A core task for any comms team is communicating the company’s strategy to its various audiences. For this reason, bringing the skills of media organisations into a corporate communications team is a popular trend. This is reflected in the rise of the corporate newsroom, which takes the form of an editorial team.
Traditionally, people have accessed their information in newspapers and radio. Now, the ability to check current affairs online has changed the way people share and consume information. This has left many traditional media outlets struggling for a financial model, and some have been subject to corporate buyouts.
While every publication has a viewpoint, it’s important that they’re honest about where they’re coming from. Otherwise, readers can lose trust in a brand. It is also important for a thriving democratic society to have multiple sources of information, which aren’t controlled by self-interested corporations.
However, corporate-owned media has a dark side as well. One of the major concerns is that it can become politicized, which can have serious ramifications for society. For example, a corporation may use its media outlet to build support for one politician or party over another, which can have a direct impact on the economy and political stability. This is why it’s so important to keep a close eye on the media, and to support independent news organisations with page views, social media shares, subscription funds, and donations.