1. Media and PR Influencers Survey Findings
>Singapore
>Malaysia
Presented by Leon Hudson, General Manager, South East Asia
Analysis by Sanjay Khanna, Market Research Manager
12 August 2010

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2

3. Today
1) About the survey
2) PROFILE of survey respondents? (PR professionals/Media)
3) Which Media are most INFLUENTIAL? Why?
4) What CHALLENGES are faced by PR/Media professionals?
5) PR - Media RELATIONSHIP: A snapshot
6) Media PREFERENCES
7) Conclusions
8) Media Influencers Survey Launch
Making Sense of the Media
3

4. 1. About the survey
4

5. About the Survey
>Surveys conducted in
Singapore
Malaysia (collaboration with Public Relations Consultants’ Association of
Malaysia) and
>Survey Period: 15 June to 9 July 2010
>Online survey ~ 10 min; closed-ended questions, tick one/more as applicable
>Two separate surveys: with some common questions
Public Relations (PR) professionals: in-house and agency
Media professionals: Press, Broadcast, Online, News-wires, Bloggers
>378 completed surveys in total:
PR professionals: 309 (Singapore + Malaysia)
Media professionals: 69 (Singapore + Malaysia)
5

6. 2.1 Survey respondents’ profile
PR professionals
6

7. Current Role - PR professionals
Wide cross-section of PR professionals included n = 309
7

8. Organisation size - PR professionals
Singapore, n = 108
Small , medium and large organisations represented Malaysia, n = 118
8

9. Management level - PR professionals
Influential PR professionals from all levels of management n = 258
9

10. Reporting Relationship of PR Head to CEO
No line
7%
Indirect
dotted line
14% Direct hard
line
63%
Indirect line
(regular
contact)
16%
6 in 10 Head of PR/Communications have a direct, hard line of reporting to
the CEO n = 217
10

11. Highest Level of Education – PR professionals
Other
Secondary Bachelors -
9%
School or Mass
under Comms/Media
3% 16%
Masters - other Grad. Cert.-
15% Mass
Comms/Media
13%
Masters - Mass
Bachelors - Comms/Media
other 10%
34%
~40% have PR academic qualifications as their highest level of education n = 309
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12. Gender - PR professionals
Female gender predominant in PR;
Agency professionals: 50 / 50 split, In-house: 60% F, 40% M n = 256
12

13. 2.2 Survey respondents profile
- Media professionals
13

14. Gender – Media Professionals
Gender balance is quite different between the two professions n = 50
14

15. Current Role – Media Professionals
Cross-section of editorial/non editorial staff and bloggers included n = 69
15

16. Media platforms
Most media professionals now work across multiple platforms (avg. 2 platforms -
print and online common) n = 69
16

17. 3. Influential Media
17

18. Influential Media – PR professionals
39%
Newspapers
36%
18%
Television
19%
Online news 12%
sites 15%
14%
Social media
11%
Malaysia Singapore
n = 309
18

19. Singapore PR:
Traditional Media vs. Social/Digital Media
>Traditional media offers
 better quality of analysis and opinion (64% rated ‘better than’ social
media)
 perceived to be more balanced and unbiased (57% said ‘better than’
social media)
>Traditional Media’s is relevant (38% rated it ‘better’) , but relevance likely
to diminish as a result of
 media fragmentation?
 social media’s widening reach?
 Social media seen more ‘relevant’ / used more by a segment of
our target audience?
>Singapore respondents currently hold a mixed view about the watch-dog
role of social media
19

20. Malaysia PR:
Traditional Media vs. Social/Digital Media
Singapore PR have a relatively better perception of traditional media
In Malaysia,
>Traditional media is perceived to be relevant to target audience (34% rated it
better)
>And seen to offer a better quality of analysis and opinion (41% respondents
rated ‘better’ and 34% ‘same as’ social media)
However,
>Social media seen as balanced and unbiased (44% rated ‘better’ + 31% ‘same’)
>Unlike Singapore, in Malaysia, social media is perceived as the social
monitor/watch-dog (40% PR have rated it ‘better’ + 36% ‘same’)
recent PR Week story …
20

