Волшебный мир Паблик Рилейшнз: Учебно-методическое пособие

Ф Е Д Е Р АЛ Ь Н О Е АГ Е Н Т С Т В О П О О Б Р АЗО В АН И Ю В О Р О Н Е Ж С К И Й Г О С У Д АР С Т В Е Н Н Ы Й У Н И В Е Р С И Т Е Т

В олш ебный м ир П аблик Р илей ш нз У ч ебно-м ет одич ес к ое п ос обие п о сп ец и ал ь н ост и 030602 (350400) – С вязи с общ ест вен н ост ь ю Г С Э.Ф . 01 (ан гл и йски йязык)

В оронеж 2005

2 У т верж денонауч но-м етодич ес к им с оветом ф ак ул ьт ет а ж урнал ис т ик и (20 января 2005 г., п рот ок ол № 5)

Сос т авител ь Ст еп к ина Т.Н.

У ч ебно-м ет одич ес к ое п ос обие п одготовл ено на к аф едре англ ийс к ого язык а ф ак ул ьтет а Р ГФ В ГУ . Р ек ом ендует с я дл я с т удент ов 2 к урс а дневногоот дел ения ф ак ул ьт ет а ж урнал ис т ик и.

3 У ч ебно-м ет одич ес к ое п ос обие им еет цел ью развит ие у с т удентов 2 к урс а ф ак ул ьт ет а ж урнал ис т ик и навык ов м еж к ул ьт урного п роф ес с ионал ьного общения на базе т ек с т ов из оригинал ьной ам ерик анс к ой л ит ерат уры п ос п ециал ьнос т и п абл ик рил ейш нз(ПР ). Пабл ик рил ейш нз, п о оп редел ению т еорет ик ов, п редс т авл яет с обой ис к ус с тво и наук у о дос т иж ении гарм онии ч ерез взаим оп оним ание, ос нованное на п равде и п ол ной инф орм ированнос т и. ПР с п ос обс т вует ус т ановл ению доброж ел ат ел ьнос т и м еж ду л ич нос тью, груп п ам и л юдей, организацией и общес т вом в цел ом . Сп ециал ис т ы ПР рас п рос траняют разъяс нит ел ьный м ат ериал , с п ос обс твуют обм ену инф орм ацией и оценивают общес т венную реак цию. Наук а ПР находит с я в п ос т оянном развит ии. Дол гое врем я п рак т ик и ПР явл ял ис ь гл авным образом с п ециал ис т ам и в обл ас т и общения. Сейч ас их рол ь в общес тве рас т ет . Они ис п ол ьзуют с вои знания в разл ич ных с ф ерах ч ел овеч ес к ой деят ел ьнос т и. У с п еш ная п рак т ик а ПР обес п еч ивает с я л иш ь п ол ным п оним анием вс ех общес т венных п роцес с ов и м ет одов уп равл ения. Пос обие нап равл ено на работ у с т ек с т ам и, ос вещающим и нек от орые из ос новных воп рос ов ПР , с ущес т венных дл я будущей п роф ес с ионал ьной деят ел ьнос т и с т удентов. Р ас с м отрению п одл еж ат т ак ие т ем ы, к ак : п редм ет ПР , с оврем енная с ис т ем а с редс тв м ас с овой инф орм ации, от нош ения м еж ду ж урнал ис т ам и и п рак т ик ам и ПР , развит ие взаим овыгодного с от руднич ес т ва, п ут и п ривл еч ения вним ания ш ирок их с л оев нас ел ения с п ом ощью с редс т в м ас с овой инф орм ации, работ а п о нап ис анию ПР т ек с т ов, ПР -эт ик а. Ознак ом л ение с т удентов с ам ерик анс к им оп ыт ом ПР п озвол ит обуч аем ым одноврем енно с развит ием навык ов м еж к ул ьт урного п роф ес с ионал ьного общения п ол уч ит ь п редс т авл ение о с п ециф ик е деят ел ьнос т и ведущих п рак т ик ов ПР . Пос обие с одерж ит т ек с т ы, с п ис ок п одл еж ащей ак т ивном у ус воению л ек с ик и, задания на извл еч ение, с ис т ем ат изацию и ис п ол ьзование п роф ес с ионал ьно ценной инф орм ации, задания на обс уж дение ряда с ущес т венных воп рос ов, выс к азывание с воего с обс т венного м нения. В к онце п ос обия даны т ек с т ы дл я доп ол нит ел ьной работ ы и нек от орые базовые т ерм ины ПР . Х оч ет с я п ож ел ат ь с т удент ам ус п ехов в развит ии навык ов м еж к ул ьт урногообщения. А вт ор

4

UNIT I I.

Read the following words and expressions.

pluralistic society – общес твоп л юрал изм а contributing to mutual understanding – с п ос обс т воват ь взаим оп оним анию a wide variety of – бол ьш ое разнообразие voluntary – добровол ьный foundation – общес т во, организация achieve the goal – дос т игнут ь цел и community –общес тво, общес твенная груп п а shareholder – ак ционер society at large – общес т вов цел ом attitudes and values – взгл яды и ценнос ти be shaped – быть с ф орм ированным external environment – внеш нее ок руж ение counselor – к онс ул ьт ант , с овет ник mediator – п ос редник reasonable – разум ный publicly acceptable – общес т венно–п рием л ем ый encompass – вк л юч ат ь anticipate – п редвидет ь issues – воп рос ы impact – вл ият ь counsel – к онс ул ьт ироват ь, давать с овет ы with regard to – п оот нош ению к take into account – п риним ат ь вовним ание ramification – развет вл ение fund– raising – с оздание к ап ит ал а, ф онда денеж ных с редс тв implement – зд. п рим енят ь set objectives – ус т анавл иват ь цел и recruit and train staff – набират ь и обуч ат ь п ерс онал facilities – оборудование, с редс т ва, ус тройс т ва perform – вып ол нят ь opinion research – изуч ение общес т венногом нения

II. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Read the text and answer the questions.

What society do we live in? What does public relations (PR) contribute to? What aim does it serve? Can you name the institutions PR serves? What relationships does PR help to establish?

