Before reading this chapter I understood that it is important to conduct research and practice evaluating this research in order to execute a successful public relations campaign. What I had not previously considered was the specific ways of going about acquiring information and the importance of selective choice of methodology dependent on the amount of information required and budget restrictions.
There really is a lot to think about when acquiring information for a campaign. Once a methodology has been chosen, such as qualitative or quantitative varieties of techniques, care must be taken that not enough or too much research isn't undertaken as too little research may leave a practitioner without enough knowledge of the situation at hand and too much reserach is costly in time and money. To ensure this doesn't happen, the setting of clear goals and objectives must be set prior to undetaking research. For me this is an important point of the readings, and one that is laying out a firm theme across PR practice. The most obvious rule I have taken from this weeks readings and previous weeks is that before doing anything in a PR campaign, one must have clear objectives set out in order to achieve success.
The information on SWOT analysis also extended my knowledge of the PR plan and report assignment ahead of us. The readings also outlined that to use a SWOT analysis to its full potential and understanding of related opinions and attitudes surrounding the issue is paramount. The following list of questions will greatly help me narrow down my PR plan for the Maitland Repertory Society:
*Who is the public?
*What are their characteristics?
*Where do we find them?
*Why are they important to us?
*How active or involved is this public relative to our interests?
*What is their hierarchy of importance?
I also found the ethical considerations in reasearch interesting as I previously hadn't considered them. PRIA's Code of Ethics adresses the issue of research, with guidelines to follow such as "Give full disclosure of the reserach procedure".
See John Hanlen's blog for critique.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Strategy, Planning and Scheduling & Tactics
Strategy, Planning and Scheduling
This chapter served an effective, practical addition to my growing knowledge of public relations. In order to execute an objective well, a PR practitioner needs to identify a clear understanding of the situation at hand through operational strategies, planning, budgeting and scheduling. These elements of a campaign are of upmost importance- without them a campaign is doomed to fail. Mintzberg and Quinn ( 1991) define strategy as "a pattern or plan that integrates an organisation's major goals, policies and action sequences into a cohesive whole."
The readings stressed the overall value of strategy in a campaign. I agree with this and found the steps to write an effective strategic communication plan interesting. The 10 important factors to consider are:
*An executive summary
*The Communication Process
*Background
*Situation analysis
*Main messsage statement
*Stakeholders
*Messages for key stakeholders
*Implementation
*Budget
*Monitoring and evaluation
Out of all of these points I feel that the monitoring and evaluation of a strategy is by far the most important element to executing effective strategy. Without the re-evaluation of original ideas, a campaign will not move forward or achieve the objectives set out.
Tactics
Tactics are an exciting element of public relations in that the use of a tactic is only limited to the practitioner's imagination and invention. I learnt it is important not to use the terms tactics and strategy interchangeably as they pose different implications. Tactics are methods used in order to achieve the strategic outcome of reaching a target audience.
The readings went into detail about traditional tactics in the industry such as media relations, printed materials, reports, newsletters, mail, branding, DVD's etc and their status as either controlled or uncontrolled tactics. I found the example of printed materials interesting as I had not previously thought about them in such detail. The need for careful consideration when producing printed tactics such as brochures, leaflets and flyers confirms its status as a controlled tactic, meaning the practitioner has the sole control of the production of the tactic and the way it is received (message creation and crafting of final distribution.) Factors that before seemed trivial to me such as paper size, colour use, semiotics, binding were revealed as important considerations when developing printed material. This is because visual elements may be the difference between a public successfully receiving a message or simply missing it all together. I also learnt that mistakes are costly to a practitioner's time/deadline and budget.
This week I commented on David Elliot's blog.
This chapter served an effective, practical addition to my growing knowledge of public relations. In order to execute an objective well, a PR practitioner needs to identify a clear understanding of the situation at hand through operational strategies, planning, budgeting and scheduling. These elements of a campaign are of upmost importance- without them a campaign is doomed to fail. Mintzberg and Quinn ( 1991) define strategy as "a pattern or plan that integrates an organisation's major goals, policies and action sequences into a cohesive whole."
