Conducting meaningful relationships with various publications, including catering to the thousands (if not millions) of games sites out there can be a daunting task for any PR guy. However, that does not necessarily mean they can ignore most publications and get away with it, expecting the ignored ones to offer coverage for their products.

GameMethod’s Managing Editor Tracy Erickson takes a look at all the mismanagement that happened during E3 2006, noting that most companies really don’t seem to care about your average gaming site, or any other publication other than the big three (IGN, Gamespy and Gamespot).

If I was the only editor to have experienced this treatment, I wouldn’t have published this article; unfortunately, my words represent numerous complaints from fellow journalists who are tired of dealing with uncooperative public relations staff. As journalists, we do not have an obligation to cover a company’s games; rather, companies should actively seek coverage, not the other way around. It is the responsibility of public relations staff to disseminate information and work with press to facilitate coverage. Why is it that some companies fail to address these responsibilities?

Before the exposition even starts, evidence of substandard public relations work is evident. Companies like Koei and Capcom provide perfect examples this year of the challenge in setting appointments for E3. Two and a half weeks before the show, I sent e-mails to several companies requesting an appointment to preview their games, Koei and Capcom were included. Two weeks later, both companies replied denying our request for an appointment. Since when has delaying media requests two weeks become an acceptable practice? Perhaps if both companies had responded to our requests in a timely, professional manner, they wouldn’t have denied our request for an appointment. At least these companies replied. Square Enix representatives never responded to our multiple requests to attend their press conference. Similarly, a 2K Games representative was wonderful in connecting us with an outside firm to schedule an appointment; too bad we were never contacted after that.

However, there are always exceptions, and Sony, CDV and Microsoft were all applauded for their great work. I agree with him from personal experience, and believe that publishers should expect the sort of coverage that they can bestow upon us.