5 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Is there a need for managements to understand the attitudes and values of their publics? How are institutional goals shaped? How does the PR practitioner act? What impacts the operation and plans of the organization? With regard to what questions does PR practitioner counsel management? What programs do PR practitioners conduct? Is PR concerned with the influence and change of public policy? How are PR practitioners involved in managing the resources? What knowledge is required in the professional practice of PR?

THE NATURE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Public relations (PR) helps our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves to bring public and public policies into harmony. PR serves a wide variety of institutions in society such as businesses, trade unions, government agencies, voluntary associations, foundations, hospitals and educational and religious institutions. To achieve their goals, these institutions must develop effective relationships with many different audiences or publics such as employees, members, customers, local communities, shareholders and other institutions, and with society at large. The managements of institutions need to understand the attitudes and values of their publics in order to achieve institutional goals. The PR practitioner acts as a counselor to management, and as a mediator, helping to translate private aims into reasonable, publicly acceptable policy and action. As a management function, PR encompasses the following: - Anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues which might impact, for good or ill, the operations and plans of the organization. - Counseling management at all levels in the organization with regard to policy decisions, courses of action and communication, taking into account their public ramifications and the organization's social or citizenship responsibilities. - Researching, conducting and evaluating, on a continuing basis, programs of action and communication to achieve informed public understanding necessary to the success of an organization's aims. These may include marketing, financial, fund-raising, employee, community or government relations and other programs. - Planning and implementing the organization's efforts to influence or change public policy. - Setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff, developing facilities – in short, managing the resources needed to perform all of the above.

6 - Examples of the knowledge that may be required in the professional practice of PR include communication arts, psychology, social psychology, sociology, political science, economics and the principles of management and ethics. Technical knowledge and skills are required for opinion research, public issues analysis, media relations, direct mail, institutional advertising, publications, film/video productions, special events, speeches and presentations. In helping to define and implement policy, the PR practitioner utilizes a variety of professional communication skills and plays an integrative role both within the organization and between the organization and the external environment.

III.

Explain the meaning of the expressions given below.

Pluralistic society, mutual understanding, effective relationships, different audiences or publics, external environment, mediator, publicly acceptable policy.

IV.

What questions are considered in the following sciences? Before giving your answers consult reference books or specialists in these fields of knowledge.

Communication arts, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, principles of management, ethics.

V.

Comment on the importance of the following professional skills for PR practitioners.

Opinion research, public issues analyses, media relations, direct mail, institutional advertising, publications, film/video productions, special events speeches and presentations.

VI.

What aspects of PR does the following definition reveal?

PUBLIC RELATIONS – the art and science of influencing the attitudes and opinions of a group of persons in the interest of promoting a person, product, idea, institution and so on.

7

UNIT II I.

Read the following words and expressions.

the folks – л юди deal with – им ет ь дел ос media coverage – ос вещение в с редс т вах м ас с овой инф орм ации have impact – ок азывать воздейс т вие confidence – увереннос т ь treatment an issue receives in – ос вещение воп рос а в insights into – п роник новение в essential – наибол ее важ ный deal face– to– face – им ет ь дел онеп ос редс т веннос (к ем -т о, ч ем -л ибо) be proficient in – быт ь оп ыт ным в, ум ел ым arts and crafts of publicity – ис к ус с т вои ум ения с одейс т вия п оп ул ярнос т и be knowledgeable about – знать о gain media attention – п ривл еч ь вним ание с редс т в м ас с овой инф орм ации pervasive – рас п рос т раняющийс я, вс еп роник ающий currently – в нас тоящее врем я a large variety of – огром ное разнообразие well– defined audience – ч ет к ооп редел енная груп п а (ч ит ат ел ей, зрит ел ей) people on the go – т е, к т ов п ут и household – зд. с ем ья (вс е дом аш ние) put us in touch with the world beyond our immediate experience – п огруж ает нас в м ир, с к оторым м ы не им еем неп ос редс т венней с вязи perceptions and beliefs – вос п рият ия и м нения greatly simplified and edited versions of the happenings – вес ьм а уп рощенные и от редак т ированное верс ии п роис ходящих с обыт ий in terms of return on equity – п оп ок азат ел ю ч ис той п рибыл и access to – дос т уп к sacred public mission – с вященная общес т венная м ис с ия watchdog – с торож евой п ес , набл юдат ел ь, к онтрол ер seeking the truth – п оис к п равды conduct smb's affairs knowledgeably – вес т и с вой бизнес с ознанием дел а pursue – зд. рас с м ат риват ь perishable – с к ороп орт ящийс я transient – с к орот еч ный, врем енный the ongoing flow of information – (движ ущийс я) т ек ущий п от ок инф орм ации positive or negative flavour of the story – п ол ож ит ел ьное ил и от рицат ел ьное ос вещение м ат ериал а с т ат ьи fairly – зд. дос товерно be cast in a favourable light – быть п редс т авл енным в выгодном с вет е slant material – зд. п одат ь м ат ериал

8 utter – п роизнос ить occur – п роис ходит ь hit the prime-time TV news – быт ь гл авным и новос т ям и ТВ -п рограм м ы

II. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Read the text and answer the questions.

What impacts can media coverage have on an organization's operations? What are public confidence and public support determined by? Is it important for PR practitioners to understand how the media function and how reporters work? Must practitioners be proficient in the art and craft of publicity? Why are mass media a pervasive part of our society? How many daily and weekly newspapers currently operate in the U.S.? How many magazines are published? How many radio and television stations are listened to and watched in the U.S.? Do mass media shape our perceptions and beliefs? In what way? What versions of the happenings do mass media provide? Can you prove that the media are big, highly profitable businesses? How do the media gather and package information and entertainment? What sacred public mission do journalists have? What goals do the media constantly seek? Why is the news a highly perishable commodity? What is the essential power of press?

