experts, including iconic feature writer and author Trent Dalton, Channel Seven’s Sunrise presenter Tamra Bow, ABC Mornings radio host Tom Forbes, Telum head David Skapinker and Handle Your Own PR and She’s the Boss founder Jules Brooke.
Jo and Greer are both former broadcast journalists, who met working at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and are now on the “dark side” as Australian public relations specialists.
“These experiences as both journalists and PR professionals give us unique insights into the demands of the job on both sides of the fence and a deeper understanding of both those relationships,” said former ABC and Channel Seven newsreader/journalist Jo Stone.
“The relationship between a PR person and journalist can be complex. PR isn’t the same as marketing or advertising and knowing the difference is key to success.
“People come to our businesses all the time not really sure of what public relations actually is, but also not really understanding how the media works and why news becomes news. We wanted to create a podcast where those in the media could share their stories about what they do and shine a spotlight on how we can all better work together.”
As well as being an educational tool to help people use PR as a tool for their businesses or causes, the duo also wanted It’s PR Darlings to be an advocate for the media which is “seen" but ironically often not heard.
“Traditionally, media and public relations professionals have been taught that they should report the story or promote the client, but never become the story themselves,” Greer said.
“Maintaining this admirable invisibility means there’s also a lack of transparency about our work which leads to either its glorification or demonisation, rather than people seeing it for what it is, which is often 2:00 am alarms, constant deadlines and a genuine commitment to capturing and sharing stories.
“It’s the ultimate irony, that as storytellers, we’re somehow terrible at telling our own stories.
“The year 2020 with all its epic crises saw the drawing back of the curtain with live reports, Twitter videos and Facebook-streamed news conferences, but even still, the role of journalists and public relations is widely misinterpreted.”
Jo and Greer believe that for the media to survive and thrive in the era of misinformation and disinformation, there’s a need for greater transparency around the profession.
“If 2020 taught us anything, it was the importance of clear, concise and accurate information,” Jo said.
“Also, with all the budget cuts to media, largely due to local advertising revenue being siphoned to multinational conglomerates like Facebook and Google, the role of communication professionals to support busy journalists is even more crucial,” Greer added.
To break down the terminology, each show of It’s PR Darlings will be brought to you by some of those weird words and jargon that get thrown in the mix like “noddy”, “pre-rec” and “talent”.
It’s PR Darlings is on all the socials and the “Darlings” are keen to hear from the community with any questions or suggestions.
For more information, contact Jo Stone on 0414 384 407 or Greer Quinn on 0433 753 557.
ABOUT THE DARLINGS
GREER QUINN
As the Managing Director of Forward Communications since 2002, Greer has worked with founders and Fortune 500s across a wide range of industries. Highlights include executing a four-year national public relations program that led to a $1 billion trade sale of the Dairy Farmers business to National Foods, spearheading the “return to the original recipe” launch for Carlton and United Breweries’ Victoria Bitter, which after 12 years of decline, saw VB reclaim number-one status, plus winning a national public sector award for a Griffith University regional media campaign. To put her business acumen to the test, Greer founded a haircare brand in 2015, developing the vegan beauty range from concept to commercialisation and then brokering a successful exit mid-2017. Before crossing to the “dark side” of PR, Greer worked as a broadcast, print and digital journalist at ABC Radio, ABC Online in Brisbane, 4-CC Radio in Central Queensland and Chinchilla News in the Darling Downs. Greer has also guest-lectured at both Griffith and Bond universities.
JO STONE
Jo Stone (nee Youngleson) is a former ABC TV and Channel Seven Melbourne newsreader and journalist. She started her career in metro radio in Brisbane in the mid-’90s covering politics, courts, general news and sports rounds. Her role at the ABC expanded to become one of the broadcasters first bi-media journalists, providing content for both radio and television. Jo has won several media awards (now known as the Clarions) for her work covering indigenous affairs and the Forde Inquiry into institutional abuse. Jo was also a joint winner with Andrew Denton for an Older People Speak out award for her coverage of the crisis in grandparent rights. Jo was involved in the high profile breast cancer cluster at the ABC’s Toowong site in Brisbane, before moving to Melbourne to continue her career at Channel 7. Recent years have seen her move into corporate and consumer public relations and communications roles, culminating in the opening of her own agency Sticks and Stones PR.