The dynamically advancing development of technology, which has revolutionized more than one industry, has not bypassed journalism either.

The times when editors had to show up at the office in the morning and then gather materials either by going "out into the city" or conducting phone interviews, only to then develop them while sitting at an editorial computer, are gone for good. Today, stationary desktop PCs have been replaced by portable, increasingly lighter laptops and tablets, and almost any smartphone can serve as a digital camera, voice recorder, video camera, text, photo and video editor.

The enormous importance of mobile devices for journalists' work was examined by the PR agency d*fusion communication, which in May of this year conducted the "Mobile Journalism" study, which showed that:

  • more than 90 percent of editors use a laptop and phone
  • 41 percent of journalists do their work from home
  • nearly 50 percent read the content of submitted text on a smartphone
  • 89 percent of editors admit that the mobile phone has increased their work efficiency
  • one quarter of newsrooms have moved online
  • 41 percent of editors have conducted an interview via an online messenger

109 surveyed journalists with various profiles answered 14 questions to show how smartphones, tablets and access to social media have changed editorial reality.

Text written on the tram

Mobile devices mean the possibility of mobile work. The "Mobile Journalism" study shows that only 23 percent of respondents perform their tasks exclusively in the newsroom. Almost half admit that they work from home, and 18 percent in a cafe or restaurant. Increasingly lighter and more convenient devices have meant that 17 percent of respondents have replaced the "editorial desk" with their own lap, writing text on... public transportation! Journalists are assigning an ever greater role to smartphones. Nearly 90 percent appreciate that they work efficiently and are always at hand, and for more than one quarter, the ability to connect to the Internet is important because it allows them to check their inbox at any time of day, verify submitted content and do quick research online. The smartphone is used by journalists as a tool for taking photos at meetings and conferences (as indicated by 73 percent of respondents), recording interviews (52 percent), and also for... creating texts. As many as half of those surveyed admitted that they had written a press article on their phone at least once.

Let's meet online

Using mobile devices allows even easier access than before to social media, which significantly facilitates communication within the newsroom, and consequently journalists increasingly rarely have to meet face to face to discuss current matters and upcoming materials. According to the "Mobile Journalism" study, almost one quarter of newsrooms have moved online, and more than half of respondents admit that they combine the traditional style with the mobile one.

A frequent meeting place for journalists is Twitter, which serves as an industry messenger, where opinions can be expressed more freely than, for example, on Facebook. It also provides quick access to news and current events. Social media allow not only the sharing of information, but also conducting interviews. More than 40 percent of respondents admitted that they had used Facebook Messenger or Google Hangouts for this purpose at least once. Skype is also very popular, chosen by more than half of the respondents.

A new dimension of communication

Journalism in the era of mobile devices has undergone a kind of revolution, which PR agencies cooperating with newsrooms must face. Thanks to efficient devices and easy access to the Internet, editors work much faster (nearly 90 percent of respondents admitted that using smartphones significantly increased their efficiency), and PR professionals should operate in the same way. Journalists do not read the information they send only on editorial computer screens, but anywhere and at any time, using laptops, tablets or phones.
-Łukasz Malczewski, Managing Director at d*fusion communication

The "Mobile Journalism" study shows that nearly half of respondents read headlines and the first sentences of a text on a mobile phone, and more than one quarter consider this the primary way of reviewing submitted content. The PR professional's task is therefore to adapt the press release for reading on this type of device. This is not about changing the length of the texts provided, because as three quarters of respondents admitted, it is not the size of the material that attracts attention, but the interesting topic and content. The text should be delivered to the journalist in a format that is easy to read on a phone, for example as email content that automatically adjusts to the screen size.

In the era of social media, the form of communication with journalists has also changed. Most PR professionals have used Facebook contact with a journalist for professional purposes at least once. Databases of email addresses and phone numbers are no longer everything; circles of friends on social media prove very helpful in building relationships.
-Łukasz Malczewski, Managing Director at d*fusion communication

Access to social media gives PR professionals the opportunity to observe journalists and follow their daily work, thanks to which they can match press material to the editor's current area of interest.

The development of technology, although it creates many opportunities for journalists and PR agencies, is also a huge challenge, especially for the latter. The mobile world is becoming faster and faster, and it is increasingly difficult to keep up with it. Editors eagerly use technological innovations to improve their activities. They give up working at the editorial desk in favor of remote work, replace the computer with a smartphone, and move direct meetings in newsrooms to Twitter. Agencies that strive for the best possible relations with journalists must face this mobile revolution so as not to be left behind.

A modern PR professional should therefore:

  • take care to create an intriguing article title (without forgetting interesting content)
  • adapt the format of sent materials to mobile devices, especially smartphones
  • be ready to contact the editor, also "after hours"
  • build relationships with journalists on social media
  • follow their activities on social media, mainly on Twitter
  • be open to conversations, including those via Skype and online messengers