Newspapers should set up PR agencies

Trinity Mirror Regional’s editorial director has joined the paid content debate at the Society of Editors conference today.

Neil Benson said that regional newspaper groups should consider running PR agencies and offering web consultancy services to help generate revenue.

At a time when Murdoch talks paid-content and How-Do readers debate the rights and wrongs of Manchester Confidential's subscription move, Benson said paid news content won't work.

He stated that as some of the “best PR firms are run by ex-editors, [...] why don’t regional publishers think about launching an arm’s length PR agency.”

At the New Platforms - New Revenues session he claimed that the PR companies could be set up as separate businesses to “ensure editorial independence.”

Referring to digital, he said that publishers could provide search engine optimisation services to help advertisers’ websites get more hits.

Benson used the example of Trinity Mirror’s 6 figure contract with Northumberland County Council, which has teamed up with The Journal to run 20 hyperlocal news sites.

If you want to see the full online debate it’s here or on Twitter with the hashtag #soe09.

Is this a realistic way for publishers to generate cash? Can a public relations agency run by a publisher ever be at “arm’s length”?

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