While 82% of PR people consider the election year as an opportunity or challenge for their media relations plan, only 26% are changing tactics or their media strategy. Those are among the key findings of a survey of PR professionals conducted by D S Simon Media, a leading Satellite Media Tour firm. “There’s clearly a disconnect,” says Doug Simon, CEO at D S Simon Media. “Given the high level of recognition that the media landscape has changed, we’d expect a similar level of respondents would be changing their strategy. That isn’t happening.”

Of those who felt the election year was an opportunity, a challenge, 16% saw it as an opportunity, 34% saw it as a challenge and 50% thought both. Those who are adjusting tactics shared how their plans are changing:
– 14% are giving up.
– 71% are focusing on digital opportunities.
– 64% are increasing social media.|
– 57% are shifting their focus from network and cable television to local TV news.

While Simon says political news is generating wall-to-wall coverage on cable, it makes sense, states a release,” for organizations to shift their focus to local TV news programming. His firm conducted an analysis of local TV news coverage in New York, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Austin, and Orlando the morning after a heavy political news day. Surprisingly, stations in those markets spent only 9% of their programming on political news.”

“Local TV news has become counter programming to election noise,” says Simon. “We are hearing that these stations are focusing on news viewers can use. Producers recognize if viewers want politics, they can tune in to the cable network aligned with their views.”

61 PR professionals responded to the survey which was conducted via Survey Monkey.