UNDERSTANDING THE MEDIA The press will go after anything, and that is the way it should be. (Ben Wattenberg) When many people consider the function of public relations (PR), their first thought is: "Those are the folks who deal with the media." And although PR does far more than deal with the media, that certainly is an important aspect of the job. Media coverage can have significant positive or negative impacts on every aspect of an organization's operations. Public confidence and public support are often determined by the treatment an issue receives in the press and on radio and television. If a PR practitioner is to work effectively with the media, he or she must understand how the media function and how reporters work. Insights into journalists' views of PR and into the working relationship of journalists and PR practitioners are also essential. PR practitioners must be prepared (and must prepare others) to deal with the media face-to-face. Finally, practitioners must be proficient in the art and craft of publicity and knowledgeable about the tools

9 used to gain media attention. The mass media are a pervasive part of modern society. About 1,700 daily and 7,600 weekly newspapers currently operate in the United States. Over 5,000 U.S. magazines are published for a large variety of well-defined audiences. Around 10,000 radio stations provide entertainment and information to people on the go. The 1,150 television stations in the United States are watched in 84 million households an average of more than seven hours every day. Half of these television households subscribe to cable systems that further expand the available programming. The mass media put us in touch with the world beyond our immediate experience. They shape significantly our perceptions and beliefs – particularly in relations to events and topics with which we have little direct contact. While providing greatly simplified and edited versions of the happenings in our complex and dynamic world, they give us a feeling of participation and understanding. Most newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting stations are businesses. The publishing and broadcasting industry is about the same size as the automotive industry in terms of market value. Only the beverage and tobacco industries show more profit in terms of return on equity. In short, the media are big, highly profitable businesses. As businesses, the media sell information and entertainment. They gather and package it in ways that stimulate audiences to spend money or time to read, listen or watch. Perhaps more importantly, the media sell access to their audiences to advertisers. Journalists who gather and organize information for the media tend to take their responsibilities to society very seriously. They conceive of themselves as having a sacred public mission: to serve as the public's eyes and ears, to be watchdogs on public institutions doing the public's business. They see their job аs seeking the truth, putting it in perspective, and publishing it so that people can conduct their affairs knowledgeably. That the media's goals of providing truth and making a profit are sometimes in conflict is an issue that will not be pursued here. But anyone who deals with the media, especially Р R practitioners, must recognize that both goals are constantly sought. Journalists' devotion to their goals causes their view of facts to be quite different from that of their sources. The journalists consider news a highly perishable commodity, while the source of the news is more concerned about the lasting impression the story will make. To the journalists, в story is a transient element in the ongoing flow of information; to the source, it is a discrete event. The journalist is uninterested in the positive or negative flavor of the story, as long as it fairly presents the facts; the source always wants to be cast in a favourable light. Yet for all the concerns organizations manifest about how their stories are covered, the media's power does not lie in their ability to slant material one way

10 or another, but rather, in what words, deeds, events, or issues they choose to define as news. Douglas Cater put it this way: "The essential power of the press is its capacity to choose what is news. Each day in Washington tens of thousands of words are uttered which are considered important by those who utter them. Tens of dozens of events occur which are considered newsworthy by those who have staged them. The press has the power to select – to decide which events go on page one or hit the prime-time TV news and which events get ignored".

III.

Speak about the differences in understanding events by journalists and the sources of the news.

IV.

Do you agree that media shape significantly the perceptions and beliefs of the community? What other factors influence the mentality of the population?

V.

Write a short essay on one of the themes. Discuss the questions with your friends. a) b) c)

VI. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The media are big businesses. Newsworthy events. The goals of journalists.

Comment on the following quotations.

Newspapers always excite curiosity. No one ever lays one down without a feeling of disappointment. (Charles Lamb) Journalists say a thing that they know isn't true in hope that if they keep on saying it long enough it will be true. (Arnold Bennett) Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. (Rudyard Kipling) We live under a government of men and morning newspapers. (Wendell Phillips) Possible? Is anything impossible? Read the newspapers. (Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington)

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UNIT III I.

Read the following words and expressions.

view – рас с м атриват ь make one's living – зарабат ыват ь на ж изнь alert against –нас т раиват ь п рот ив, п ризыват ь к бдит ел ьнос т и wiles – хит рые п родел к и raid –зд. нап адат ь dissemination of information – рас п рос транение инф орм ации data – данные response – ответ contradictory – п рот ивореч ивый that would otherwise go undone – к от орая в п рот ивном с л уч ае не был а бы с дел ана substantial minority – знач ит ел ьное м еньш инс т во obtain accurate, complete, and timely news – п ол уч ат ь точ ные, п ол ные и с воеврем енные новос т и deceive – обм аныват ь attach too much importance to an uneventful happening – п ридават ь с л иш к ом бол ьш ое знач ение м ел к ом у, незнач ит ел ьном у с обыт ию condemn – ос уж дат ь publicity disguised as news – рек л ам а п од видом новос т ей have low credibility – зас л уж ивает м ал огодоверия augur – п редс к азыват ь leap to the conclusion – дел ат ь п ос п еш ное зак л юч ение gatekeeper – п риврат ник livelihood – с редс тва к с ущес т вованию conform to standards – с оот вет с т воват ь п ринят ым норм ам reluctant – нес к л онный (к ч ем у-л ибо), дел ающий ч то-т онеохот но do otherwise – п ос т уп ат ь инач е capable of – с п ос обный к ferret information – зд. добыват ь инф орм ацию unavailable – недос т уп ный prohibitively expensive – ч резм ерно, недозвол ител ьнодорого point out – ук азыват ь reliable sources – надеж ные ис т оч ник и in all walks of life – в л юбых ж изненных с ит уациях get to know – узнат ь be on call – быт ь готовым ч то–л ибос дел ат ь affront to the truth – ис к аж ение п равды beg for favours – п рос ит ь п оддерж к и removal – ус т ранение integrity – ч ес т нос ть

12 trust – доверие break trust – п одорвать доверие

II. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Read the text and answer the questions.

How do journalists view PR practitioners? What proves that the journalists’ attitudes to PR practitioners are contradictory? What news do PR practitioners provide reporters with? In what way do PR practitioners often act as obstructionists? How do they try to deceive the press? Do journalists and PR practitioners have the same value orientation towards news? Do PR practitioners have low credibility among journalists? What is PR practitioners' view of the journalists? How can you illustrate the mutual dependency of PR practitioners and journalists? What is important to successful publicity? What sources are considered reliable by journalists? How can PR practitioners get to know the journalists? In what way can PR practitioners cultivate good relationship with their journalistic colleagues? What can destroy a relationship? What are the basis for trust? How can a practitioner assure good relations with journalists?

