Chapter one talked about how important it was to understand what PR really means. The word seems to be tossed around quite a bit and few people actually understand what Public Relations really is. Rex Harlow defined public relations as a management function that “helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding,acceptance, and cooperation between an organization and its publics.

Public Relations Defined

PUBLIC: any group of people who share common interests or values in a particular situation-especially interests or values they might be willing to act upon.

STAKEHOLDER: Public that holds a stake in an organization

PR IS:-a management function

-two way communication

-a planned activity

-research based social science

-socially responsible

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT-well-managed organizations know they must have good relationships with publics important to their success.

A profession gaining in respect

Historically, PR’s goal was persuasion, information dissemination, or propoganda…

their is a mutual understanding gaining between publics and management.

The Hunt-Grunig Models of Public Relations

1. press agentry/publicity model: getting favorable coverage from media

2. public information model: dissemination of objective and accurate information

3. two-way asymmetrical model: info gathered from publics to persuade publics. “selfish” model

4. two-way symmetrical model:two way communication as a means of conflict resolution

Public Relations and marketing

talks about using PR as a part of IMC integrated marketing communications

ADVERTISING-the use of controlled media in an attempt to influence action of publics

Marketing- process of researching, creating, refining, and promoting a product or service to targeted consumers.

PUBLIC RELATIONS- management of relationships between organization and its publics.

Why a Public Relations Career?

PR agencies-companies that contract to provide pr services for others

Corperations-pr units within companies

Government: tax-payer supported units within government agencies

Nonprofit Orgs- PR units that serve not-for-profit orgs

Independent PR consultants- self employed pr practitioners.

The Public Relations Process

four step model- involves Research, Planning, Communication, Evaluation.

dynamic model- not necessarily going in that order (?)

The Role of Values in Public Relations- both models for PR are missing values