It’s often been said that it’s easier to go from journalism to PR than the other way around. As evidenced by many PR practitioners in West Michigan, it is relatively common to go from journalism to PR. I myself have a degree and background in journalism before I went through a 12-step program to recovery.:)

I think the difficulty of going from PR to journalism is based on the perception that PR folks lose their sense of journalistic objectivity. I maintain that it can be difficult for journalists to go into PR because they discover PR is a much broader profession than merely writing news releases and corporate articles.

Nevertheless, the masthead of the Grand Rapids Business Journal shows that journalism-to-PR is a two-way street. Gary Pullano takes the managing editor post from recently departed Tim Gortsema (see earlier post). Pullano had been with the GRBJ before handling PR for Herrick Library in Holland.

Meanwhile, former public relations pro for the Grand Rapids Public Musuem and other places Pete Daly takes a staff writer slot vacated by Elizabeth Sanders. So that makes two additions to the masthead coming from the PR ranks.

The punster in me can’t help but point out the irony of someone named Daly working for a weekly. Of course, some of our area dailies publish weakly in terms of business news, so he may be in a good spot.

The new Marriott in downtown GR got lots of attention regarding it’s proposed “women only” 19th floor (see earlier posts in this blog). Now the novel concept has created some controversy and is covered in this week’s PR trade, PR Week (subscription required).

When the national buzz saw started, Alticor (owner of the new hotel) turned to a national firm to handle national mainstream and trade media. But local pro Andrea Groom of Wondergem handles the interviews with PR Week.

There’s an example of good PR here. Marriott, instead of sticking to its guns and being defensive, is listening to all sides and opinions regarding an all-women floor. Some feel it’s great, some feel it’s disciminating, and Marriott’s posture seems to be one of seeking a mutual benefit for all concerned. As Groom says, men seeking a room on the 19th floor will not be denied.

However, it seems hard to have a win-win here. Either it’s an all-women floor or it’s not.

Grand Rapids Press editor Mike Lloyd’s column yesterday had an interesting misspelling: he referred to a “dirth” of information on West Coast locations in a recent Michigan travel ad insert.

The correct spelling, of course, is d-e-a-r-t-h.

Doncha love it when the editor has a spelling error? Makes you wonder if he writes his own columns, or if he has anyone edit them for him, or if the copyeditors are too timid to point out mistakes.

Meanwhile, the column was interesting. It’s a good reminder to us that the public doesn’t always distinguish between advertising and editorial content. There’s an ethical issue there in making paid-for media with a persuasive intent look like actual reportage, which is supposed to remain objective. But, usually that’s clear by printing “paid advertisement” or “advertising supplement” on a piece. Also, most people should be able to infer by the tone and lack of familiar bylines that an item is adverising and not journalism.

Mike Lloyd makes the good point that advertising content is as useful as reporting to many people. This is something we academics call “ad utility.” It’s easy to assume that it is hard to get people’s attention with advertising in this fast-paced, high-tech environment. But many people seek specific, useful information in ads on a regular basis.

I, meanwhile, will be seeking a humble correction for the spelling error from “his Lloydship.”