Strategic conflict management of the source-reporter relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists

Using coorientational model, this study tested the contingency theory of conflict management in public relations. A Web survey of 641 public relations practitioners and journalists showed that the source-reporter relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists is conflictual and strategic on a continuum from pure advocacy to pure accommodation.; The multiple comparisons within and between subjects of public relations practitioners and journalists showed the mixed views of public relations practitioners and journalists in their conflictual relationship. Public relations practitioners and journalists disagreed, made a false dissensus and inaccurately predicted each other in the source-reporter relationship. Discriminant function analysis further simultaneously suggested the mixed views of the two professions. The perceived conflict between the two professions appeared their strategic choice since their inaccurate prediction or false dissensus is greater than their disagreement, and the perceived conflict is greater than the experienced conflict.; Theoretically, this study suggests that strategic acts interplay with the conflictual forces in the endless dance of the source-reporter relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists. Public relations practitioners have a tendency to be accommodative or cooperative, while journalists are likely to be in the opposite direction in the source-reporter relationship. Whereas public relations practitioners are concerned about the relationship as their strategic choice, journalists are oriented to the conflict as their strategic approach, although both professions are constrained by many contingent factors similarly under the organizational umbrella. Both professions may enjoy the conflict in a strategic perspective to some degree, and this may be the case particularly for journalists.; Practically, this study suggests that strategy is a communication role for both public relations practitioners and journalists. Both professions need to understand the false assumptions in the strategic myth of journalism. Public relations practitioners may overtly acknowledge that journalists are a sort of public servant, while journalists tend to be cautiously indifferent of a strategic purpose. The clear understanding of the conflictual and strategic aspect of the source-reporter relationship particularly suggests a possibility of the diminished credibility of journalism and the more managerial or professional approach of public relations practitioners.