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOURNALISTS AND PRACTITIONERS Journalists often view PR practitioners as people who make their living by using the media to their own advantage. Sometimes considered parasites, editors often alert young reporters against PR wiles. As one guidebook for newspaper editors warns: "Your job is to serve the readers, not the man who would raid your columns". An investigation of journalists' attitudes towards PR practitioners revealed generally negative attitudes. Closer examination of the data suggested, however, that in certain cases the journalists' responses were contradictory. For instance, while a majority of journalists (59%) agreed that "PR and the press are partners in the dissemination of information", they strongly disagreed (12%) with the statement, "PR is a profession equal in status to journalism". On the positive side many journalists (46%) agreed that "the PR practitioner does work for the newspaper that would otherwise go undone". A substantial minority (40%) felt that "PR practitioners are necessary to the production of the daily newspaper as we know it". Nearly half (48%) found that "PR practitioners help reporters obtain accurate, complete and timely news".

13 At the same time, however, massive majorities of the journalists (84%) believed "PR practitioners often act as obstructionists, keeping reporters from the people they really should be seeing" and "PR material is usually publicity disguised as news". 87% felt "PR practitioners too often try to deceive the press by attaching too much importance to a trivial uneventful happening". Journalists recognized the dependence of modern media on the PR profession, but at the same time they condemned what they considered to be standard PR procedures. The sаmе research indicated that journalists perceived PR practitioners to be very different, even opposite to themselves, in terms of their value orientation toward news. Moreover, while ranking themselves first in status among 16 professional categories, they ranked PR last. These findings suggest that PR practitioners in general are perceived as manipulators of the press and have low credibility. Such findings do not augur well for success in PR practitioners' relationships with journalists. Before leaping to that conclusion, however, we had better take a look at PR's view of journalism? The PR practitioner's view of the journalist. From the PR practitioner's perspective, the journalist is at once an audience, a medium through which to reach the larger public, and a gatekeeper representing and responding to the public's need to know. Some go so far as to say that the practitioner's livelihood depends on reporters' or editors' decisions to use his material. Because of this dependency, practitioners' selection and presentation of information often conforms more to journalistic standards than to the desires of their superiors in their own organizations. In a sense, both the journalist and the practitioner, in dealing with each other, are caught between the demands of the organizations they represent and the demands of the opposite party. PR practitioners, as boundary spanners, are often caught in the middle between journalistic and other institutions, trying to explain each to the other. Mutual dependence. The relationship between PR practitioners and journalists is one of mutual dependency. Although journalists like to picture themselves as reluctant to utilize PR information, economic considerations force them to do otherwise. A news staff capable of ferreting information from every significant organization in a city without the assistance of representatives for those organizations would be prohibitively expensive. Indeed, numerous studies have placed PR's contribution to total news coverage in excess of 50%. Moreover, the PR practitioner makes the journalist's job much easier, saving time and effort and providing information that might otherwise be unavailable. Building positive relationships. While much may be said about the art and craft of preparing materials for media consumption, perhaps nothing is so important to successful publicity as the relationships established between PR practitioners and journalists. A reporter for the Austin, Texas, "American Statesman" was discussing his work. "I never accept information from PR practitioners", he said. When it was pointed out to him that during the past week he had used material from

14 corporate, university, and political publicity people, he replied: "Those aren't PR people, those are reliable sources". When PR practitioners take the time and make the effort to establish good personal relations with journalists, they are much more likely to attract positive news coverage for their organizations. It can be said that good PR begins with good personal relations. Tips for getting along with journalist. As in all walks of life, it is good for PR practitioners to get to know the people they work with. Sometimes the direct approach is effective. Call a journalist with whom you know you will be working. Introduce yourself. Suggest lunch or a drink. Another approach is to hand-deliver a news release to provide an opportunity for a brief introduction and meeting. Some journalists appreciate the effort. Says one: "I like to meet new PR-types just to see who they are. I like to tell them what I want and don't want". Other journalists, however, would rather not be bothered. With them, an indirect approach is required. Belonging to the local press club, attending meetings of a professional journalism fraternity, or becoming involved in community activities in which journalists are also involved, are ways of getting to know media counterparts. Indeed journalists are often hired for publicity jobs not only for their writing skills but also for their network of media contacts. Cultivate your relationships with journalists by giving good service. Provide sufficient and timely information, stories and pictures, when and how they are wanted. Be on call twenty-four hours a day to respond to reporters' needs and questions. Nothing will destroy a relationship faster or more completely than an affront to the truth. Accuracy, integrity, openness and completeness are the basis for trust, bestowed by journalists. Once trust is broken, it can rarely be regained. Finally, to assure good relations with journalists, the practitioner should behave in a professional way. Live up to expectations. Do not play favourites among the media. Do not beg for favours, special coverage, or removal of unfavourable publicity.

III.

Explain the meaning of the expressions given below.

Obstructionist, publicity disguised as news, value orientation towards news, manipulators of the press, respond to the public's need, relationship of mutual dependency, materials for media consumption, successful publicity, reliable source, positive news coverage, cultivate relationship, behave in a professional way, removal of unfavourable publicity.

IV.

Write down Tips for Getting along with Journalist in the order of their importance (as you see it). Can you add any other tips?

15

V. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Think over the following statements. Share your thoughts with your groupmates.

PR material is usually publicity disguised as news. PR and the press are partners in the dissemination of information. The relationship between PR practitioners and journalists is of mutual dependency. Nothing will destroy relationship faster or more completely than an affront to the truth. Accuracy, integrity, openness and completeness are the basis for trust bestowed by journalists.

VI.

The relations between journalists and PR practitioners are very contradictory. Tell what you learnt about them from the text.

16

UNIT IV I.

