Detailed Outline: What is Public Relations, Anyway?

Amal El Yahcoubi
Com 4310 Public Relations
Dr. Ibahrine

Chapter1: What is Public Relations, Anyway?


I. Prominence of Public Relations:
Five Trends are related to the evolution of Public Relation:
1. Growth of the big institutions
2. Increasing incidence of change, conflict and confrontation in Society
3. Sophistication of people worldwide as a result of technological innovation in communication
4. Growing power of public opinion in this new century
5. Expontial growth of internet based communication

What is Public Relations?
“It is a planed process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way communication.”

II. Planned Process to Influence Public Opinion:
1) Research
2) Action
3) Communication
4) Evaluation

Professor Sharpe applies five principles to the public Relations process:
1. Honest communication for credibility
2. Openness and consistency of actions for confidence
3. Fairness of actions for reciprocity and goodwill
4. Continuous two-way communication to prevent alienation and to build relationships
5. Environmental research and evaluation to determine the actions or adjustments needed for social harmony.

III. Public Relations as Management Interpreter
Good public relations can’t be practiced in a vacuum. No matter what the size of the organization, a public relations department in only as good as its access to management.

IV. Public Relations as Public Interpreter
Interpreting the public to management means finding out what the public really thinks about the firm and letting management know.

Publics can be classified into several overlapping categories:
Internal and external
Primary, secondary, and marginal
Traditional and future
Proponents, opponents, and the uncommitted

V. The Functions of Public Relations:
Writing
Media Relations
Planning
Counselling
Publicity
Marketing Communication
Community Relations
Consumer Relations
Employee Relations
Government Affaires
Investor Relations
Special Public Relations
Public affairs and issues management
Web site development and web interface

VI. The Curse of “Spin”
Definition of Spin:
“The distinctive interpretation of an issue or action to sway public opinion, as in putting a positive slant on a negative story”

VII. What Manner of Man or Woman?
Characteristics for a successful public relations career:
Diversity
Performance
Communication Skills
Relationship building
Proactively and passion
Timeliness
Intangibles, such as personality, likeability, and chemistry.

Six Important technical skills :
Knowledge of the field
Communications knowledge
Technological knowledge
Current events knowledge
Business Knowledge
Management Knowledge.

Effective public relations practitioners must process, the following six requisites are imperative:
Pro communications
Advocacy
Counselling orientation
Ethics
Willingness to take risks
Positive outlook