The readings stressed the overall value of strategy in a campaign. I agree with this and found the steps to write an effective strategic communication plan interesting. The 10 important factors to consider are:
*An executive summary
*The Communication Process
*Background
*Situation analysis
*Main messsage statement
*Stakeholders
*Messages for key stakeholders
*Implementation
*Budget
*Monitoring and evaluation
Out of all of these points I feel that the monitoring and evaluation of a strategy is by far the most important element to executing effective strategy. Without the re-evaluation of original ideas, a campaign will not move forward or achieve the objectives set out.
Tactics
Tactics are an exciting element of public relations in that the use of a tactic is only limited to the practitioner's imagination and invention. I learnt it is important not to use the terms tactics and strategy interchangeably as they pose different implications. Tactics are methods used in order to achieve the strategic outcome of reaching a target audience.
The readings went into detail about traditional tactics in the industry such as media relations, printed materials, reports, newsletters, mail, branding, DVD's etc and their status as either controlled or uncontrolled tactics. I found the example of printed materials interesting as I had not previously thought about them in such detail. The need for careful consideration when producing printed tactics such as brochures, leaflets and flyers confirms its status as a controlled tactic, meaning the practitioner has the sole control of the production of the tactic and the way it is received (message creation and crafting of final distribution.) Factors that before seemed trivial to me such as paper size, colour use, semiotics, binding were revealed as important considerations when developing printed material. This is because visual elements may be the difference between a public successfully receiving a message or simply missing it all together. I also learnt that mistakes are costly to a practitioner's time/deadline and budget.
This week I commented on David Elliot's blog.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Sponsorship and Event Management
The readings this week identify sponsorship as a 'hugely successful' public relations tactic. Sponsorship is defined by Johnston and Zawawi as "the purchase of specific rights and benefits associated with an event, organisation or individual." The readings go on to imply very clearly in their definition of sponsorship that it expects a return.
This concept rings true whenever you go to an event. Just on the weekend I attended the Olyroos V North Korea match at Energy Australia Stadium. Toshiba were a major sponsor of this event and used logos easily recognisable by attendees to generate a sense of awareness of the company. Through purchasing the rights of this event, Toshiba were able to generate a sense of goodwill and also attempt to strengthen their reputation and image through the association with the football match. The readings urge that sponsorship also provides potential sales for businesses through marketing their brand or product in ways that are highly visible to a target or mass group which may contain potential consumers. Toshiba clearly shared these objectives and attempted to achieve this through exclusivity, image association, signage rights, merchandising and media coverage- all of which are outlined in the readings as sponsor benefits.
I feel the most interesting aspect of the reading was the specific components of a sponsorship proposal and the emphasis on identifying target audiences, setting clear objectives and the subsequent evaluation of these objectives. The extensive work and preparation behind sponsorship became apparent in the Telstra sponsorship criteria and application guide. Also the potential for marketing ambushes complicates sponsorship proposals. It is something a PR practitioner must be aware of as a successful ambush may diminish the effectiveness of the main sponsors.
Similarly to sponsorship, event management takes on the need for extensive planning, evaluation and consideration in order to achieve the successful execution of an event. I found Rob Tounge's research about unsuccessful events interesting as a helpful guide of 'what not to do' when planning for an event. Although most of the characteristics of failed events listed are purely common sense, it made me realise that something as simple as the clashing of event dates or insufficient planning for undesirable weather conditions can be the underlying difference between a succesful event or a disastrous one. The various case studies discussed also demonstrates this point, highlighting that anything can go wrong and the ability to remedy sticky situations is vital in event management.
See Abby's blog for critique.
This concept rings true whenever you go to an event. Just on the weekend I attended the Olyroos V North Korea match at Energy Australia Stadium. Toshiba were a major sponsor of this event and used logos easily recognisable by attendees to generate a sense of awareness of the company. Through purchasing the rights of this event, Toshiba were able to generate a sense of goodwill and also attempt to strengthen their reputation and image through the association with the football match. The readings urge that sponsorship also provides potential sales for businesses through marketing their brand or product in ways that are highly visible to a target or mass group which may contain potential consumers. Toshiba clearly shared these objectives and attempted to achieve this through exclusivity, image association, signage rights, merchandising and media coverage- all of which are outlined in the readings as sponsor benefits.
