Week 7 - Investigating journalists’ assessments of public relations subsidies and contact preferences

This week's readings stem from a report published in the Public Relations Review, in which the authors attempted to ascertain the preferences and assessments of journalists vis-à-vis the media releases and promotional material provided by public relations practitioners. The study was conducted via a series of interviews, and the results revealed a widespread discontent among journalists regarding the practices of public relations personnel, with a majority of the journalists interviewed complaining of practitioners' "lack of news sense and values, accuracy, timeliness, and style of presentation". In addition, a significant number (78%) of the journalists interviewed also griped about the perceived self-serving, overtly self-promotional nature of the information provided by public relations practitioners.

What are we to make of all of this? I think the key points to remember from this week's readings are that there is clearly a disconnect between the two professions, which must be bridged by vigorous efforts on the part of public relations practitioners, in order to reap the full benefits of what should be a mutually beneficial relationship. Public relations practitioners should research the preferred modes of delivery of information, as well as how this information should be framed, so as to increase the likelihood of this information being used in the media.

The readings also made me think more about public relations theory and practice, in that practitioners should have a good grasp of the basic requirements of a good media release. We should attempt to emulate the preferred writing style of journalists. One good way to do so would be to use the inverted pyramid format in presenting our information. This means placing the most interesting, important and meaningful information at the top of the media release, followed by information of diminishing importance. This echoes the writing style most frequently used in news writing today, making journalists more inclined to use our media release in their stories. In addition, I think it would be good to include an interesting quote or two in the media release for impact, as well as include contact and practical details for follow-up action. All of this underscores the importance of good writing as a prerequisite for public relations practitioners today, and the importance of framing and developing your information correctly, to ensure a good working relationship with journalists.

Week 6 - Media Relations

Media relations and publicity are an important function in public relations, as can be seen by the interchangeability of the terms when discussing the profession. However, media relations encompass a far wider range of activities than that usually associated with a publicist. I think the key points to remember from this week's readings are that media relations require an in-depth understanding of the organisational structure of the media newsroom, as well as a good grasp of the various tools available in targeting a specific audience.

I think it is important to have an idea of the newsroom hierarchy, so as to know who to approach and develop professional working relationships with. As such, a public relations practitioner should strive towards being on cordial terms with roundspeople and the chief of staff, as these will be the people whom one would interact with on a frequent basis. By forging good working relationships with journalists, one can minimise the likelihood of your organisation being portrayed in an excessively negative light in the media. In addition, it is also essential that a public relations practitioner be able to select the appropriate media for a specific public. This will also entail research into the demographic make-up of an audience, so as to tailor-fit the intended message for them. Media tools such as media releases, advertisements, media kits and feature articles may be used to reach out to as wide an audience as possible. One interesting development would be the increasing trend of harnessing the power of the Internet to create weblogs or profiles of the company, which can be accessed by an increasingly wide group of computer-literate consumers.

The readings also made me think more about public relations theory and practice, in that the media and public relations are really two sides of the same coin. They have a mutually beneficial relationship. Both professions strive towards a common goal: that of communicating with their publics. Researchers such as Glen T. Cameron and Jae-Hwa Shin (2005) have surmised that they do indeed have a complementary relationship, despite perceived differences and conflicts. It is my opinion that a good working relationship between the two is in the best interests of both. I quantify that by adding that this does not imply collusion; there is still room for ethical working practices within this strategic framework of cooperation. Journalists need not copy, word for word, everything a media release might include, but they will benefit from the savings in time and information gathering costs by going straight to the source. This is particularly relevant, I feel, in the case of medical journalism, where journalists would have to rely on media releases by drug companies and researchers on the latest developments in health technology. Public relations practitioners, on the other hand, benefit from having a reporter to relate their message to their publics, as well as to monitor public opinion and trends. It would do well for any public relations practitioner, then, to nurture good working relationships with the media, as collaboration will be a key to dissemminating messages to their target audience.

Week 5 - The Legal Environment & Ethical Practice

Ethics and legal requirements are areas in which a public relations practitioner should tread carefully, to avoid unneccesary trouble. I think the key points to remember from this week's readings are that laws and ethical issues are important to keep in mind in public relations practice, and that they can also be harnessed to protect and add value to the profession.

