These services greatly facilitate the dissemination of a news release or package of news mailed to the appropriate media. I tend to use highly targeted dissemination, but most agencies understandably build in the cost of these venders. The more PR that moves out the door, the higher your bill. And that includes, of course, the costs of postage, telephone, fax and email. If your image of PR is someone making a single call or sending out a single news release, you do not understand that the media today is made up of countless outlets that include radio and television stations, daily and weekly newspapers, trade and consumer magazines, and, of course, news and informational Internet sites.
News today is global.
PR is not all the same thing. There are PR professionals like myself who feel at home in a wide variety of situations, depending on whether the client is a corporation, an association, a retail firm or a professional enterprise. That is not necessarily the case across the boards though. Yes, a PR firm can come up with a program for you, but there are PR professionals who specialize , so shop around. Those that do a particular kind of PR have established media contacts that are invaluable.