A panel featuring public relations specialists and members of the media revealed a common trend: organizations aren’t doing enough to build relations with media. Reporters are being ignored or tossed to low-level individuals, and companies approach only when they have a calculated story. Similarly, due to financial media cutbacks, reporters don’t have time to get to know the key players in the industries they cover. This dynamic only further fractures the public’s faith in both sides. A solution that some panelists seem to favor: CEOs need to talk more to the media, to build a genuine relationship and improve understanding, both ways.

The panel took place at the Schar School of Policy and Government on February 26 during “Truth on Trial”, the third in a series of events looking to grow our understanding of messaging in the digital age. The “Media and Communicators” section featured Lisa Ross, President of Edelman, Washington D.C.; Peter Carson, Managing Director, Public Affairs, North America, Weber Shandwick | Powell Tate; Steven Pearlstein, Columnist, The Washington Post; Gabriel Debenedetti, National Correspondent, New York Magazine.

Lisa Ross:

Peter Carson:

Steven Pearlstein:

Gabriel Debenedetti:

Doug Simon: :