Read the following words and expressions.

outline – п редс т авит ь в общих ч ерт ах reconcile to – п риводит ь в с оот вет с т вие, с огл ас овывать legitimacy –зак оннос т ь, зак оном ернос т ь monitoring the performance – уп равл ение работой adversarial – враж дебный relationship of mutual trust – от нош ение взаим ногодоверия particular – к онк рет ный defuse antagonistic encounters – п редот врат ит ь с т ол к новение,к онф л ик т ы challenge – вызов overcome – п реодол еват ь spotlight – п ос тавит ь в цент ре вним ания feedback – обрат ная с вязь essential – обязат ел ьный, необходим ый get psyched up about – п ереж ивать sensitive issues – с ек рет ный, зас ек реч енный develop the proper set of attitudes – с оздать п равил ьное от нош ение defensiveness – оборона appropriate – п одходящий intimidated – зап уганный worthy –с т оящий, дос тойный fund-raising campaign – к ам п ания п ос бору с редс тв positive mental attitude – п ол ож ит ел ьный нас т рой broad term – ш ирок ое п онят ие purchase – п ок уп ат ь appeal – зд. п ривл ек ат ел ьнос ть credibility – п равдоп одобие is not likely to perceive – с к орее не вос п рим ет be suspicious of – от нос ит ьс я п одозрит ел ьнок standing plan –т ек ущий п л ан occur – с л уч ат ьс я, п роис ходит ь originate from – п роис ходит ь, возник ать emergency situation – ч резвыч айная с ит уация conscious effort – с ознат ел ьное ус ил ие lay-off – ам. п рек ращение работ ы (п редп рият ия), увол ьнение (врем енное) contemplate – зд. обс уж дат ь

II. 1.

Read the text and answer the questions.

Do you agree that the media's role in monitoring the performance of the organizations and their leaders is legitimate?

17 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Is adversarial relation between managers and the media normal? What is the best advice in dealing with the media? How can one defuse potentially antagonistic encounters? Does a meeting with the media represent a critical challenge to the organization? How does the company official usually feel before meeting the media? Tell about his first steps. What may the first step in the case of the university's fund-raising campaign be? What should the attitude of the interviewee towards the journalist be? What should the interviewee decide? Why is positive mental attitude essential? How is the term 'publicity' defined? How does the public perceive the publicity material? In what two categories can publicity be divided? Can you illustrate each of the categories?

WORKING WITH THE MEDIA With a basic understanding of the complex relationships between PR practitioners and journalists, we can outline a few general principles for working with the media. In the first place, managers must reconcile themselves to the legitimacy of the media's role in monitoring the performance of their organizations and leaders. Managers and institutions must understand and accommodate the unique position of the media, realizing that, on one level, an adversarial relationship is normal. The best advice in dealing with the media is to give Journalists what they want in the form and language they want. Respond quickly and honestly to media request for information. By working to establish a relationship of mutual trust with particular journalists, you can defuse many potentially antagonistic encounters. Opportunities offered by media contact. A meeting with the media represents a critical challenge to the organization. Some organizations see such challenges as problems to be overcome. It is more constructive, however, to view them as opportunities. Publicity can not replace good works or effective action, but it can gain attention for issues, ideas, or products. It can spotlight an organization's personality, policies, or performance. It can make something or someone known. Every media contact is an opportunity to get feedback, to tell your story, to create a positive response to your organization. Of course there are dangers – but what opportunity presents itself without risk? And what opportunity can be taken without preparation? Preparation strategies. Preparation to meet the media is essential for both individuals and organizations. Preparation means more than getting psyched up about a particular interview, because when the opportunity comes, there may be

18 little time to prepare. A company official may have only two hours to gather information and prepare strategy to deal effectively with some very sensitive issues. Before anyone in the organization meets with the media, the first step is to develop the proper set of attitudes. Meeting the media is an opportunity, not a problem; therefore, defensiveness is not appropriate. There is no need to feel intimidated – particularly if your objective is worthy. In the case of the university's fund-raising campaign, the purpose of the press conference must be kept firmly in mind. The PR director should refuse, in a friendly way, to be dragged by reporters' questions into subjects other than the donation and campaign. The attitude of the interviewee toward the journalist should be of hospitality, cooperation, and openness. At the same time, the interviewee should decide what needs to be said and say it – no matter what the reporter's questions may be. A positive mental attitude is essential. Once this attitude is established among everyone in an organization who may be called upon to be interviewed, it becomes much easier and less traumatic to prepare for specific interviews.

PUBLICITY Publicity is a broad term that refers to the publication of news about an organization or person for which time or space was not purchased. The appeal of publicity is credibility. Since the editor has judged the publicity material newsworthy, the public is not likely to perceive it as an advertisement. Publicity may, therefore, reach members of an organization's publics who would be suspicious of advertising. Publicity can be divided into two categories: spontaneous and planned. A major accident, fire, explosion, strike, or any other unplanned event creates spontaneous publicity. When such an event occurs, news media will be eager to find out the causes, circumstances, and who is involved. While spontaneous publicity is not necessarily negative, it should be handled through standing plans for emergencies. Planned publicity, on the other hand, does not originate from an emergency situation. It is the result of a conscious effort to attract attention to an issue, event, or organization. Time is available to plan the event and how it will be communicated to the news media. If a layoff, planned expansion, change in top personnel, new product, or some other potentially newsworthy event is contemplated, the method of announcing it is a major concern. How an event is perceived by an organization's publics can determine whether publicity is "good" or "bad".

III.

Having read the text outline the main general principles of working with the media. Formulate them as guidelines for individuals and organizations.

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IV.

Explain the meaning of the expressions given below.

Publicity, organization's personality, performance, get feedback, company official, must be kept firmly in mind, positive mental attitude, credibility, emergency situation, top personnel, major concern.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

V.

Illustrate two categories of publicity with examples of your own. Use the material of Russian and foreign press.

VI.

Get ready to discuss the following questions with your groupmates. If opinions differ try to defend your point of view. Give your arguments.

The ways to establish the relations of mutual trust. Adversarial relationship with the media is normal. How to defuse potentially antagonistic encounters. Meeting with the media presents a critical challenge to the organization. Opportunity and risk. Is the attitude of cooperation and openness always necessary for the interviewee? Publicity and advertising.

VII.

Speak about the practitioners' activities presented in the Table.

