As journalism undergoes a profound redefinition and reorganization of its field of activity (Rusbridger, 2018; Nielsen, 2016; Bell, 2014; Anderson et al 2013; Clarke, 2013; Jorge, 2013; McChesney & Nichols, 2010; Leonard & Schudson, 2009), aggravated by a seemingly unending crisis; as well as the media relations — which despite being an embryo of Public Relations (Cutlip, 1994), has always been a more effective tactic for projecting services, institutions and personalities into the public space (Bernays, 1971) — have been losing weight in strategic communication processes (Ribeiro & Jorge, 2018). We need only go back 10 years to remember that there was no promotion and reputation building without the backing of news in the media; media agencies hired journalists or students of journalism to format promotional content according to journalistic conventions (Maat, 2008; Lewis et al, 2008; Kopplin & Ferraretto, 2001). Throughout the history of the persuasion industry (from ancient press agents to publicists or public relations), media relations have always been the most effective and therefore most profitable areas (Lloyd & Toogood, 2015). Macnamara, 2014; Miller, 2008).
With the arrival of social networks, promotion was no longer the hegemonic control of press and communication advisors, as individual citizens began to have the ability to disseminate information to a considerable number of people with a single click (Castells, 2012; 2009; Wu et al, 2011). The creation of opinion makers has also become democratized and we have all witnessed the proliferation of the huge tribe of influencers who often enjoy a following greater than personalities of the highest political, cultural or sporting sphere (Ekdale, 2019), as well as any citizen with no specific education in the field. Information-building or unrecognized reputations can often surpass mainstream audiences of “big media” (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017).