Some laws, such as the Copyright Act, can be used to protect the intellectual rights of our work material, such as press releases and logos. Conversely, I am also reminded that public rights practitioners must be careful not to plagiarise, and always take pains to acknowledge and obtain permission from our information sources. This, I feel, is imperative in today's litigious and trigger-happy environment. By the same token, public relations practitioners must also be aware of the increased public awareness of their rights, and be sure to adhere to their professional association's code and code of conduct. To do all this, they must have a comprehensive understanding of the various laws and public policies in place today. A useful tool we can use when caught in an ethical dilemma is the Potter Box, which can assist us in identifying the situation, values, principles and loyalties. Other important points to note include the need to be truthful in everyday work, and to take into account the cultural values and beliefs of our publics. This is important in light of the global nature of business and communication today, where one might be posted to work in an unfamiliar country and environment.

The readings made me think more about public relations theory and practice in that concrete steps should be taken to address these legal and ethical issues. An organisation should always consult an experienced legal advisor when formulating public relations strategies, to ensure that they stay in line with existing laws and guidelines in the industry. In addition, public relations practitioners would do well to develop a legal strategy and best practices that suit their specific situation, with the help of the ten-point strategic plan discussed in last week's entry. The increased importance on ethics also seem to me to represent a shift in paradigm for public relations practice. It might be interesting to note that with the increased focus on ethical principles in the workforce, public relations has moved towards adopting a more open and inclusive mode of communication, in line with Grunig and Hunt's two-way symmetric model. Ethical considerations have also allowed public relations practitioners to take on other roles as well, such as serving as the corporate conscience and watchdog for an organisation. In addition, public relations practitioners can exploit the current public need for transparency and accountability by promoting their organisation as an ethical and socially responsible one. By showing their publics that they are law-abiding and socially responsible, practitioners can improve the image and professionalism of the public relations industry, a win-win situation for all.

Week 4 - Strategy, Planning & Scheduling

If I should found myself working in the public relations line in future, I always thought I could wing it and rely on personal charm and an ever-ready smile. Unfortunately, this week's readings have made me think more about PR practice and theory in that a sound strategy, coupled with meticulous planning and scheduling, is essential for any successful public relations campaign. A well-thought out public relations plan will lay the groundwork for judicious budgeting and systematic implementation of strategies and tactics.

As mentioned, the cornerstone of a good public relations campaign is a good strategic plan. As such, I think the key points to remember for this week’s reading are the ten points outlined in Zawawi and Johnston's strategic communication plan. The 1) executive summary is a concise abstract of the goals and objectives of the plan, as well as a brief outline of the tactics employed and time frame. The 2) vision and mission is the next important step, and enables the organisation to communicate to its publics the company's aspirations and values. At this juncture, I would like to add that I have come to realise how important the vission and mission statements are. They are like the sails of a company's ship, and can make or break the organisation in the eyes of its employees and the general public. A 3) background and situation analysis, on the other hand, enables the organisation to pinpoint particular strengths and weaknesses. Following that, we should also 4) define in detail the tactics needed to achieve our stated goals, 5) define our publics so as to tailor an effective message for each of them, and 6) define the overarching theme of our plan. In addition, a 7) careful selection of tactics and communication methods must be carried out, together with an illustration of how these particular strategies will be of use to the plan. We must also 8) give a breakdown of the time frame and schedule of the plan. There should be 9) careful monitoring and evaluating of these tactics, too, so that an exigency plan can be formulated, should these tactics prove untenable. Lastly, a (10) prudent budget must be given, with an estimation of the costs of the various activities pertaining to the plan.

Some other key points from this week's readings include the use of lists for systematic cataloguing, so that any neglected part of our public relations plan can be looked into and rectified. Flowcharts, calendars and Gantt charts are some of the tools of the trade to help us in this regard. In addition, there is also a need for effective communication in a public relations plan. This can be achieved by being open and engaging with your publics, as well as being receiver-oriented, such that emphasis is placed on how our publics respond to our message. These principles call to mind Grunig and Hunt's two-way symmetric model, and reminds us that an ethical, conscientious approach to strategic planning is an essential adjunct to any effective public relations campaign.