1. Chapter 12 – Public Relations While these slides were created using material from the above textbook, they are not official presentations from the publisher, Bedford/St. Martin’s. In addition, many slides may contain professor’s supplemental notes on various media topics.

2. The multibillion-dollar industry remains virtually invisible to the public, most of whom have never heard of Burson-Marstellar, Hill & Knowlton, or Ketchum.” -Media & Culture

3. In This Chapter… What Is Public Relations? Tools of PR Professionals What’s Wrong With A VNR? Controversy and Conflicts: PR v. The Press PR and Democracy

6. What Is Public Relations? In-House Services: The most common type of PR is done in-house by companies and organizations. A Few Big Agency Names: Burson-Marsteller Hill & Knowlton Ketchum Edelman Ogilvy Public Relations Fleishman-Hillard—St. Louis-based

7. Figure 12.1

8. Tools of PR Professionals Media Relations Work with the media to provide interview subjects, fact sheets, and sometimes event video or audio Internal Relations Work on communications within the company or organization to maintain positive relationship with employees and stakeholders External Relations Work on communications strategy to create a positive image in the eyes of consumers and people outside the company or organization Press Releases Video News Releases Public Service Announcements Press Kits Social Media

9. What’s Wrong With the VNR? The Controversy: It’s marketing in disguise-- parading as a legitimate news story. Instead of advertising—companies see newscasts as having more credibility. It’s a problem for local TV stations, who take a lot of videos from the “feeds”, like NBC News Channel, or CNN Newsource—many times the videos AREN’T labeled—as what happened in the pancake situation. The folks at home don’t know any different—like they do with advertising. Video News Release (VNR): in public relations, the visual counterpart to a press release; it pitches a story idea to the TV news media by mimicking the style of a broadcast news Report. Big company—Medialink, $37 million dollar company Pancakes Link PRWatch Link

11. Many reporters who grow tired of the news industry, end up working in public relations

12. PR folks often block access to public officials—especially if the reporter has written unfavorable about their client

13. Instead of buying ad time or space in the media, PR folks aim to get free publicity by passing the “stories” off as news

14. PR people are good at “spinning” facts a certain way, so their client appears favorablyFlack – a derogatory term for a PR agent

15. Public Relations and Democracy Politicians hire PR firms to improve their images. Richard Nixon hired Hill & Knowlton to fix his reputation post-Watergate. By the time of his death in 1994, Nixon was considered revered elder statesman. PR campaigns that result in free media exposure raise questions regarding democracy and the expression of ideas. Journalists need to become less willing conduits in the distribution of publicity.

16. Web Sites To Know… www.prsa.org www.prssa.org www.prmuseum.com www.prwatch.org www.badpitch.blogspot.com