The nature of PR work can be seen from Table 1 which lists the percentage of practitioners who identified various activities as part of their jobs. The first three activities – media relations, PR management, and publicity – were reported far more frequently than the remaining nine. Table 1 PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITIES Activity Media relations PR management or administration Publicity Community relations PR counseling Editor of publications Employee relations Consumer affairs PR teaching Advertising/sales promotion

Percent* 64,0 60,4 60,0 45,8 40,9 33,9 27,8 14,2 7,9 4,4

20 Government relations

24,3

Investor relations

16,3

*Multiple responses were invited on this question.

ADDITIONAL TEXTS I. COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORD All PR practitioners write at some time. PR is, after all communication, and the basic form of communication is still the written word. Regardless of the prevalence of television, radio and increasingly the Internet, the written word is still powerful. The events we witness on television and hear on the radio were written down originally in the form of scripts. News anchors on television are not recounting the day's events from memory; they are reading from a teleprompter. Nearly every entertainment program is precisely scripted. Most of what your see on the Internet has been carefully thought out and prewritten prior to its placement on that Web site. It is no wonder today's employer values an employee who can communicate through the written word. Employers want people who can write and communicate ideas – who can pull, complex or fragmented ideas together into coherent messages. This requires not only technical skill but also intelligence. It also requires a love of writing. Be forewarned: The subject of public relations writing can seem to many to be dull; however for writers who love their craft the duller the subject, the greater the challenge. So, the place of writers in public relations is assured. From the president or vice president of public relations to the office worker it is a daily part of life. From enormously complex projects involving dozens of people and whole teams of writers to the one-person office cranking out daily news releases, editing weekly newsletters or updating Web pages writing will continue to be the number-one concern of public relations. Through it, your publics will come to know you and, for better or worse, develop a permanent image of who you are. It is in your best interest and that of the people you work for to ensure that this image is the one you want to portray.

II. WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING? All public relations writing attempts to establish positive relations between an organization and its various publics, usually through image building techniques. Most writing in the realm of public relations falls into two rather

21 broad categories, uncontrolled information and controlled information. Uncontrolled Information. Information that, once it leaves hands is at the mercy of the media is uncontrolled information. In other words the outlet in which you want the information placed has total editorial control over the content style, placement, and timing. The newspaper editors have exercised their prerogative to control your information. Once you put it in their hands, they get to decide what to do with it. Then why, you're probably asking yourself about now, even use uncontrolled information? For at least two reasons. First, it's generally cheaper because you don't have to pay for production or placement costs. Second, your message gains credibility if you can pass it through the media on its way to your target public. I've sometimes referred to this technique as "information laundering" (humorously, of course). The fact is, our messages often are viewed by target publics as having a vested interest – which of course they do. However, when those same target public see the same message served up by the media, it seems to gain credibility in their eyes. Obviously, this is also true for passing the information through any credible second party such as magazines, opinion leaders, or role models. Thus, the loss in control is usually more than balanced by the overall gain in credibility. Controlled Information. Information over which you have total control as to editorial content, style, placement, and timing is controlled information. Examples of controlled information are institutional (image) and advocacy advertising, house publications, brochures, and broadcast material (if it is paid placement). Public service announcements (PSAs) are controlled as far as message content is concerned but uncontrolled as to placement and timing. In order to get the most out of any message, you should send out both controlled and uncontrolled information. That way, you can reach the broadest possible target audience, some of which will react more than to one type of approach. The Tools of the Public Relations Writer. As with any trade, public relations writing makes use of certain tools through which messages are communicated. The most common are listed here. – News releases – both print and broadcast. The most widely used of all public relations formats, news releases are used most often to disseminate information for publicity purposes and are sent to every possible medium, from newspapers to radio stations. – Backgrounders – basic information pieces providing background as an aid to reporters, editors executives, employees, and spokespersons. This is the information used by other writers and reporters to "flesh out" their stories.

22 – Public service announcements (PSAs) – the broadcast outlet most available to not-for-profit public relations. Although the PSA's parameters are limited, additional leeway can be gained by paying for placement, which places it in the category of advertising. – Advertising – the controlled use of media, ensuring that your message reaches your public in exactly the form you intend and at the time you want. Advertising can be print or broadcast. – Articles and editorials – usually for newsletters, house publications, trade publications, or consumer publications. In the case of non-house publications, public relations articles are submitted in the same way as any other journalistic material. Editorials can be either paid for, as are Mobil's editorials and Fables, or submitted uncontrolled and vie for placement with comments from other parties. – Collateral publications – such as brochures, pamphlets, flyers, and other direct marketing pieces. These are usually autonomous publications, which should be able to stand on their own merits but which can be used as supporting information for other components in a package. They might, for instance, be part of a press packet. – Annual reports – one of the most-produced organizational publications. Annual reports not to provide information on the organization's financial situation; they also act as a vehicle for enhancing corporate image among its various internal publics. – Speeches and presentations – the interpersonal method of imparting a position or an image. Good speeches can inform or persuade and good presentations can win support where other, written, methods may fail. Although these are not the only means for message dissemination at the disposal of the public relations writer, they are the most often used. Knowing which to use requires a combination of experience, research, and intuition. The following chapters were not designed to teach you these qualities. Instead, they attempt to provide you with a framework, or template, that will enable you to perform basic tasks as a public relations writer. The rest is a matter of experience, and no book can give you that.

III. THE PROCESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING All forms of writing for public relations have one thing in common: they should be written well. Beyond that, they are different in many ways. These differences are related primarily to purpose, strategy, medium, and style/format. As you will see, these elements are extremely interrelated, and you really can't think about any single element without conceptualizing the others. For example, purpose and strategy are intimately related, and choice of medium is inextricably

23 bound to style/format. As to purpose, there are basically only two reasons for a public relations piece to be produced: to inform or to persuade. Strategy depends almost completely on the purpose to which the piece is to be put. For instance, if your purpose is to persuade a target audience to vote for a particular mayoral candidate, you might choose a persuasive strategy such as argument to accomplish your purpose. The medium you choose to deliver your message will also dictate its style and format. For example corporate magazines and newsletters employ standard magazine writing style (which is to say, a standard magazine style of journalism). Newsletter writing, on the other hand, is leaner, shorter, and frequently uses a straight news reporting style. Folders (commonly referred to as brochures) are, by nature, short and to the point. Copy for posters and flyers is shorter still, while pamphlets and booklets vary in style and length according to purpose. Writing for the Internet may incorporate any or all of these styles. All of this is packaged within organizational patterns that generally vary according to a relational logic (based on the ability to jump from one point to another led by the relationship of one piece to the other).

