Video Conferencing Conducted by Public Relations During The Covid-19 Pandemic through The Lens Of Journalists

Abstract

Covid-19 pandemic has altered journalists and public relations (PR) works. The city’s large-scale social restriction and the New Normal scenario have forced PR personnel to avoid large mass events. The executive and the public relations are now using video conferences to communicate with their publics through journalists. This study explored the video conferencing conducted by PR during the Covid-19 pandemic from the journalist’s perspective. The researchers used face-to-face interviews with print and online journalists in Jakarta as a data collection technique. This research showed that journalists have different perspectives when public relations officers were doing a video conference during the pandemic. Some points highlighted are the apps that public relations used, the time and duration of the event, the profile of the participants, and the content of the events. When compared with face-to-face events, video conferencing done by public relations has weaknesses either technically or content of the event. However, most journalists prefer online meetings if the pandemic still not yet over. Meanwhile, if public relations activities turn face-to-face during the pandemic, they should impose a strict health protocol.