What is the fuss and buzz about

Pr?

A Presentation by Jide Johnson. kce,rmc

Human beings are not created for isolation but for relationship. The whole essence of creation is relationship – relationship between God and man; and man with other fellow men.

Pr central concern and focus is initiating, maintaining and sustaining relationship

Prologue

Private and public organizations depend on good relations with groups and individuals, whose opinion, decisions ,and actions affect their vitality and survival. (Seitel,p.36)

The principles, process, scope and dimensions of Pr are now widely employed by individuals, organisations, profit and for profit institutions, government and nations in all of their activities and relationship with the target audience and stakeholders

Introduction I

Public relations has become part of the fabric of modern society. [Seitel,2011:47]

Public relations affect almost everyone who has contact with other human beings. All of us, in one way or the other practice public relations daily. For an organization, every phone call, every letter and every face-to-face encounter, is a public relations event. [Seitel, 2011:39]

Why Pr?

Various attempts have been made by many scholars, professional and all who have reasons to use PR in their activities. Adopting an operational definition will provide a foundational clarifications for the focus our discuss.

Arens (2004: 399) opined that

the concept of PR is widely misunderstood and misused. Part of the confusion is due to the fact that PR covers a very broad area. Depending on the context and one’s point of view, it can be a concept, a profession, a management function, or a practice.

What is Pr?

Robert Heilborner, an American historian describes the field of pr as “a brotherhood of 100,000, whose common bond is its profession and whose common woe is that no two of them can ever quite agree on what the profession is” (see Seitel,2011:36)

Why is difficult to define Pr?

The scope of pr is limitless & pervasive.

Duties of practitioners vary from org.2 org.

Lack of control mechanism

Heilboner’s Justifications

It is management function, which evaluates public attitude, identifies the policies and procedure of an individual and or an organization with public interest, plans and execute a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.(Denny Griswold)

Definition I

Public relations is a distinctive management function, which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between an organisation and its publics; involves in the management of problems and issues; helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public opinion; defines and emphasises the responsibility of management to serve public interest; helps management to keep abreast of and effectively utilise change, serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and ethical communication techniques as its principal tool

Rex Harlow’s Postulation

It is a field that is highly dependent on the mass media;

It uses editorial outlets provided by mass media and social to convey messages to a targeted audience.

It tool of organization communication

PR has to do with process of manipulating meanings in ways that are not apparent to the target audience

To influence their interpretation of messages about a person or group(s) represented by the communicator

Such interpretation are not necessarily deceptive or unethical, but based on the objectives/goals of the communicator and desired outcome sought by it.

Truths of Pr

As identified by Cultip et al. (2000) as follows, PR is seen as detrimental to society as it is perceived as:

Gaining advantages for and promoting special interests, sometimes at the cost of public well-being

Cluttering already choked channels of communication with the debris of pseudo-events and phony phrases that confuses rather than clarify

Corroding our channels of communication with cynicism and credibility gaps

Social negatives of Pr

PR can be perceived as beneficial to society if it:

improves the conduct of organisations by stressing the need for public approval

serves the public interest by making all points of view articulate in the public forum

serves segmented society by using communication and mediation to replace misinformation with information, discord with rapport

fulfils its social responsibility to promote human welfare by helping social systems adapt to changing needs and environments

Improves professional practice by codifying and enforcing ethical conduct and standards of performance

Social Benefits of Pr

PR is a deliberate process designed for a specific purpose/objective to targeted audience.

According to (Jim Osborne: 1994), the primary role of PR is to manage a company’s reputation and help build public consent for its enterprises. Today’s business environment has become so competitive that public consent can no longer be assumed or taken for granted. It must be earned continually.

Goals & Objectives of PR

To improve public opinion To build goodwill To establish and maintain

satisfactory reputation To rally public support To obtain public

understanding To build credibility and public

acceptance To build corporate

trustworthiness and image To aggregate or channels,

groups, opinion towards mutual understanding and positive outcomes. (See Arens,2004)

Pr Objectives & Goals

Communication is one of the major and most important assets that an organization has. “Public relations is communication programme that can serve as a convenient shelter from attack and a useful mechanism for dealing with bad news” (Treadwell & Treadwell ,2000:17)

Pr as Planned Communications

The ultimate goal of PR is to improve communication amongst parties involved in a relationship– developing, maintaining and sustaining goodwill with most ,if not all the publics.

Simply put, PR is the cultivation of relationship with the publics and stakeholders through a deliberate planned communication programme based on mutual trust and understanding.

