AKTIVITAS MEDIA RELATIONS HUMAS SETDA KABUPATEN BANYUMAS DI MASA PANDEMI COVID-19 PERIODE MARET-DESEMBER 2020

Media relations is a form of collaboration between public relations and the
media. Public Relations are required to be able to adapt to new habits and
collaborate in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The abundance of
information during a pandemic needs to be managed properly through positive
and reliable information. This is a challenge for the Public Relations of the
Banyumas Regency Secretariat to build good relations with the media amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
This study aims to describe and analyze the media relations activities of
the Regional Secretariat of Banyumas Regency during the COVID-19 pandemic
in March-December 2020. This research is a qualitative descriptive study with
data collection techniques through in-depth interviews and document studies.
The results showed that the media relations activity of the Banyumas
Regional Secretariat Public Relations during the COVID-19 pandemic was a press
conference with a new format, namely virtual via zoom meeting, followed by a
question and answer discussion and confirmation via WhatsApp. Press releases
are increasingly being carried out during the pandemic and become a dominant
activity by routinely sending press releases every day via WhatsApp. The
packaging of messages conveyed by the Public Relations of the Banyumas
Regency Secretariat during the pandemic through a press release containing
informative content, containing empathy, and positive things to increase public
optimism in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mechanism for
implementing press tours and media gatherings is more structured through
preparations carried out by conducting data surveys on COVID-19 cases and
regional zones to be addressed. The intensity of the implementation of media
gatherings is reduced and extra plans are needed in the implementation process.
The relationship between public relations and the media is getting stronger and
increasing, the opportunities for communication, information sharing, and
collaboration are limitless.