When The Apprentice UK interviewer Claudine Collins recently reiterated the old adage that “PR is about who you know,” it struck a chord across the industry. And to an extent, she’s right. Strong media relationships do open doors — they help ensure your pitch lands in the right place, add credibility, and give valuable insight into what journalists are actually looking for.
But the real value of those connections runs deeper than access.
When you have a genuine relationship with a journalist, you can do something most PRs can’t: pick up the phone and have an honest conversation. You can ask what’s missing from a story, understand what would make it truly newsworthy, and then go and find – or create – that missing piece. That editorial collaboration is the difference between a pitch that gets filed away and one that gets published.
It works the other way too. Journalists with deadlines and angles to fill regularly turn to trusted contacts and ask: do you have someone who can speak to this? That kind of inbound opportunity only comes from relationships that have been built over time, with trust on both sides.
But relationships alone don’t secure coverage.
Journalists aren’t short of contacts. They’re short of time and compelling stories. So while a well-connected PR may get a foot in the door, it’s what comes next that truly determines success. Without a strong narrative, a clear angle, and genuine relevance, even the best connections won’t translate into meaningful coverage.
That’s where expertise comes in. Great PR is about more than access; it’s about understanding how to craft a story that resonates. It requires an instinct for newsworthiness, the ability to shape a narrative that cuts through the noise, and the skill to present it in a way that aligns with what audiences actually want to read.
In reality, the most successful PR strategies strike a balance. Relationships matter – they always will – but they are only one part of the equation. The real impact comes from combining those connections with the creativity and insight needed to tell stories that earn attention, rather than ask for it.
At Keith Bishop PR, we pride ourselves on delivering exactly the right mix.
With some of the best journalists in the country on our team – each exceptionally well connected – we don’t just know the media, we understand how to create stories they genuinely want to tell.
Because in today’s landscape, it’s not just about who you know. It’s about what you say, and how you say it.