Over the past two decades, television has gone through a profound transformation that has redefined its role, languages and modes of enjoyment. For many observers, the rise of social and digital platforms should have signaled its end, relegating it to an analog past. Yet despite the streaming revolution and the increasing disintermediation of news, TV continues to exert a central influence in the information system and, consequently, in PR and media relations strategies. It is still one of the mediums capable of dictating the public agenda, lending authority to messages and amplifying the resonance of a brand or issue.
From unidirectional transmission to hybrid ecosystem
Television used to be a unidirectional medium, built on the logic of emission: those who produced content transmitted, those who watched received passively. Today, the television experience is radically different. Technological evolution, from smart TVs to catch-up, from streaming platforms to social TV tools, has transformed the way we watch, comment and share content. In Italy, more than half of citizens now enjoy television through connected devices: according to a research, about 25 million people watch TV content via smart TV, a number that rises to 32 million if consoles and set-top boxes are also considered.
Traditional networks, far from standing still, have expanded their digital presence, creating platforms, apps and on-demand spaces. Thus an "augmented television" was born, capable of integrating with other screens, dialoguing with social and surviving in a fragmented media environment.
Despite hybridization, linear TV continues to maintain a strong position. According to the data Auditel 2024, Rai 1 remains the most-watched network in Italy, with an average share of 18.2% over 24 hours and 21.9% in prime time. The overall audience, while showing signs of settling down, remains stable: in the first six months of 2024, television recorded about 8.55 million average daily viewers, with a slight increase in prime time compared to the previous year. Its ability to attract attention on a national scale, especially at times of crisis or collective events, remains a key element.
The role of TV in PR and media relations strategy
Including television within a communication strategy is not a nostalgic exercise, but a positioning choice. TV continues to provide three main advantages: authority, breadth of coverage and emotional power.
Appearing on television, whether it is an in-depth report, an interview or an appearance on a talk show, gives the brand or spokesperson an aura of credibility that few other media can offer. The perception of legitimacy remains high: in the collective imagination, what passes on TV has passed a verification filter and automatically takes on "official" value.
Added to this symbolic dimension is the ability to reach a very large audience quickly. In a reputational crisis, an awareness campaign or the launch of a high-impact initiative, TV remains the most effective medium for imprinting a message on the collective consciousness. The audiovisual component also reinforces the emotional dimension: images, voices and testimonies make a story tangible, transforming it into a shared experience.
But the real power of television is its function as an agenda setter: issues that find their way into the news or in-depth programs become topics of public discussion. PR can leverage this dynamic to direct attention, embedding its messages in broader narratives and indirectly influencing other media as well. Not coincidentally, a well-managed television presence tends to generate digital echoes: clips, excerpts, and quotes circulate rapidly on social media, blogs, and online news outlets, multiplying exposure and amplifying the original message.
When TV works, and when it doesn't
However, television is not always the right choice. It is effective when the goal is to build awareness on a large scale, strengthen institutional reputation, or legitimize a brand in the eyes of the public. In these cases, the television format helps simplify and make the message accessible, especially when supported by a well-coordinated public relations strategy.
It is less suitable, however, when targeting niche targets or highly specialized B2B segments: in these contexts, audience dispersion and the need for technical content make other channels (such as trade magazines, webinars or editorial partnerships) more targeted and measurable. Time and format constraints, along with the risk of oversimplification, can also weaken the message or generate bias. Similarly, producing television content and managing relationships with editorial staff and authors requires resources (economic and organizational) that are not always commensurate with the expected results.
In essence, TV works when the narrative is strong, visual and able to touch shared emotional or social chords; it becomes ineffective when the goal is purely technical or when control of the message is prioritized.
TV as part of an integrated ecosystem
The most effective approach is to consider TV not as a stand-alone element, but as a node in a larger network. A truly sound communications strategy uses TV as a visibility accelerator, but entrusts the continuity of the narrative to complementary tools: the in-depth features in trade magazines, the digital content that prolongs the life of the message, and the social media that gathers reaction in real time.
It is in this integrated dimension that television finds its strength: no longer an exclusive medium, but a platform of resonance, capable of amplifying themes and campaigns and generating conversations that then move to other screens.
A case study: TV coverage of the AccessiWay event.
A concrete example of the effectiveness (but also the complexity) of the television medium comes by the work of Disclosers' PR team for AccessWay, followed by Carlotta Ruocco, PR Manager, along with Francesca Bellini, PR Specialist. At the event on the future of digital accessibility, held June 11 at the Palazzo delle Stelline in Milan, television coverage was a strategic piece of communication. The TG5 attended the meeting and in the report aired, Dajana Gioffrè, the company's Chief Vision Officer, demonstrated live the accessibility barriers still present on some well-known websites, providing a tangible demonstration of the issue at the heart of the debate.
The experience highlights an important lesson for those working in media relations: TV needs something to be seen, tested and experienced firsthand. Hands-on demonstrations, archival images, and visual materials are what transform a complex issue into a narrative suitable for TV language. It is also important to take into account the editorial logic of the medium: the Public TV, such as Rai, tends to limit the visibility of private companies, while the business networks turn out to be more flexible, as long as there is a topical hook and the news speaks to a broad, generalist audience, not necessarily experts. Finally, it should be remembered that the television newsrooms, especially TV news, work according to daily dynamics: lineups are set according to news priorities, and even when a story has been produced, the airing may vary according to current events. For this reason, getting TV coverage means being able to combine timeliness, visual content, and journalistic value, accepting an element of unpredictability that is a very much part of the language of television.
The numbers behind the phenomenon
Some data help to better understand the robustness of this medium. In addition to the already mentioned spread of smart TVs, households in Italy own an average of five connected screens, a figure that makes clear the "multiscreen" nature of the contemporary TV experience. Usage remains stable, but the mode is changing: people are watching less live and more on demand, with more personalized and interactive consumption.
In this context, TV maintains a rare balance: it continues to be the most authoritative media for most Italians, but it gradually adapts to digital logics, becoming more dynamic, more participatory, and more fragmented.
Television is not a remnant of the past, but a medium that has been able to reinvent itself. Within a PR strategy, its value lies in its ability to legitimize messages and multiply their reach, provided it is used with awareness and integrated into a multichannel vision.
So it is not a matter of choosing between old and new, but of understanding how each medium, including television, contributes to the same purpose: to create information, to build trust, to generate public conversation.
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