Public relations agencies in the UK are polarised between the competent and the awful, according to a new study, which surveyed 82 journalists across the country.

Quality was not the only issue that influenced PR success, as 44 per cent of respondents confessed that being pitched to by a member of the opposite sex could sway them and 82 per cent were tempted by “exotic press trips”.

The Rainier PR Journalist/PR Relationship Study revealed that 35.8 per cent of journalists found PR agency staff were “muppets” with little knowledge of either their needs or their own client.

By contrast, just 19.8 per cent respected public relations professionals as an aide to developing stories.

The study surveyed broadcast, business, national, trade and regional media journalists during November and December 2003, and examined six different areas of the agency/journalist relationship, ranging from pitching stories through to provision of photography and quality of materials.

Much of the feedback criticised the agencies for failing to train staff in the basics of their clients’ business, its industry sector and the media.

Stephen Waddington, managing director at Rainier PR said: “A two-tier league of public relations agencies has emerged with poor agencies giving the industry as a whole a bad reputation.

“Many seem unable to grasp how journalists work and communicate, whilst others can be a truly valued source of news and information.”

But the importance of the agencies as a source of stories was highlighted by the fact that 46.9 per cent of journalists said that the source was the factor most likely to persuade them to write a story, while 33 per cent said they used press releases as a primary source of stories.

According to the study, 52.4 per cent of journalists said the quality of written materials produced by PR staff was “okay” with the main story angle typically outlined in the headline or first few paragraphs of the press release. But 42.7 per cent said they found the majority of press releases were little more than “corporate wallpaper” containing news only of interest to the company itself.