Pr as effective Communications

To inform…provide information that guides decision making

To educate… simplify complicated process

To persuade…used to change /alter / reinforce perception or attitudes and opinions

The Goals of Pr Communication

To motivate… propels actions or reactions of people/targets

To communicate …build understanding

To relate…the tool and mechanism of relationship building.

The Goals of Pr Communications

Prof. Melvin Sharpe posits that the underlying principle guiding the PR process is harmonising long term relationship among individuals and organisations in the society.

The goal of effective PR is harmonisation of internal and external public so that the organisation can enjoy public goodwill, stability and long life in the operations. He posited the followings as the principles

  Honest communication for credibility Openness and consistency of actions for

confidence Fairness of actions for reciprocity and

goodwill Continuous two-way communication to

prevent alienation and build relationship Environmental research and evaluations to

determine actions and adjustment needed for harmony.

 

Underlying Principles of Pr as Comm. Process

It is an integrated mechanism of communications with target audience. It include these five elements:

Objectives setting...purpose determination, why are we communicating?

  Message Design/selection...what and how

to communicate

Media selection... where, when and how to say.

  Programme implementation...activating the

plan 

Programme evaluation...monitoring, measuring and modifying

Spectrum Of Pr Comm. Programme

The mastery of these communication skill is central and critical to public relations practice.

Writing Speaking Listening Promoting, and Counseling

Communication Skills of pr

Government relations Corporate relation Community relations Media relations International relations Customer relations

Relational activities in pr

Shareholders relations Employee relations International relations Financial relations Investor relations Dealer –distributor relations Marketing Public relations

Relational activities in pr

Advertising: is information paid for and placed in the media by an identified sponsor. It is a controlled method of placing messages.

Publicity: is information provided by an outside source that is used by the media because the information has news value. Uncontrolled unpaid for method of media placement.

Other related Areas of pr

News management: When individuals and organisations seek to affect the flow and content of news through news releases, news conferences, and staged events.

 Marketing Communications: Marketing programmes designed to build and sustain relationships with targets consumers using all forms of communication tools and techniques

Political Choices: The expressions of preferences and decisions over who gets what (and who does what). how, and when in a society. From political choices over time public policies emerge

Other related Areas of pr

Lobbying: is a specialised part of public relations that builds and maintains relations with government primarily to influence legislation and regulation.

Issues management: is the proactive process of anticipating, identifying, evaluating, and responding to public policy issues that affects an organisation’s relations with its publics.

Other related Areas of pr

Public opinion Polling: is the systematic collection and interpretation of information on what the public thinks or feel about a person, issues and events.

Public Affairs: is that specialised part of public relations that builds and maintains relationships with governmental agencies and community stakeholder groups in order to influence public policy.

Other related Areas of pr

News/Press Release: The Video News Release (VNR)

Special Events: Broadcast and Print interviews: Sponsorship/contribution: Press Meeting/Conferences: Community

Relations/Philanthropy Media Relations Media Tours  News Letters and Publications

Advertorials.

 

Strategic tools of pr

Websites Speaking Engagements: Internet Blog E-mail Media Kits Social Media Social media networks

Strategic tools of pr

Public relations is everything from planning entire communications campaigns to writing letter to the editor. It involves any activity that enhances the reputation of your client, mediates disputes between various publics and your client, helps to achieve mutual understanding among all parties involved in an issue, advocates on behalf of client or cause, provides guidance and direction, and results in positive and mutual well-being[Bivins,2008:2]

Conclusion

Arens, W. F. (2004) Contemporary Advertising, Ninth Edition, Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin Inc.

Gagnon (2003). The Marketing Manager Handbook. The Key to Sales and Marketing Success. United States: Internet media

Kothler,P. and Armstrong, G (2008).Principles of Marketing,12th Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.Lattimore. D., Baskin, O., Herman, S., and Toth, E.(2007) Public Relations Profession and The Practice. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin Inc.

Moriarty,S. (1994).“Public Relations in Integrated Marketing Communication : The Benefits of Integration” in Public Relations Quarterly, Fall 1994,pp 38-44

References

Osborne.(1994 “Getting Full Value from Public Relations” in Public Relations Journal, October/November 1994,p.64 

Seitel, F.P(2011)The Practice of Public Relations, Eleventh Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Shrimp, T. (2000) Advertising and Promotion: Supplemental Approach of Integrated Marketing Communications, Fifth Edition; New York: The Dryden Press.

 Smith,P.R and Taylor. (2002) Marketing Communications An Integrated Approach of Marketing Communications, Third Edition. London: Kogan Page

 Tixier,M (1995).Appraising communication: reality or utopia. International Public Relations Review. 18:3

Treadwell, D and Treadwell,J.B.(2000). Public Relations Writing, Principles in Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

References