Some public relations people still think this way, but most now realize that media relations is only one small part of the overall public relations process.
Media relations is a two-way street.
Public relations people and journalists are mutually dependent on one another. Public relations practitioners need journalists as conduits for getting messages to various publics, and journalists need public relations people as sources for story ideas, leads to authoritative spokespersons, and specific information about stories in progress. Having positive working relationships with the mass media is important to public relations people, but these relationships are not ends in themselves. They're a means to the broader ends of relationship-building with all of the organization's publics. And so, as with all aspects of public relations, the importance of media relations in any organization and how much time and energy practitioners should devote to it will depend on the nature of the organization, the environment in which it operates, and its current circumstances.