The 2020 Medical Journalists’ Association (MJA) Award for Excellence in PR is now open for entries. Further information about the award is available on the MJA website. Hear from previous winners, see how easy it is to enter and complete the entry form. This award is the ultimate accolade for healthcare communicators and recognises best practice in strategy and implementation, rather than just focusing on the specific media results achieved. Shortlisted companies also receive an exclusive invitation to attend the MJA awards and networking evening where the world of medical journalism meets to recognise and celebrate the best of the best.
Every year, Medical Journalists’ Association members receive thousands of press materials and pitches from PR agencies and communications teams. Some are well thought out, succinctly written and potentially helpful. The best understand the deadlines and lead-times which rule every journalist’s day, and offer the new information, strong hooks or access to case studies or experts at short notice which can make the journalist’s job a little easier. But some completely miss the mark.
Countless PR agencies and communications teams claim to understand how journalists think, and what they need, and boast ‘special relationships’ with key journalists. So, in an effort to champion those who really do ‘get it’ and improve the standard of releases and press materials MJA members receive, in 2018 the MJA and HCA launched a unique award for excellence in PR. It is the only one of its kind which is judged by journalists, for journalists.
In announcing the launch of this year’s award Mike Dixon, CEO of the HCA says the award has special significance:
“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?”