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The purpose of this paper is to describe media perceptions of public relations in New Zealand and to explore the reasons behind these perceptions with a view to identifying what public relations practitioners and Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) can do to improve the perceptions and build a better working relationship given the key nature of the public relations‐media relationship.

A total of 30 editors, news managers, business editors and senior news reporters from a full range of New Zealand's radio, television, print and online media were interviewed in late 2007. Maori and Pacific Island media were also included in order to gather perspectives from the non‐mainstream.

Media perceptions of public relations in New Zealand are largely (but not exclusively) negative. The relationship has four faces – sworn enemies; traditional rivals; close collaboration; and being in a different place (not connecting). Antagonism from media practitioners is largely based on experiences with public relations practitioners but also on self created identities. Variations are due to power differentials such as self and other definition, realities in the media landscape, and perceived misalignment of interests.

This study only looks at the relationship from a media persective. A similar study of public relations practitioner perspectives would be the sensible next step. Further investigation of ethnic models of media and public relations are needed because they have not been done before and they may produce fresh ways of understanding and framing public relations.

This study argues that outright media hostility is hypocritical and unhelpful but that professional rivalry is healthy. Public relations practitioners in New Zealand need to improve their treatment of the media at a relational level and learn how to relate to other cultures more effectively. This is crucial because the strongest influence on media perceptions of public relations is the behaviour of public relations practitioners.

This study focuses on the perceptions of senior media in New Zealand. It demonstrates the array of perceptions and reveals that ethnic media feels disconnected from mainstream public relations. This study explains why this is and suggests some practical steps to take to remedy this rift. It also identifies more general measures public relations practitioners need to take to improve the crucial public relations‐media relationship.

This research aims to describe business perceptions of public relations (PR) in New Zealand. It also intends to provide insights which will assist the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) to achieve its mission “to promote PR as a reputable, dynamic profession”.

Senior management from 28 of New Zealand's top 200 companies completed a questionnaire and participated in a 45‐minute interview to explore definitions of PR and its place in their organisations. A symbolic interactionist methodology was utilised to analyse the findings.

The study finds that CEOs had a low opinion of public relations practitioners. They tended to see PR as an integral part of doing business. They also saw reputation management as best conducted by themselves rather than a consultancy – except in a crisis. A clear distinction was made between PR (consultancy based) and corporate communication (in‐house). None of the companies used the term PR in their in‐house communications titles. Communications managers distanced themselves from PR, claiming instead to offer integrity‐based, transparent communication. Marketers saw PR as serving marketing. CFOs and Legal Counsel saw PR as serving strategic objectives but were sceptical about the competence of communications practitioners to deliver strategic communication.

Despite a very good response rate (66.7 per cent) the base was uneven in terms of geographic spread and category of organisation. Since this is a descriptive study links between observations and contributing factors can be suggested but do not establish causality. This study did not extend to the public sector that employs a number of PR practitioners in New Zealand especially in Wellington.

Larger businesses in New Zealand are wary of the term PR. Should the profession abandon the name or fight for a new definition? Communication is definitely part of senior management decision making in New Zealand but PR and communication practitioners need to demonstrate their value if they want to participate at this level. PRINZ can assist the promotion of PR by professionalising the practitioners and by influencing the training of the increasing number of PR graduates who are being introduced to the industry.

No such study has been completed in New Zealand so this study will provide a comparison with UK, US and European studies of perceptions of PR. This study aligns with the Murray and White study of CEO views of reputation management in that it gathers data from senior management.