I feel the most interesting aspect of the reading was the specific components of a sponsorship proposal and the emphasis on identifying target audiences, setting clear objectives and the subsequent evaluation of these objectives. The extensive work and preparation behind sponsorship became apparent in the Telstra sponsorship criteria and application guide. Also the potential for marketing ambushes complicates sponsorship proposals. It is something a PR practitioner must be aware of as a successful ambush may diminish the effectiveness of the main sponsors.
Similarly to sponsorship, event management takes on the need for extensive planning, evaluation and consideration in order to achieve the successful execution of an event. I found Rob Tounge's research about unsuccessful events interesting as a helpful guide of 'what not to do' when planning for an event. Although most of the characteristics of failed events listed are purely common sense, it made me realise that something as simple as the clashing of event dates or insufficient planning for undesirable weather conditions can be the underlying difference between a succesful event or a disastrous one. The various case studies discussed also demonstrates this point, highlighting that anything can go wrong and the ability to remedy sticky situations is vital in event management.
See Abby's blog for critique.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Writing Skills and the Press Release
I learnt from the readings this week that sound writing skills are a must in order to secure a job in public relations.
Kurt Wise urges in his article, "The Importance of Writing Skills":
"Writing is one of the foundations of a successful public relations practitioner and the ability to communicate messages clearly and concisely is one of their differentiating skills." (Treadwell and Treadwell, 2004)
Possessing the ability to write in a versatile, persuasive and informative manner will set the strong candidates apart from the weak applicants as basic writing skills are diminishing in university graduates.
The readings also emphasised the importance of writing for web format. It urges a different approach needs to be taken when composing text for the internet as people read information differently on the web than they do when reading a newspaper or magazine. Wise advises that a more concise, conversational and enticing style needs to be adopted for the on-line audience.
The second article was extremely helpful for a budding public relations practitioner. It gives 10 simple tips to construct an effective media release. This is important as the media release is vital for media relations in the PR world. Here is a quick summary of the tips:
1. Make sure you are presenting information of genuine worth.
2. Don't mistake a press release for an advertisement.
3. Don't think one size fits all.
4. Keep it short and succinct.
5. Make the heading relevant.
6. Be careful and clever with quotes.
7. Do the reporters job for them.
8. Keep the boilerplate to a minimum.
9. Give a tag-team of contacts.
10. Check and double check.
See Levi's blog for critique.
Kurt Wise urges in his article, "The Importance of Writing Skills":
"Writing is one of the foundations of a successful public relations practitioner and the ability to communicate messages clearly and concisely is one of their differentiating skills." (Treadwell and Treadwell, 2004)
Possessing the ability to write in a versatile, persuasive and informative manner will set the strong candidates apart from the weak applicants as basic writing skills are diminishing in university graduates.
The readings also emphasised the importance of writing for web format. It urges a different approach needs to be taken when composing text for the internet as people read information differently on the web than they do when reading a newspaper or magazine. Wise advises that a more concise, conversational and enticing style needs to be adopted for the on-line audience.
The second article was extremely helpful for a budding public relations practitioner. It gives 10 simple tips to construct an effective media release. This is important as the media release is vital for media relations in the PR world. Here is a quick summary of the tips:
1. Make sure you are presenting information of genuine worth.
2. Don't mistake a press release for an advertisement.
3. Don't think one size fits all.
4. Keep it short and succinct.
5. Make the heading relevant.
6. Be careful and clever with quotes.
7. Do the reporters job for them.
8. Keep the boilerplate to a minimum.
9. Give a tag-team of contacts.
10. Check and double check.
See Levi's blog for critique.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Media Relations
The media proves to be the most effective means of communicating with the public- an essential skill of a public relations practitioner. The readings this week established the importance of an understanding of journalism and the associated tools used to reach audiences by the media. An understanding of media releases, deadlines, newsvalues and media conferences will further engage a practitioner with their set task and over all improve the standard of their practice. Through an understanding of these journalistic elements a relationship between PR and journalism can be founded. Typically the relationships between PR practitioners and journalists are viewed as competitive and unfriendly. The readings suggest that uneasy relationships need to be mended through mutual understanding and respect for each other's roles due to the growing interdependence between the two industries.
