Defining Corporate Journalism

By David E. Henderson, Partner, The News Group Net LLC

We in America like to put nice names on just about all things and keep them organized in boxes. I suppose I am no exception … at least to some degree.

Take “social media,” for example. It’s a somewhat ambiguous term for an evolving form of communications that’s taken the online world by storm. In the process, we must suffer through the counsel of homemade “gurus” and so-called “experts” who have little credentials beyond a bunch of followers on Twitter.

Despite them, hanging a clear definition on social media continues to evolve. Advising companies on the relevance of embracing social media varies with every circumstance and need. Some might benefit from plunging into social media while others might not.

“Corporate journalism,” on the other hand, is more grounded in the expertise of strategic communications and journalism. There is more vision in corporate journalism, a clearer purpose. It requires authentic expertise by practicing journalists.

While social media is a good yet trendy tactic, it is corporate journalism that creates strategic solutions to today’s complex business challenges.

My friend and colleague Ed Lallo is a corporate journalist. When I worked with him to enhance the image of Learjet, he took an eye-candy photo of the CEO of Learjet standing atop a new Learjet 45 that appeared in more than 800 newspapers worldwide and repositioned the entire company’s marketing focus overnight. I wrote the caption but it was the photo that changed the company’s fate. That’s corporate journalism. Ed’s photo was the real deal … no Photoshop gimmicks.

Learjet had also hired a pricey advertising agency to promote the new corporate jet. But no one remembered the ads. What caught attention was a confident looking CEO standing atop an aircraft in a news photo.

Ed’s credentials include working at newspapers, the Associated Press, PEOPLE in addition to Fortune 100 corporations. There is no better brand journalist photographer in the country, in my opinion. My background includes years as a network news reporter and more than two decades as a media and communications strategist. Neither of us claims to be gurus but we are brand journalists.

The charlatans of today’s social media cannot play in the corporate journalism space because it mandates proven credentials.

The tenets of corporate journalism include:

• Accomplished communicators with solid journalism experience and accomplishments.
• Credentials in working with clients to create and strengthen original online content, deepen engagement through online communities and develop new business models for the digital era.
• Emphasis on strategically driven initiatives, achieving credibility for clients.
• Purpose-drive objectives include greater awareness, credibility, competitive positioning.

What does corporate journalism achieve for a company? Imperial Sugar Company is a good example. Ed and I and our team at The News Group Net LLC worked with Imperial Sugar to develop the ISC Newsroom. But, the ISC Newsroom is far more than a corporate online newsroom. It’s is a good example of brand journalism at work.

In just a few months, it has become the most popular, most used online news and information resource of an entire industry, and in the process is showcasing Imperial Sugar’s legitimate industry leadership, particularly in the area of manufacturing safety and quality. Sure, there’s a social media piece but it is a tactical element that is driven by an overarching and highly credible corporate journalism approach.

The importance of corporate journalism in today’s competitive markets is greater than ever as the influence of advertising diminishes. Corporate journalism is a strategic, business oriented approach that captures attention, delivers credible messages, engages wider audiences and achieves tangible results more efficiently. There is no question but that it works to reposition brands in any business arena.