IV. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING Public relations is fraught with ethical and legal dilemmas – no one working in public relations would deny this. But for the writer, these dilemmas take a slightly different form than the types of problems faced by others in the field. Many of the ethical quandaries facing public relations people have to do with decisions on large issues – whether to handle a particular political candidate or ethically suspect client; how to deal with the media on a day-to-day basis without lying; what to keep confidential and what to disclose; and whether to do what the client says, no matter what. It's not that such decisions are beyond the scope of the public relations writer. It's that a writer spends much more time dealing with the technical aspects of his or her job than with the bigger picture. This tight focus, however, comes with its own set of ethical and legal considerations, among which are such quandaries as how to persuade without violating the basic tenets of ethics and good taste, how to write words that will later be claimed by someone else as their own, and how not to invade privacy or infringe on another copyright. Some people consider persuasion unethical by nature. They believe in a very strict version of the "marketplace of ideas" theory that if you provide enough unbiased information, people will be able to make up their own minds about any issue. Of course, we all know that isn't true. While our political system is based on this theory, to some extent it is also based on the notion of

24 reasoned argument – that is, persuasion. People who believe fervently enough in a particular point of view aren't going to rely on any marketplace to decide their case. They're going to get out there arid argue, persuasively, for their side. Since the time of Aristotle we've had access to a number of persuasive techniques, some already mentioned. We also are aware, however, of how easily many of these techniques can be turned to unethical purposes. In fact, the most frequent complaint against any form of communication is that it is trying to persuade unethically. While this may seem to be leveled most often at advertising, public relations isn't off the hook entirely. Following are a number of techniques which, in varying degrees, can be used unethically. All of these have been used in propaganda campaigns, but you will recognize many of them as still being used in both PR and advertising.

V. UNETHICAL PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES By far the most unethical of the persuasive techniques are those codified by the Roman orators over a thousand years ago. These are commonly referred to as logical fallacies because they are both illogic and deceptive by nature. Let's look first at these: – Cause and Effect. Don't be put off by the Latin. We see cause and effect in operation all the time. It means that because one thing follows another in time, it was necessarily caused by it. This is most often used to infer that one thing is the result of the other. Politicians are particularly adept at using this argument. For example, an incumbent may suggest that the national drop in crime rate is the result of his policies when, in fact, it is the continuation of a drop that began before his administration. A recent television ad for plastic implies that we are a healthier society because meat is no longer sold in open-air markets, exposed to the elements. While this may be partially true, the overall longevity of any society is the result of multi- pie factors, not just one. – Personal Attack. This "me against the man" technique is used to discredit the source of the message regardless of the message itself. Again, we see this one time and again in politics, where policies are left unconsidered while personality assassination runs rampant. Any time you see an argument turn from issues to personality, this unethical strategy is being used. – Bandwagon. This is an appeal to popularity. In other words, if everyone else is doing it, why aren't you? McDonald has been using this approach for years in its "xxx billion sold" byline. Since human beings are, by nature, group oriented, they already tend to want to go with what's popular. However, as Thoreau pointed out, the group isn't

25 always right. – Inference by Association. This is an argument based entirely on false logic, most often thought of as "guilt by association," or, in some cases, credit by association. The argument usually takes the following form. Chemical weapons are evil. Company makes chemical weapons. Company is evil. Of course, the argument is logically inconsistent. While chemical weapons may, in themselves, be evil, this does not automatically make the entire company evil. The same sort of a technique can be made by associating a product or idea with another, already accepted idea. For example, the statement, from the people who brought you assumes that because one product is successful or satisfying, all products from the same company will be. And, of course, this argument is used in all those celebrity endorsements: "Wheaties, the breakfast of Champions!" There are several other tactics closely related to inference by association that are not necessarily unethical by nature, but that can be used unethically. Some of the most common are the following: – Plain Folks. This is an appeal to our need to deal with people who are like us. "Plain folks" proposes that the speaker is just like the listener and thus "wouldn't lie to you". Politicians are adept at this approach, and so are corporate executives who sell their own products. For example, almost everyone who watches TV knows that Dave Thomas owns Wendy's and that he seems to be a regular guy, just like you and me. But Dave Thomas isn't just like the average "you and me." He is a very wealthy corporate executive who happens to star in his own commercials. Do you know anyone like that in your circle of friends? – Testimonials. This tactic is directly related to inference by association; however, testimonials are actually implying that the celebrity spokesperson uses the product or supports the cause. And, of course, this may or may not be true. – Transfer. This is the deliberate use of positive symbols to transfer meaning to another message not necessarily related. The use of religious or patriotic symbols such as a "heavenly choir'' or an American flag during a commercial not directly related to such symbols is an example of transfer. Most recently, the ubiquitous use of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" in eve from the Olympic Games to cable channel promos is a blatant attempt to bring a sense of high, nearly religious, meaning to the message being imparted.

