Over the past few years, the issue of outsourcing American jobs to countries like India has received considerable amount of attention from reporters. Now it seems reporting is the latest job that companies are moving offshore.

The momentum for "offshoring" to other countries or domestically is accelerating as newspapers small and large seek ways to reduce costs in the face of severe stresses – from sagging circulation and advertising revenue to shareholder pressure – the World Association of Newspapers concluded in a study of the issue. WAN, a Paris-based organization representing 72 national newspaper associations, conducted a global survey of about 350 newspapers in Europe, Asia and the United States, and company executives reported that they expect the outsourcing to increase.

About two years ago, Reuters, the financial news service, opened a new center in Bangalore. The 340 employees, including an editorial team of 13 local journalists, were hired to write about corporate earnings and broker research on U.S. companies. Since then, the Reuters staff at the center has grown to about 1,600, with 100 journalists working on U.S. stories.

The International Herald Tribune reported about a recent spate of recruiting ads on MonsterIndia.com that tell the story of the latest class of workers to watch their trade start migrating to another continent. “Urgent requirement for business writers,” reads one ad looking for journalists to locate in Mumbai. “Should be willing to work in night shifts.”

From a media relations standpoint, the outsourcing of journalism overseas presents possibilities and problems. Certainly, anything that helps newspapers survive amid ever-increasing financial pressures is a good thing. But how can media relations practitioners form a relationship with someone thousands of miles and several time zones away?

Ultimately, whether the reporter is around the corner or in another country, the most effectual media relations has always depended on a full understanding of the various outlets that cover a client’s needs and finding the right news hook no matter what time zone the reporter’s in.