An Examination of the Evolving Relationship between Public Relations and Journalism

This thesis examines the evolving relationship between public relations and journalism, aiming to identify the main trends and components influencing this interconnection. The research contains a thorough literature review, a case study on media layoffs in Canada, as well as interviews with industry professionals - five public relations practitioners and five journalists. The findings emphasize the significant role of transparency in communication, the impact of the evolving media cycle, and the influence of shifting audience consumption patterns. This study provides valuable insights into the intertwined and evolving nature of public relations and journalism, shedding light on their interconnectedness in the modern media landscape. Implications for future research include a suggestion of using surveys to expand a respondent pool, as well as delving deeper into the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on the media cycle. Keywords: public relations, journalism, transparency, communication, media, media cycle, media consumption habit, pitches