Bridging PR & GR for Strategic Communications

How media relations and public affairs complement each other in corporate strategy

In practice, much of the focus of public relations (PR) has traditionally been on managing media relations and how the brand is portrayed in news reporting. Focally, PR is in many cases synonymous with media relations, though PR teams certainly do manage relations with stakeholders beyond journalists. In a corporate setting, other names for PR include “communications.”

The public affairs function focuses on stakeholders apart from the news media, investors, employees, and consumers. Typically, though this varies by industry, the primary stakeholders for public affairs teams are government bodies and officials. One notable exception is the healthcare sector, in which corporate public affairs teams often focus on working with patient advocacy groups, while direct engagement with government regulators and payers is managed by regulatory affairs and market access, respectively. For many industries, however, “public affairs” is largely synonymous with “government relations” (GR) or “government affairs,” and is sometimes also labeled “public policy” or “corporate affairs.”

For professionals working in PR and GR, the practical distinctions between their two functions are of course well understood; yet conceptually, the similarities between the two are important to unpack for actionable insights.

Both PR and GR can be understood as branches of strategic communications. The difference is in their audiences and the methods best suited to reaching them. At the corporate level, the value of close cooperation between the two functions becomes clear. Messaging should be tailored for specific audiences, but overall alignment is essential to build brand resilience. Moreover, in practice, public affairs objectives can sometimes be advanced through media tactics, while PR goals can be supported by engaging government stakeholders.

At Soundline Consulting (順律顧問), which brings together both public policy and media specialists, we work directly with GR and PR managers at local, regional, and global levels, to help our clients meet their communication goals and build equity among diverse stakeholders. By positioning externally facing functions—PR, GR, and others—within the framework of strategic communications, and by supporting them accordingly, organizations—whether in the corporate or nonprofit sector—are better equipped to achieve their communication goals.