Most IT journalists in the UK think Bite Communications is the PR agency which 'best understands their needs', according to MORI's latest survey. Bite, which also held the top slot in the previous year's survey, secured twice as many of the journalists' votes for 'best' agency as second-placed August.One.
MORI asked 54 IT journalists to name the agencies that 'best understand your needs, and those of your publication.' In October 2002, six in ten nominated Bite (58%, compared with 43% the previous year). August.One was mentioned by three in ten IT journalists (29%) to secure second place - an improvement on 2001 when it was ranked third behind Firefly.
'When we delved deeper, we found that proactivity, responsiveness and a detailed understanding of their publication command the respect of the IT press,' says MORI study director Simon Duke. 'Conversely, IT journalists find agency staff who don't return calls, who are ill informed about their clients and who simply bombard them with news releases intensely irritating - factors that all PR professionals would do well to bear in mind.'
Joint third were Firefly and The Red Consultancy, both mentioned by around a quarter of journalists (23%) as being among the 'best'.
MORI's regular survey of the IT press also reveals how journalists rate the media relations of 27 major companies.
MORI conducted online interviews among 54 IT journalists between 3-25 October 2002. Of these, 10 were from the national press, five from online publications, 27 from the specialist consumer and business press, and 12 were freelancers. This survey is one of a number in MORI's Key Audience Research series.