I enjoyed reading about media conferences as the readings included detailed, helpful and practical advice about running conferences such as when to hold a conference, who to invite and how, where conferences should be held and set-up considerations. Practical inclusions in the readings such as these really help me to understand public relations more clearly and they help give a more vivid depiction of a career in the industry.
See Laurie's blog for this week's critique.
I enjoyed reading about media conferences as the readings included detailed, helpful and practical advice about running conferences such as when to hold a conference, who to invite and how, where conferences should be held and set-up considerations. Practical inclusions in the readings such as these really help me to understand public relations more clearly and they help give a more vivid depiction of a career in the industry.
See Laurie's blog for this week's critique.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Legal Environment and Ethics
'The Legal Environment' forced me to address to legal side of PR, which I had previously underestimated its complexities. The readings established a clear importance of understanding law in the PR domain. Practising without a basic understanding of laws such as contract, copyright, negligence, torts, defamation etc could easily lead to unlawful behaviour which is potentially destructive to a PR campaign, sponsors, careers, relationships and reputations. These elements run hand in hand with public relations practice and thus signify the up most importance of both understanding legal obligations and practicing within these obligations. The unnerving part is that a PR practitioner can break these laws without even knowing or intending to due to the complexity and intricasies of the legal environment. This emphasises the need for mindful practice and the execution of thorough care when working with clients- especially when reputations are at stake. A practitioner must obide by their duty of care. When failure to exercise reasonable care takes place a litigation may arise costing time, money and potential damage to relationships.
I think the key point to take from this reading is that it is important to engage with the legal environment. Although it is complex and there are unavoidable legal problems in PR, practicing with sound legal advice is almost certain to minimise damage.
Johnston and Zawawi explain 'ethics' with a straightforward idea, "Ethics are standards of integrity. In a nutshell, ethics is about doing the right thing." This is simply the main point to take away from the chapter, however i understand that deciding what is right or wrong is not always an easy task. Decisions must ensure a balance of commercial objectives and responsiblities to stakeholders. When making a decision, companies must consider the concept of transparency and professionalism in order to achieve a sense of genuity and trust with stakeholders and publics.
I found the 'Cash for Comment' case study the most interesting and a clear guide of what not to do in orer to practice ethically. Deception of publics and those enlisting a sense of trust in an organisation is a sure fire way to damage reputations, relationships and consequently careers.
See Emma's blog for critique.
I think the key point to take from this reading is that it is important to engage with the legal environment. Although it is complex and there are unavoidable legal problems in PR, practicing with sound legal advice is almost certain to minimise damage.
Johnston and Zawawi explain 'ethics' with a straightforward idea, "Ethics are standards of integrity. In a nutshell, ethics is about doing the right thing." This is simply the main point to take away from the chapter, however i understand that deciding what is right or wrong is not always an easy task. Decisions must ensure a balance of commercial objectives and responsiblities to stakeholders. When making a decision, companies must consider the concept of transparency and professionalism in order to achieve a sense of genuity and trust with stakeholders and publics.
I found the 'Cash for Comment' case study the most interesting and a clear guide of what not to do in orer to practice ethically. Deception of publics and those enlisting a sense of trust in an organisation is a sure fire way to damage reputations, relationships and consequently careers.
See Emma's blog for critique.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
A Typical Public Relations Program & Strategy, Planning and Scheduling
This weeks readings really helped me to understand the practical nature of PR strategy and planning and the intricasies involved in effectively practising PR. I learnt the importance of objectives, target audiences, opinions, research and budgeting and also the need to re-evaluate these original strategies to ensure effective and efficient practise and implementation. The Zawawi and Johnston's lay out of a strategic public relations plan summarised these elements effectively as it explained what a campaign's 'skeleton' should include. Also the importance of lists and charts was made known in order for a practitioner to think about their plan systematically.
