Perfect Ink to bridge the PR-media divide

As the spotlight focuses in on the tense relationship between public relations and the media, one former senior editor is taking up the task of improving this sometimes murky but important relationship.Paul Kay, former managing editor of Hong Kong Tatler and co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Out Hong Kong, has launched a new media consultancy, Perfect Ink Media.The company aims to help PR professionals and brands fine-tune their media strategy, materials and pitches to strengthen their relationships with English-language media.Kay said Perfect Ink Media was a response to an "acute need" for expert media consulting, training and content creation services in Hong Kong.But the timing of the new company comes as debate about the relationship between journalists and the public relations industry increases.Kay agreed there was a need to improve communication between the two industries and said new technologies, shrinking newsrooms and new media platforms had changed both industries."I hear a lot of complaints on both sides of the media-PR dynamic, and I think it ultimately comes down to a communication gap and insufficient understanding of each others needs," the founder and CEO said."Where I feel I can make a difference is in bridging that gap by providing training and support, and by helping to create a better framework through which journalists and PR professionals can work together more efficiently and effectively."Kay said strategically targeted and well-executed PR approaches can save busy editors hours of work and offer great content and story leads."By the same token, a good working knowledge of the type of content and pitches that editors are most receptive to opens up a world of untapped opportunities for PR companies and their clients.Kay boasts more than a decade of experience in writing, editing and commissioning for publications such as Hong Kong Tatler, Macau Tatler, Time Out Hong Kong, South China Morning Post, Post Magazine, Style, Prestige and Businessweek China.