Introduction to Public Relations

Different textbooks will give slightly different definitions of Public Relations. The
nature of the discipline makes it difficult to define. Some define it from the
communication angle, some from the publics and some from the organisation
perspective.

But the essence is communicating to key publics in order to influence and

shape the key publics opinion and perception of the company.

A common textbook definition used is from the British Institute of Public Relations
is:
The planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and
mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.

This definition explains that public relations:

- is a management function
- is organised, continuous and not haphazard
- enables the organisation to be understood by key publics - groups of people who
affect and are affected by its activities.

So What is Public Relations?

WHAT? - Managing relationships between an organisation and its publics

(groups of people on whom its success or failure depends).
WHY? - To ensure the publics have a positive and supportive opinion and
perception of the organisation.
HOW? - By creating the right environment within which the organisation can
operate its business.
END RESULT OF PR - Business that benefits both the organisation and its
publics.

The Role and Functions of Public Relations:

The Pepsi Story also exemplifies the public relations activity/process of research
or fact-finding, action planning, communication and evaluation.

The four main public relations activities are:

- Doing Research   R  

- Counseling Management A  
- Action Planning
- Communicating   C  

- Evaluating Action   E  

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The role of Public Relation is to:
- shape organisation's practices by counseling and advising top management
- tell organisation's story to create goodwill and understanding
- shape and influence attitudes and opinions of key publics
- handle organisation's communications

Public relations therefore:

- informs and educates management;
- creates understanding between organisation and its publics; -creates a
hospitable environment within which an organisation can do business.

Public Relations Functions

The typical functions of a public relations person include:

- Coordinating relationships with the media

- Reaching the employees

- Supporting activities with customers

- Coordinating activities with govt. & specialty groups

- Managing relations with Investor/shareholders

- Coordinating organisation’s print, graphic & photo services

- Coordinating special events

- Conducting opinion research

- Managing Sponsorships

- Management Counseling

By now you will realise that the purpose of PR is not merely to create mutual
understanding, but also to achieve specific objectives. “These objectives often
involve solving communications problems e.g. converting negative attitudes into
positive attitudes, that is effecting change… When there are objectives, results
can be measured against them, making PR a tangible activity.” [Jefkins, 1992].

Read more from the PR Society of America's "Official Statement of Public

Relations”: http://www.prsa.org (go to Resources, click on The Profession)

Public Relations vs Marketing vs Advertising

Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing,

promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that
satisfy individual and organisational objectives [American Marketing Association]

Advertising is paid-for broadcast time or print media space that publicises the
product or service and complements the PR efforts. The emphasis is often on
selling, which differs from the PR role. But Advertising is more likely to succeed
when prior PR activity has created knowledge & understanding of the product or
service.

Public Relations is "free" publicity that 'sells' the company. Unlike Advertising, it is
concerned with informing, educating and creating understanding through

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knowledge. It is more extensive as it involves communications of the total
organisation & all its publics, whereas advertising is limited to the marketing
function.

Be careful about the word “free publicity”. It is seen as “free” only because the
organisation does not have to pay to get its stories in the media – since
journalists write the stories. There is nothing free about PR. It is time consuming
and time costs money [Jefkins, 1992].

The two full-page MI advertisements from the print media show the difference
between a marketing and public relations effort. The first is an advertisement
about MI services - an above-the-line marketing strategy. The second
advertisement is a note to thank customers. Though a paid-for advertisement, it
is a public relations effort, a below-the-line strategy - to show the quality,
efficiency and success of MI as a service provider.

Public Relations is not propaganda or just mere publicity.

Propaganda is a means of gaining support for an opinion, creed or belief and has
to do with emotional or spiritual topics such as causes, politics or religion, with
which many people may not agree. The recipients often have little to gain and it
may be used for good, bad or indifferent causes. “Thus propaganda, like
advertising, is prejudiced in favour of its topic: good PR, on the other hand,
should be factual, unbiased and free of self-praise.”[Jefkins, 1992]

Publicity can be good or bad and results from information made known. It may be
uncontrollable. Public Relations aims to create opportunities for good publicity for
an organisation.

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Publicity is information provided by an outside source that is used by the media
because the information has news value. It is an uncontrolled method of placing
messages in the media because the source does not pay the media for
placement.

Because of this, sources have no control over if the information is used, when it is
used, and how it is used, or misused, by the media.

The media may use the information as provided, change the original information,
or change how it is presented, usually without identifying a publicity specialist as
the original source.

In the eyes of readers, listeners, or viewers, the medium carrying the information
is the source.

Publics of Public Relations

Publics are groups of people, internally & externally, with whom an organisation
communicates. PR activities are not directed at the “general public”. They are
aimed at carefully selected groups of people who are subdivisions of the general
public.

Although the publics of one organisation may differ from those of another, below
are some examples:
a. community
b. current & potential employees
c. suppliers & of services /materials, and distributors
d. investors
e. consumers
f. opinion leaders

Some consider the media as a public. Strictly speaking, the media are the means
of communicating with publics. However, if the organisation has a specific
problem or issue with members of the media, a PR programme can be put in
place specifically targeted at the media as a public. But media personalities &
celebrities such as columnists and presenters may be included among ‘opinion
leaders’.

Reasons for defining publics:

a. identify all groups relative to a PR programme
b. establish priorities within the scope of the budget & resources
c. select relevant media & techniques
d. prepare the message in acceptable & effective forms

Qualities & Skills of a PR Practitioner

1. Communication skills - writing and speaking

2. Creative skills
3. Organising skills
4. People-handling skills
5. Problem-solving skills

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Core Concepts in Public Relations are:

1. Reputation and Credibility

2. Two-way communication
3. Deliberate, planned and sustained performance
4. Management function

References:
Cutlip (1994) - Chapter 1
Jefkins (1998) - Chapter 2
White (1991) - Chapter 1
White (1995) - Chapters 1 & 2
Wilcox (1998) - Chapter 1
 
 

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