The epistemic struggle for credibility: Rethinking media relations

Abstract

The challenges of attracting positive media attention are likened to a contest in which various organisations attempt to promote and circulate their version of events; however, this is particularly difficult when attempting to circulate less established, unpopular or critical knowledge. Although complying with, and managing, news values is an important starting point, the need to move beyond news values to consider the commercial values and realities of media organisations is highlighted. In this paper, a case study is undertaken of the Greenpeace media relations in New Zealand when a proposed controversial expiry of a moratorium to release genetically modified organisms into the environment. The predicament for Greenpeace is that in attracting media attention through dramatic protests it risks jeopardising its reputation as a credible news source that can influence the framing of news stories. Insights are offered into the need for organisations to understand and manage the story or knowledge to be circulated and comply with contradictory news values.