21. Malaysia

22. Media:
Traditional Media vs. Social/Digital Media:
>Overall, views of media professionals are similar
>Traditional media’s
Relevance to target audience is being eroded by social media
Social monitoring/watchdog role is now with social media
>However traditional media’s strength is evident in the area of
offering quality opinion and analysis (58% rated it ‘better’)
and presenting a balanced and unbiased view (43% rated it ‘better’)
22

23. 4. Challenges
23

24. Greatest challenge – PR professionals
15%
Campaign ROI
18%
Managing social 13%
media 16%
Dealing w/ trad. 13%
media 13%
17%
Recognition
10%
Commitment by 11%
mgmt. 3%
Demanding 6%
clients 15%
Malaysia Singapore
Demonstrating the strategic value of PR is the biggest challenge n = 309
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25. PR Measurement: Media Monitoring and Analysis
Image Credit: Gauges and Dials by mag3737 n = 309
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26. What was the impact of GFC on the PR budgets/revenue?
What is the outlook for next 12 months?
Singapore PR
>Impact on most corporate/govt sector budgets across the board: 44% said
budgets ‘declined’, 7% ‘increased’
>Mixed impact on PR agency revenue: 33% said ‘declined’, 31% recorded an
‘increase’
>Optimism is returning fast (>30% said budget ‘likely to go up’ in next 12m, only
6% ‘likely to decline’)
Malaysia PR
>Compared to Singapore, slightly less impact on corporate/govt. sector : 36%
‘declined’
>Compared to Singapore, slightly more impact on PR agency revenue: 40%
‘declined’
>Outlook for next 12m is positive in Malaysia as well (25% said ‘likely to go
up’, only 13% said ‘likely to decline’)
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27. Malaysia only
Mandatory PR Accreditation Higher Standards?
Polarised Perceptions …
Would mandatory PR Accreditation promote higher standards?
PR
Yes, 26% No, 66% 8%
agency/consultant
In-house Yes, 61% No, 24% 15%
Yes No Don't know
n = 154
27

28. Malaysia only
Proposed Public Relations Act: Should it be implemented?
Polarised Perceptions …
Should the PR Act be implemented?
PR
Yes, 16% No, 74% 10%
agency/consultant
In-house Yes, 56% No, 24% 20%
Yes No Don't know
n = 154
28

29. Greatest challenge – Media professionals
n = 69
29

30. Attitude towards online news consumption
PR, n = 309
Q: As a consumer, would you pay for accessing news online? Media, n = 69
30

31. Nielsen study Feb 2010*
* 27000 respondents, 52 countries
31

32. 5. Relationship snapshot:
PR professionals and Media professionals
32

33. Singapore PR:
Experience dealing with media professionals
Overall experience 45% 46% 5%
Reporting accuracy 8% 50% 38%
Availability to
6% 32% 48% 11%
discuss
Acceptance of
5% 35% 43% 14%
follow-up
Acknowledgement
5% 35% 32% 17% 10%
of info
1. Excellent 2. Good 3. Fair 4. Poor 5. Very Poor 6. Don't know
Overall experience ‘good’ or ‘fair’ but PR professionals desire media acceptance of PR
follow-up and acknowledgement of media information sent n = 155
33

34. Malaysia PR:
Experience dealing with media professionals
Overall experience 44% 47% 7%
Reporting accuracy 38% 54% 5%
Availability to
5% 37% 46% 9%
discuss
Acceptance of
31% 47% 16%
follow-up
Acknowledgement
5% 33% 36% 19% 8%
of info
1. Excellent 2. Good 3. Fair 4. Poor 5. Very Poor 6. Don't know
Similar experience compared to Singapore. However, accuracy in reporting perceived to
be relatively lower n = 154
34