I found the case study "AMP Sponsorship of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch Relay" particularly interesting as it puts all of the theoretical aspects into motion. Beginning with a detailed list of goals and objectives AMP were able to implement a successful campaign through targeting publics and developing strategies such as on site branding, promotions, advertising and risk management. The continual evaluation of this process was vital to make improvements and enhance the success of the campaign. Brand, Employee and Commercial measurements were made through research evaluating the success of the objective in comparison to the actual result. For example, the objective to raise the profile of financial planning was achieved as 90% of financial planners said torch relay involvement increased their profile in the olcal community.
I think the most important element of the readings this week is to recognise that a campaign is only successful through continuous evaluation of the existing strategies. If something isn't working upon implementation, then it needs to be reconsidered in order to achieve the desired objectives.
See Teigan's blog for critique.
I found the case study "AMP Sponsorship of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch Relay" particularly interesting as it puts all of the theoretical aspects into motion. Beginning with a detailed list of goals and objectives AMP were able to implement a successful campaign through targeting publics and developing strategies such as on site branding, promotions, advertising and risk management. The continual evaluation of this process was vital to make improvements and enhance the success of the campaign. Brand, Employee and Commercial measurements were made through research evaluating the success of the objective in comparison to the actual result. For example, the objective to raise the profile of financial planning was achieved as 90% of financial planners said torch relay involvement increased their profile in the olcal community.
I think the most important element of the readings this week is to recognise that a campaign is only successful through continuous evaluation of the existing strategies. If something isn't working upon implementation, then it needs to be reconsidered in order to achieve the desired objectives.
See Teigan's blog for critique.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
PR FAQ and Internal and Community Relations
I really appreciated the readings this week due to the detailed insight into PR in the 'real world', where are parties, champagne and celebrities are few and far between. It added a third dimension to the way I had previously viewed PR that strangely enough didn't diminish my interest in the field. The personal accounts of practising PR revealed that a sincere passion for the industry can be developed. I appreciated the honest, un-distorted view points that really deflates the fabricated, pop-culture depiction of PR that still sometimes taints my perceptions.
Internal and community relations was an interesting chapter that outlined the importance of a harmonious internal relations within a company in order to succeed. I found the opening sentence interesting upon first reading the chapter.
These three values are the opposite to what most people feel PR embodys- Betrayal, lies and selfishness. Once again this enforces the point I made above about the common PR misconceptions.
We learn that image is everything in PR and one of the best ways to maintain a company's healthy image is to invest in employee goodwill. If the employees are happy, then their family and friends are happy thus maintaining an extended company appreciation. This is remniscient of Grunig's Two Way symmetric model. The ANZ Case study applies this theory within their 'break out' strategy. To be successful it must be stressed that one hundred percent employee commitment was needed including adopting the value of "leading and inspiring each other".
See Larrissa's blog for critique.
Internal and community relations was an interesting chapter that outlined the importance of a harmonious internal relations within a company in order to succeed. I found the opening sentence interesting upon first reading the chapter.
"Trust, honesty and community-these are the values that organisations and public relations need to embrace."
These three values are the opposite to what most people feel PR embodys- Betrayal, lies and selfishness. Once again this enforces the point I made above about the common PR misconceptions.
We learn that image is everything in PR and one of the best ways to maintain a company's healthy image is to invest in employee goodwill. If the employees are happy, then their family and friends are happy thus maintaining an extended company appreciation. This is remniscient of Grunig's Two Way symmetric model. The ANZ Case study applies this theory within their 'break out' strategy. To be successful it must be stressed that one hundred percent employee commitment was needed including adopting the value of "leading and inspiring each other".
See Larrissa's blog for critique.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Chapter 3- Theoretical Perspectives
The chapter explains the importance of interpreting PR through applying various theories and also audiences and the associated media effects upon them. I was particularly drawn to Semiotics and its effects upon audiences. It made me think of a recent advertising campaign for Coke Zero and the consequent PR involvement.
