The Public Relations Assistant working for a magazine or other publication assists the director of the department with the public relations functions. The main responsibility of the public relations department is to publicize the magazine to consumers and advertisers as well as the media. While magazines make money on subscriptions and single- issue sales, most of their income comes from selling advertising space. Selling more copies of a magazine means that the publication can raise advertising rates. It is therefore important for the magazine to be in the public eye as much as possible. This is accomplished through public relations, publicity, marketing, and advertising.
The Public Relations Assistant may have varied duties depending on the type and size of the magazine and the number of people working in the public relations department. One of the main duties of the Public Relations Assistant is to write press releases that are distributed to other media, such as magazines, newspapers, news services, and television and radio stations. The PR assistant may write releases about special issues being prepared or interesting articles that will be in forthcoming issues. The individual might also be required to develop press releases on staff promotions, special awards and honors to be presented to the magazine or its staff, or any other event considered newsworthy.
The PR assistant may also be required to develop and write feature stories and special-interest articles on the magazine and members of its staff. These, too, will be sent to the media. Depending on the experience of the Public Relations Assistant, his or her writing and other work may have to be reviewed by the public relations director. The individual may have to type press releases and articles, putting them directly into a computer, or may have a secretary responsible for this task.
The Public Relations Assistant may be asked to develop, write, and design promotional materials and internal publications such as brochures, newsletters, memos, flyers, and posters. The individual may also be required to prepare media lists, make sure that they are up to date, and keep in contact with various editors, reporters, producers, and talent coordinators. The Public Relations Assistant may write or call talent coordinators and producers of talk, variety, and news shows on radio and television to set up interviews for magazine personnel. For example, the public relations director may decide that the publication’s health and beauty editor would be a good weekly guest on a midday news show. The PR assistant might be responsible for making the calls to find a show that also considers this a good idea.
The individual must also assist in arranging interviews with news people to help promote the magazine and must respond to media questions when called. At times the Public Relations Assistant acts as a buffer for the public relations director. He or she may be required to field phone calls, talk to people, and take care of minor problems directed to the PR director. The Public Relations Assistant may work with the PR director developing new promotions or contests that the magazine might hold to increase readership. The individual might also assist with the marketing or advertising department, publicizing promotions and projects.
Developing, preparing, compiling, and distributing press kits is another important function of the Public Relations Assistant. To do this, the individual must handle a number of areas. He or she writes general press releases focusing on the publication, as well as using specific releases from the past. The individual also chooses photos that have appeared in the magazine or on covers of the publication and articles or stories that have appeared in other publications; demographics sheets; fact and bio sheets; brochures; and rate cards. He or she compiles these into a folder and distributes them to the media (and possibly to the advertising department).
The PR assistant may, at the director’s discretion, handle any other public relations duties or functions. He or she may, for example, be the publication’s speaker at local or civic groups or may represent the magazine at dinners, fund-raising functions, seminars, or industry conferences. The individual in this job is directly responsible to the publication’s public relations director or manager. He or she is required to work normal business hours. When the department or magazine is working on special projects or promotions, the individual may have to work late or on weekends.
Public Relations Assistants working for magazines earn salaries ranging from $23,000 to $36,000 or more annually. Variables that affect earnings include the size, prestige, and location of the publication as well as the responsibilities and experience level of the individual. Individuals working in major cities, where most of the larger publications are headquartered, usually earn more than those working in suburban areas.
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