This year the Medical Journalists' Association, supported by the Healthcare Communications Association (HCA), has launched a new award for excellence in PR to recognise the communications teams and PR agencies who understand what journalists really want. This award is judged by journalists, for journalists, with the aim of improving the standard of releases and press materials MJA members receive.
MJA chair Lawrence McGinty says: “We know this award may lead to some raised eyebrows, but I doubt there is a journalist in the land who has not quoted a press release, or used a well-written one as the springboard for a story.
“Journalists and PRs have, by definition, different agendas, but there is a space where the Venn diagrams cross and both can win. Acknowledging this, and recognising when a PR agency or communications team is getting it right, does nothing to change the MJA’s motto: Independent and bloody-minded.”
Mike Dixon, CEO of the HCA says: “There are many awards available for healthcare PR teams to enter, but only this MJA award is judged by journalists themselves. For a PR team, that makes gaining recognition in this award very special indeed. What PR team would not want to be able to tell a prospective client, or their organisation’s directors, that the journalists they are targeting have identified their work as worthy of recognition for excellence? Congratulations to all those shortlisted.”
The shortlist for the inaugural MJA Award for Excellence in PR is, in alphabetical order:
- Hanover Communications for CMR Surgical
- Jungle Cat Solutions for Puressentiel (A breath of fresh air? report)
- Reynolds-MacKenzie for Bristol-Myers Squibb: Creating a Faithful Following
- Reynolds-MacKenzie for Shire (Born to be ADHD report)
- University of Bath: Targeted exercise reduces youth rugby injuries
The winner will be announced at the MJA Awards on 20th June.