Tom This blog is the biggest plus point you have - so go for the job, Right now you have trust from your readers and the press - taking that trust into the Press job is the biggest thing you can do for the LAS and they should bite your hand off and appoint you. Imagine some point in the future where you really could make a difference because you have that trust. You worry about compromising your independence - do you do that here - no and you operate in areas of controversy and confidentiality. Being a PR isn't about lying - it is about being an advocate for a team that you really believe in. You know the messages that need to be got across and you are really qualified to do this. You need not lose the blog - in fact if I employed you I would let you blog in office hours because the story that you tell is already about explaining what you do and engaging the public. If the guys at LAS have any insight, they will know that appointing you could really make a difference to how the service is perceived and how it is used. If I were you I would go along to an interview armed with a proposal that integrates blogging into the role - so there!