Media Relations and Media Organizations' Interaction in Saudi Official Events: A Comparative Evaluative Study

Abstract

This study examines the interactions between media relations management departments within governmental institutions and their affiliated media teams, focusing on the effectiveness of these interactions during official events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research incorporated interviews with 30 experts to inform the development of a survey instrument. The study utilized a purposive sample of 222 participants, comprising 122 public relations professionals and 100 institutional media team members. An autoethnographic method was also applied.

Findings reveal that 57.7% of public relations professionals maintain regular communication with the media, while 23.1% report that their institutions lack consistent media contact. Additionally, 11.5% engage with the media occasionally, and 7.7% rarely do so. Furthermore, 69.4% of respondents indicated the absence of a formal written protocol for managing media relations during official events, whereas only 30.6% reported the existence of such guidelines. These results highlight the need to diversify and more effectively utilize communication and technological tools to enhance collaboration with media organizations for event coverage and content distribution.