Transcript Public Relations

Public Relations and
Framing the Message
Chapter 12
“Since its inception, PR has exerted a
huge influence on American society and
culture.... No matter what issue you care
about, there is undoubtedly someone
doing PR on its behalf, on all sides.”
Public Relations
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Total communication strategy conducted by
an individual, government, or organization
attempting to persuade its audience to adopt
a point of view
Unlike advertising, PR focuses on crafting an
image rather than increasing sales
Often reflects larger trends and ideas
percolating through society
PR’s Influence on American
Society
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Drove economic activity after Industrial
Revolution, contributing to improvement in
living standards
Set tone for corporate image-building that
characterized 20th century
Influences political process by shaping
images of both politicians and issues
Early History
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Age of the Press Agent
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Press agents first PR professionals
Advanced clients through hype and stunts
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P.T. Barnum
John Burke promoted Buffalo Bill
Business Adopts PR
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Press agency tactics generate profits, get
government funding
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Example: railroad deadheading
Early History (cont.)
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Professional PR Emerges
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Ivy Lee takes new approach of honesty and
directness
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Contained damaging publicity fallout for
Rockefellers during Ludlow Mine Massacre
Edward Bernays first to apply psychology and
sociology to PR
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“Public relations counselor”
Helped women enter PR field
Major Types of PR
Organizations
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PR Agencies
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Almost 2,000 U.S. companies
Many owned by conglomerates
In-house PR staffs
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Large organizations have PR departments
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Write press releases, manage interview requests from
journalists, stage events
Public Relations Functions
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Develop publicity campaigns and formulating
messages about their clients
Conducting research
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Convey the message
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Surveys, focus groups
Press releases, VNRs, PSAs, Internet
Managing media relations
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Securing favorable coverage in news media
Crisis management to handle bad publicity
Public Relations Functions
(cont.)
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Coordinating special and pseudo events
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Fostering positive community and consumer
relations
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Visibility raises profile of corporate, organizational,
or governmental clients
Sponsorship, press conferences
Designed to sustain goodwill between clients and
public
Cultivating government relations
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Lobbyists, astroturf lobbying
Tensions between PR and
Journalism
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Interdependence
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Journalists rely on PR for information and news
PR raids news media’s workforces for talent
PR practitioners think they make journalists jobs
easier; some journalists criticize their own
colleagues for being lazy
Skepticism about PR practices
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PR accused of undermining facts and blocking
reporters’ access to clients
PR accused of presenting publicity as news
PR’s Self-regulation
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Formed Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA)
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Independent watchdog organizations
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PR professional organization with code of ethics,
standards
PR Week, PR Watch
Changing PR terminology to sound more
ethically responsible
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“Corporate communications,” “news and
information services”
Public Relations in a
Democratic Society
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PR’s most significant impact may be its involvement
in politics
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Shaping candidates’ image
“Spins” news
PR limited to the affluent members of society
Journalists need to be skeptical
PR practitioners need to urge clients to be
responsible citizens
Media literacy includes knowledge of PR