Fall River Committee Rejects Renewal of PR Services Contract

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Fall River’s school board voted against renewing its PR contract, ending years of outside support for district communications. The decision came during the committee’s meeting on Monday, Sept. 8. The Herald News reports on this.

The contract, valued at about $27,000 and scheduled for renewal in October 2025, was rejected by all members except one who abstained. Several committee members said the district should explore alternative ways of sharing news, including the possibility of hiring an in-house communications representative or working more closely with local media.

Committee member Collin Dias suggested the district could strengthen its direct communication with the public, while Bobby Bailey raised the idea of creating a central platform where families, teachers, and students could easily access accurate updates.

Superintendent Tracy Curley noted that the existing agreement provided multiple press releases each month, including emergency alerts. However, committee members said they want a more sustainable, long-term plan for keeping the community informed and engaged.

The board’s next steps may include considering an internal hire or expanding cooperation with local outlets to ensure broad and timely coverage of school news.

This is not an isolated case. In recent years, state and municipal structures in various countries have been reviewing their approach to external contractors. For example, US federal agencies and individual departments in Europe have canceled PR support contracts, arguing that the decision was motivated by a desire to optimize costs and transfer some functions within the organization. Large projects and initiatives also sometimes reduce their work with agencies, relying on their own press services or direct media tools.

In an environment where information spreads instantly, municipal authorities and large clients are increasingly seeking to control key messages themselves and respond quickly to public inquiries.

There is a trend in the market toward demand for guaranteed and widespread media coverage. More and more customers are turning not to traditional PR agencies, but to online platforms that allow them to directly place materials in the media, reach their target audience, and control the content of publications. This approach is perceived as more predictable in terms of results and convenient in the digital media environment.

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