Semiotics in simple terms is the study of signs and their representations. It encompasses the manipulation or shaping of people's thoughts through the use of symbols, whether visual or otherwise, and their associated connotations. For example, the colour red is often a symbol for stop seen at traffic lights and stop signs. This is an automatic human response to a red symbol. The same principle is used for advertising when using symbols to market a product.
A recent campaign for Coke Zero involved 'underground' methods of advertising where the ambiguous phrase "The Zero Movement" was spray painted on walls, trains and pathways in Sydney's CBD. Internet spam was also used to make the 'movement' appear edgey and aqcuire hype and public interest. Through this symbol, Coke were able to heighten the brand name before even releasing a product. Slogans such as "Why can't nights out come with zero morning afters??" were used to attract men into consuming the product due to the male stigma surrounding 'diet' coke... which is also a feministic symbol we associate with the social pressures for women to stay thin. Coke were trying to capitalise on a target audience (In this case men). The readings heightened my understand of this notion:
"By identifying audiences that share similar patterns of media usage, media and cultural planners can develop behavioural profiles of audiences."
Deceivingly appearing as a grassroots movement, Coke has gone against the theoretical underpinnings of Grunig's "Two-way symmetric" model which is considered the ethical or 'ideal' model of PR application. Ideally, Public's views are respected and given the same importance as the organisation in question. This certainly isn't the case in the Coke example. The "press agentry" model fits perfectly however, due to the extreme lengths Coke went to create hype for a premmature product.
I found this example really interesting- here is a link to find out more if you feel the urge :
This example also demonstrated to me the fine line between marketing and PR practise and the growing grey areas between the two which was explained in the first reading:
"Some tools and functions of PR can be used to assist the promotion and sales of products and services, and are thus included in the 'marketing mix.'"
I understand that the main difference is that marketing is profit based and PR is not necessarily so, however I found 'the zero movement' particularly interesting as there was no actual product being pitched, just a fabricated movement which is most easily described through the application of semiotics.
See Nathan's blog for critique.
Semiotics in simple terms is the study of signs and their representations. It encompasses the manipulation or shaping of people's thoughts through the use of symbols, whether visual or otherwise, and their associated connotations. For example, the colour red is often a symbol for stop seen at traffic lights and stop signs. This is an automatic human response to a red symbol. The same principle is used for advertising when using symbols to market a product.
"Semiotics demonstrates the way meaning can be manipulated by words, metaphors and images. The role of perception in communication and how perception is culturally determined."
A recent campaign for Coke Zero involved 'underground' methods of advertising where the ambiguous phrase "The Zero Movement" was spray painted on walls, trains and pathways in Sydney's CBD. Internet spam was also used to make the 'movement' appear edgey and aqcuire hype and public interest. Through this symbol, Coke were able to heighten the brand name before even releasing a product. Slogans such as "Why can't nights out come with zero morning afters??" were used to attract men into consuming the product due to the male stigma surrounding 'diet' coke... which is also a feministic symbol we associate with the social pressures for women to stay thin. Coke were trying to capitalise on a target audience (In this case men). The readings heightened my understand of this notion:
"By identifying audiences that share similar patterns of media usage, media and cultural planners can develop behavioural profiles of audiences."
Deceivingly appearing as a grassroots movement, Coke has gone against the theoretical underpinnings of Grunig's "Two-way symmetric" model which is considered the ethical or 'ideal' model of PR application. Ideally, Public's views are respected and given the same importance as the organisation in question. This certainly isn't the case in the Coke example. The "press agentry" model fits perfectly however, due to the extreme lengths Coke went to create hype for a premmature product.
I found this example really interesting- here is a link to find out more if you feel the urge :
This example also demonstrated to me the fine line between marketing and PR practise and the growing grey areas between the two which was explained in the first reading:
"Some tools and functions of PR can be used to assist the promotion and sales of products and services, and are thus included in the 'marketing mix.'"
I understand that the main difference is that marketing is profit based and PR is not necessarily so, however I found 'the zero movement' particularly interesting as there was no actual product being pitched, just a fabricated movement which is most easily described through the application of semiotics.
