The development of media relations at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office

Abstract

This thesis describes and explains the development process of media relations at the Finnish Patent and Registration Office 2012–2014. The process includes five stages: designing an internal process for planning and leading media relations; improving delivery and monitoring methods; analysing press releases and invitations; analysing the publicity of the Office, and conducting a survey to journalists. The main questions are how could the Office work well with media relations, and how well does media relations support the Office´s strategic objectives? The thesis is an action research. Framing theory and media content analysis have been applied in the research. The analysis of press releases, invitations and publicity, and journalists´ opinions on the Office´s media relations are based on quantitative and qualitative data. The Office´s key messages are well presented in the press releases and invitations. Media coverage and visibility of the Office is good throughout the country. The tone of news and articles is neutral. Brief news and articles, and regional or local media types dominate. According to the survey conducted to journalists the Office´s press releases are very useful or quite useful in the journalists´ work depending on the role of the media. During the development process a new internal process for planning and leading media relations was implemented, the agency providing delivery and monitoring services was changed and a new service for the media on the website of the Office was opened. The improvements and analysis of the thesis provide a solid foundation for the next stages in the development of media relations at the Office.