ROLES OF MEDIA RELATIONS TOWARD COMPANY’S IMAGE A CASE STUDY OF PT ASTRA INTERNATIONAL TBK – HEAD OFFICE

Abstract

Media Relations holds an important role in a company, especially in a public company. External relations, as one of the departments which is divided from corporate communication divisions, handles media relations as the most important role to manage in the company. Media relations act as the main facilitator to connect management and the public through joint communication. This study concerns PT Astra International Tbk - Head Office. This researcher is interested in this case because PT Astra International Tbk - Head Office is the holding company that manages on-going businesses while monitoring the relationship between its subsidiaries to the media and the public. This researcher uses the qualitative research method with case studies as the research approach to study about the matters happening in the company. Through in-depth interviews with two participants, whom take roles in media relations field in the office, this researcher found many interesting points of view that demonstrate the roles of media relations and their activities which were programmed and well planned in order to keep in touch with whole media representatives from various media outlets. However, sometimes obstructions remain within the activities and in the mutual relationship between the media and the company. Therefore, this researcher is concerned in examing the causes of those obstructions and learning how to anticipate them, such that the company's image is maintained or even improved.