35. Media professionals:
Experience dealing with PR professionals
Overall Experience 16% 56% 16%
Deadlines 22% 33% 25% 14%
Familiarity w/… 21% 44% 22% 11%
Authenticity 14% 54% 22% 10%
Understanding of… 17% 54% 21% 8%
Access to executives 5% 25% 40% 16% 8% 6%
Responsiveness 27% 54% 10% 8%
Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Don't know
~1 in 3 media professionals expect a much better understanding of media deadlines, a lack
of ‘spin’ and much better awareness of their media outlet/blog requirements/subjects n = 63
35

36. 6. Media preferences
36

37. Which is the most preferred mode of contact?
n = 62
37

38. Which media relation activity is most effective overall ?
n = 61
38

39. Which story ideas interest media the most?
n = 60
39

40. Which research sources are preferred by media?
n = 59
40

41. 7. Conclusions and Recommendations
41

42. Conclusions and Recommendations
>Future media mix: Traditional + social media = broader influence, wider reach
>Traditional media still relevant and strong on quality of commentary/opinion
>Social media has taken up the ‘watch-dog’ role (+ seen as unbiased - in Malaysia)
>Greatest challenge for PR is to demonstrate the value and strategic role of PR
>Dealing with traditional media remains a challenge for PR as well as managing
social media
>As media revenue models are challenged and new models/pay-walls are
tested, importance of paid content/editorials might increase
Conclusions continued on next slide…
42

43. Conclusions and Recommendations
>Strong economic recovery is aiding the recovery of the PR/media sectors as well
>Gender imbalance in PR and media sectors – does it have an impact?
>‘Communication’ between PR and media professionals is still a challenge
 PR professionals want more acknowledgement/acceptance of follow-up
 Media want a better understanding of subjects/outlets before PR pitch any
stories
 Stories need to arrive timely and be devoid of ‘spin’
>Media releases sent through email preferred – simple/direct/largely un-
obstrusive
>Events/conferences have a role to play - allow face-to-face contact and industry
trends can be disseminated
43

44. Verbatim comments
MY: PR practitioners failedwriters can gain from you
SG: …. what the to be recognised …
because theyin terms of press trips determine how
MY: Malaysian corporates have yet to reach failed to earn their seat at the …
decision making level. … interest you hold … it also
much media must ensure that they
the level of sophistication as other markets
are not just how centremedia dollars generating with
cost much but business you spend
eg Singapore, HK. centre
the publications. Digital media, it is not
really developed in Singapore.
SG: Getting enough competent PR and
SG: the role of PR should provide a guide
communications professionals in your SG : (challenge is … to come up with a medium
MY: Relationship between the media and
into the tracking and measuring the
PR professionals is a your account -…(is a term PR strategy for the coming 3-5 years and
team or to serve 2-way process both
success of digital campaignsvision for PR value for business)
provide a … and to
have to work inchallenge) and it's not
partnership,
always the PR professional that has to a roadmap with detailed /PR should be put under
provide MY: Corp. Comm.
objectives and measurables in order to under Marketing
lobby for stories. MD/CEO … not
showcase value and PR are two different school
…Marketing
of thoughts using different approaches in
MY: We are seen as the fire- order to meet the goals of the company.
fighters, spin doctors, glamour boys n SG: (We have) used digital/social media to
girls..not as an essential and strategic keep pace with changing information-
SG: Publications are leaning towards
management tool receiving habits of audience
newsmaker that has investment via
advertising or conference sponsorship
44

45. Media Influencers Survey
Presented by Izzat Khiruddin Ibrahim,
Analysis Manager - South East Asia
45

46. Media Influencers Survey
> Specialised product to evaluate
Media influencers’ experience, opinion and perceptions about
 An organisation
 Its products
 Its PR campaigns
 Its positioning and messaging
 Its current and future PR strategy
> Survey validates and audits an organisations’ dealings with
the media
…by directly interviewing the influencers* who matter the most
46

47. Thank you!
A report is available for download from our website
www.mediamonitors.com.sg
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