Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana praktisi PR membangun dan memelihara hubungan dengan wartawan, dan korelasinya dengan praktik media bribery dan independensi media. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, dan metode etnografi. Informan penelitian terdiri dari sekitar 140 wartawan, ahli media, pimpinan asosiasi wartawan dan Dewan Pers, dan praktisi PR. Hasil temuan penelitian yang menggunakan relationship management theory RMT dan teori-teori terkait menunjukkan: 1. Hubungan sumber berita dengan wartawan bersifat transaksional; 2. Praktik media bribery merupakan efek samping dari hubungan transaksional. Tindakan praktisi PR memberikan favours media bribery untuk mendapatkan berita mendapat tempat dengan adanya budaya menerabas yang bertemu dengan tradisi saling memberi sebagai bentuk keramahtamahan sosial, rasa kasihan yang tinggi, dan persoalan ekonomi pada sisi wartawan; 3. Mayoritas wartawan memahami profesi kewartawanan dan kode etik profesi, tetapi memilih bersikap pragmatis karena pertimbangan ekonomi; 4. Praktik media relations dipengaruhi oleh corporate culture dan tone gaya komunikasi manajemen.Kata kunci: media bribery, media relations, independensi media, corporate culture.

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This research was conducted to investigate how PR practitioners built relations with journalists, and its correlation with media bribery, and media independence. This study used qualitative method, and ethnographic method. In order obtain the required data and information, the researcher interviewed and conducted a survey on around 140 journalists, media experts, executives of journalists lsquo associations and the Press Council, and PR practitioners. The findings of the study which used relationship management theory RMT and related theories showed 1. Relations of PR practitioners and journalists was transactional 2. The practice media bribery was a side effect of transactional relationship between agents. The practice of media bribery grew stronger in a fertile land of culture of Indonesians to take shortcuts to achieve their goals, which meets with the tradition of social exchange as a form of social hospitality, high compassion, and economic issues of journalists 3. Majority of journalists were aware of the noble journalistic profession and code of ethics, but chose to be pragmatic because of economic considerations 4. The practice of PR was influenced by corporate culture and tone of communication of management.