See Nathan's blog for critique.
Chapter 1 & 2
Until the completion of the readings this week, my understanding of PR was limited and un-informed. My initial perceptions of the profession (like most passive media audience members) were based around stereotypical, popular representations such as Eddie and Patsie in the BBC series "Absolutely fabulous" and Prentiss and McCabe in "Absolute Power". The programs embody the all too common sensationalist perception of PR Practise, focusing on spin, celebrities and manipulation in the name of wholesome entertainment.
Reflecting upon Stephen Fry's hilarious anecdotes, I am not surprised the PR industry is plagued with stigma and negative connotations. I found the historical component of the readings interesting as they provided further insight as to why the profession is sometimes frowned upon beyond spin and dishonesty. The tensions between journalists and PR practitioners was particularly interesting, as many journalists who moved to the greener pastures of PR were labelled traitors. The ripples of this hostility are perhaps still an influence in many peoples dissatisfaction for PR practise.
The readings also confirmed that the stigma plaguing PR professionals is undeserved. Unfair perceptions of the industry such as dishonesty, manipulation and spin are gross generalisations made by un-informed persons exposed only to sensationalist experiences of the practise. The following is an excerpt about "Absolute Power" taken from the BBC website which I think embodies the common misconceptions of PR:
The social responsibility theory accepts the role of the press as the integration of enlightening the public and safe-guarding the liberties of the individual in what can be deemed a 'fourth estate' role- A form of media watchdog.It is interesting however that media message receivers do not consider the media as "socially responsible" or ethical. This means that messages being sent are likely to be ignored and impact less people due to public cynicism. I am keen to read on to chapter 3 where it explains this in further detail through theories of PR and its methods such as semiotics to reach audiences.
I feel the most important thing i have taken from the readings so far is that the stigma attached to PR is a gross simplification of the complex and varse industry that is much more encompassing that I first imagined. This is actually going to be a interesting subject :)
Reflecting upon Stephen Fry's hilarious anecdotes, I am not surprised the PR industry is plagued with stigma and negative connotations. I found the historical component of the readings interesting as they provided further insight as to why the profession is sometimes frowned upon beyond spin and dishonesty. The tensions between journalists and PR practitioners was particularly interesting, as many journalists who moved to the greener pastures of PR were labelled traitors. The ripples of this hostility are perhaps still an influence in many peoples dissatisfaction for PR practise.
"The stereotype of the journalist who abandoned a low paid but honourable
job to become a well-paid mercenary of business was formulated at this time
(1950s/60s) and remains strong today."
job to become a well-paid mercenary of business was formulated at this time
(1950s/60s) and remains strong today."
The readings also confirmed that the stigma plaguing PR professionals is undeserved. Unfair perceptions of the industry such as dishonesty, manipulation and spin are gross generalisations made by un-informed persons exposed only to sensationalist experiences of the practise. The following is an excerpt about "Absolute Power" taken from the BBC website which I think embodies the common misconceptions of PR:
"A savage swipe at the modern-day obsessions of celebrity and spin, Absolute Power cast light on
life at Prentiss McCabe, the doyen of PR agencies where - with an almost heroic lack of morals or ethical responsibility - the staff spin news stories to benefit their often loathsome clients: wife-beating entertainers, ruthlessly ambitious politicians, bad-boy footballers, duplicitous TV personalities and others."http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/a/absolutepower_999031110.shtml
The various ethical and social responsibilities involved in PR are made clear through the social responsibility theory and the definition of PR:
"The ethical and strategic management of communication and relationships in order to build and develop coalition and policy, identiful and manage issues and create and direct messages to achieve sound outcomes within a socially responsible framework."
The social responsibility theory accepts the role of the press as the integration of enlightening the public and safe-guarding the liberties of the individual in what can be deemed a 'fourth estate' role- A form of media watchdog.
I feel the most important thing i have taken from the readings so far is that the stigma attached to PR is a gross simplification of the complex and varse industry that is much more encompassing that I first imagined. This is actually going to be a interesting subject :)
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