Content You Should Be Consuming as an Aspiring PR Professional

By Hannah Tracy

While our day to day is filled with client calls and building media lists, sometimes it’s fun to watch our favorite Hollywood stars do what we do. Whether it’s listening to a podcast on the walk to class or unwinding at the end of a long day with a movie, consuming media is one of our favorite things to do as aspiring PR professionals. Here’s a list of podcasts, TV shows, and movies that should be on your radar.

Podcasts: 

PR Roundtable

This weekly podcast by Gini Dietrich that breaks down the differences between marketing, PR, and advertising and discusses various professional topics including the perfect pitch, how to ask for a raise, and how to create a culture of trust.

The Crux of the Story

Hosted by Mike Fernandez and BU’s own, Gary Sheffer, The Crux covers hot topics in the news and media, as well as brings on guests to share insight and knowledge about the industry.

The PR Week

This podcast created by PRWeek gives regular, weekly industry updates. This is a great resource to keep on top of industry news.

TV Shows:

Scandal

This political thriller stars Olivia Pope, the former White House Communications Director with her own crisis management firm. While this show includes a lot of drama, it still gives an inside look into what political communications looks like.

Parks and Recreation

A classic, Parks and Recreation follows the Parks and Recreation department in Pawnee, Indiana. The show is meant to make viewers laugh, but it also gives some insight into how government communications and PR works.

West Wing

Another great political communications show, West Wing follows the fictional White House communications team.

Movies:

The Social Network

About Mark Zuckerberg’s creation of Facebook, The Social Network shows the trials and tribulations of a startup. Since social media is a part of PR, it’s a fun watch for us aspiring PR professionals.

Thank You for Smoking

If you’re looking for a movie about spin, this is the one for you. Thank You for Smoking follows the tobacco industry and how they tried to use spin to cover up the dangers of smoking.

Jerry Maguire

A classic Tom Cruise movie, Jerry Maguire touches a lot on client relations. It takes a look at the hard work that goes into gaining and keeping clients, and it’s a fun watch.