| dc.description.abstract | The use of print media has become a critical component of corporate communications globally and even locally. This study presents findings from a qualitative investigation of whether the use of print media plays a strategic role in corporate public relations practice at Kenya Airways as a case in point. The main objectives of the study was to investigate the impact of print media relations on corporate public relations practice and to discover how print media relations was viewed and utilized at Kenya Airways. More specifically, the research hoped to find out if the media relations function was only used to generate publicity or if it also played a strategic role in relationship-building with the media and achieving organisation's corporate and competitive goals as a profit-making entity. It also aimed to identify other factors in the corporate environment which can help define the role of media relations in the organization and the management's perception of media
relations as well as their participation in the function and the strategies used by media relations practitioners to combat crisis using print media.
Using the questionnaire method of survey and data collection, the researcher reached a sample of 51 (N =51) respondents who filled in the questionnaires. The research was undertaken at different branches of Kenya Airways, including the company headquarters at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, and other marketing divisions within the capital. In- depth interviews were further conducted with the participants who comprised senior executives handling media relations or overseeing the function in their capacity as head of media relations or public relations. A structured interview guide was used as the research instrument to elicit participants' responses. -Ihe results revealed that print media plays a very critical role in the operations of Kenya Airways. According to the findings, Kenya Airways uses print media not only during crises but also when executing key corporate public relations functions such as market entry or repositioning, product launches, brand building, reputation and crisis management, corporate social responsibilities, event organization, stakeholder relations, publicity and campaigns.
Secondly, the mam forms of print media used in the organization are newspapers, magazines, newsletters, brochures and memos. Thirdly, it appears from the study, that Kenya Airways has a weak relationship with the popular print media. The study has further proved that media serves as the link between the communicator and the audience for instance, an advertiser and its potential clients; public relations professional, and the organizational public . It recommends that the company needs to form a specialized team to identify what actions should be taken in developing a good rapport with the print media. They should include, as a minimum, the CEO, the corporate public relations chief, senior managers and anyone else who might be critical in this situation. By having a close relationship with the print media, it further recommends, the company can benefit economically as both local and international clients would more likely to choose to travel on Kenya Airways. It should be a policy for the firm, to develop a good rapport with the popular media. This will help in damage control during times of crisis, and even in executing critical campaigns. | en_US |
