Interview with a Journalist Reflection - Public Relations in Arts Journalism

  

Maria Sherman, Music Journalist

    Earlier this October, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing music journalist and New Yorker Maria Sherman for a Media Relations assignment. Maria attended the University of New York in New York City for Music and Cultural Criticism and has been writing professionally since she was 17 years old. Currently, she writes for the Associated Press, but has also written a non-fiction book called “Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS”. 

  The interview overall was fantastic. I felt as though we had a wonderful conversation and it was so great to meet somebody so talented and simultaneously so kind. I learned a lot about how someone may go about becoming a journalist, and what the hours and scheduling may look like. We managed to speak a little bit on a personal level about a recent album and our favourite songs from it. 

    When asked about her least favourite part of her job, Sherman’s biggest complaint was publicists. She went on to explain that she sometimes found it difficult to connect with more business-oriented corporate individuals, and found herself more comfortable in the presence of like-minded creatives. When I told her I was in school for PR we had quite a laugh, and she apologized, explaining that there are absolutely publicists she is friends with. 

    The thing is, I completely understood where she was coming from. I always steered away from business as a career option because I never felt like my personality was compatible with what the positions may need from me. I always pictured someone extremely polished and serious. Because of this, I tended to gear myself more toward the trades or other hands-on industries. My perceived idea of what a business person is was entirely pulled from TV and movies. 

    I realize now that the PR industry entirely depends on diversity. The ability to adapt to a client’s needs can open doors for new projects. I walked away from this interview feeling hopeful. Knowing that there is a gap in the market for a certain type of individual in more corporate positions, makes me optimistic that there is room in the public relations setting for me.