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VI. ETHICS AND GHOSTWRITING Ghostwriting refers to writing something for someone else that will be represented as that person's actual point of view. Public relations writers ghostwrite speeches, letters to the editor, annual report letters from the president, and even quotes. Ghostwriting is ubiquitous, to say the least. Rhetoricians point out that no president since Abraham Lincoln has written his own speeches in entirety. You will recall that Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on a train ride between Washington and Gettysburg and, by most accounts, did a fairly nice job. The days when the busy corporate executive or politician had the time (or the skill) to write his or her own speeches have long since vanished. When President Reagan's speechwriter, Larry Speakes, indicated in his book that he had not only written all of the president's speeches but had made up quotes (even "borrowed' quotes from others and attributed them to Reagan), many seemingly incredulous journalists cried foul. Surely they, like most of us, realized that a president simply doesn't have the luxury to write his own speeches any more. However – and this is a big however – something still bothers all of us about a writer we don't even know putting words into the mouth of someone we do know, or thought we knew. So, the question is, if ghostwriting is to be taken as having been produced by, or at least prompted by, the person under whose name it will appear, is it unethical? Well, yes and no. Some of the best guidelines I know of have been set down by Richard Johannesn in his book Ethics in Human Communication, in which he analyzes the ethics of ghostwriting by posing the following series of important questions: – What is the communicator's intent, and what is the audience's degree of awareness? In other words, does the communicator pretend to be the author of the words he speaks or over which his signature appears? And how aware is the audience that ghostwriting is commonplace under certain circumstances? If we assume, as most of us do, that presidential speeches are ghostwritten, then the only unethical act I would be for the president to claim to author his or her own speeches. – Does the communicator use ghostwriters to make himself or herself appear to possess personal qualities that he or she really does not have? In other words, does the writer impart such qualities as eloquence, wit, coherence, and incisive ideas to a communicator who might not possess these qualities otherwise? The degree to which the writing distorts a communicator's character has a great deal to do with ethicality. – What are the surrounding circumstances of the communicator's job that make ghostwriting a necessity? The pressures of a job often dictate that a ghostwriter be used. Busy executives, like busy politicians, may not have the rime to write all the messages they must deliver on a daily

27 basis. However, we don't expect the average office manager or university professor to hire a ghostwriter. Part of the answer to this question lies in the pressures of the job itself, and the other part has to do with the need and frequency of communication. – To what extent do the communicators actively participate in the writing of their own messages? Obviously the more input a communicator has in his or her own writing, the more ethical will be the resultant image. We really don't expect the president to write his or her own speeches, but we do expect that the sentiments expressed in them will be his or her own. – Does the communicator accept responsibility for the message he or she presents? Part of the problem with Larry Speakes's revelation was that President Reagan denied the accusations. Most communicators simply assume that whatever they say or whatever they sign their names to is theirs, whether written by someone else or not. This is obviously the most ethical position to take. Remember: If you ghostwrite, you are as responsible for the ethicality of your work as the person for whom it is written. Be sure that you have asked yourself these questions before you give authorship of your work over to someone else. Thomas H.Bivins. Public Relations writing. – Chicago, 1999.

GLOSSARY ACTION IMPLEMENTATION – any attempt to spread information within a target audience as part of a PR plan. ACTIVE PUBLIC – people who are aware of a problem and will organize to do something about it. AUDIENCE COVERAGE – whether and how well intended publics were reached, which messages reached them, and who else heard the messages. AWARE PUBLIC – people who know about a problem but don't act on it. BOUNDARY SPANNERS – individuals within organizations assigned responsibility for communicating with other organizations. BURNOUT – the idea that a massage loses its punch if consumers hear it too often or too much in advance of an event. CODE OF ETHICS – a formal set of rules governing proper behavior for a particular profession or group. COMMUNICATION POLICIES – final statements of organizational positions

28 related to communication activities and behaviors and information sharing. COMMUNICATION RULES – mutually accepted standards of communication behavior which provide the basis for coordinated interpersonal interaction. COMMUNITY RELATIONS – a PR function consisting of an institution's planned, active, and continuing participation with and within a community to maintain and enhance its environment to the benefit of both the institution and the community. DEFAMATION – any communication which holds a person up to contempt, hatred, ridicule, or scorn. DIFFUSION OF INFORMATION – the way in which information spreads through a public. ETHICS – standard of conduct and morality. EVALUATION – an examination of the effectiveness of a PR effort. FEEDBACK – information received in response to actions or messages about those actions or messages. GATEKEEPER – an individual who is positioned within a communication network so as to control the messages flowing through communication channels. INTERORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION – structured communication among organizations linking them with their environments. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION – the exchange of messages between individuals through which needs, perceptions, and values are shared and by which mutual meanings and expectations are developed. INTERVENING PUBLIC – people who may make it more difficult for an organization to reach those it is aiming to influence or gain approval from. INVASION OF PRIVACY – for areas in which one entity may violate the privacy of another: appropriation, publication of private information, intrusion, or publication of false information. LIAISONS – individuals who serve as linking pins connecting two or more groups within organizational communication networks. Sometimes referred to as internal boundary spanners. LIBEL – published defamation. MASS OPINION the consensus of the public at large. MUTUAL EXPECTATIONS – shared similar responses to messages and events. NEWS CONFERENCES – structured opportunities to release news simultaneously to all media. NEWS RELEASE – a story prepared for the media to share information and

29 generate publicity. OPINION LEADERS – people who are instrumental in influencing other people's attitudes or actions. PERCEPTUAL SCREENS – filters comprised of needs, values attitudes, expectations, and experiences, through which individuals process messages to derive meaning. PLANNED PUBLICITY – publicity that is the planned result of a conscious effort to attract attention to an issue, event, or organization. PRESS AGENT – one who uses information as a manipulative tool, employing whatever means are available to achieve desired public opinion and action. PRESS KIT – a collection of publicity releases packaged to gain media attention. PRIMARY PUBLIC – the group of people an organization ultimately hopes to influence or gain approval from. PUBLIC – a group of individuals tied together by a sense of common characteristics or responses. PUBLIC AFFAIR – that aspect of PR dealing with the political environment of organizations. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – a multistep, multidirectional process in which messages are disseminated to a broad, and sometimes undifferentiated, audience through complex networks of active transmitters. PUBLIC INFORMATION/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS – public relations practitioners working for the United States government or other institutions using those titles. PUBLIC OPINION – an attitudinal measure of the image a public holds concerning some person, object or concept. PUBLIC RELATIONS – a management function that helps define an organization's philosophy and direction by maintaining communication within a firm and with outside forces and by monitoring and helping a firm adapt to significant public opinion. PUBLIC RELATION COUNSELOR – one who informs both publics and organizations in the effort to create relationships of mutual benefit and support. PUBLICITY – publication of news about an organization or person for which time or space is not purchased. PUBLICITY AGENT – one who serves as a conduit of information from organizations to publics, using the information to promote understanding, sympathy, or patronage for the organization. READABILITY STUDY – an assessment of the difficulty an audience should

30 have reading and comprehending a passage. READERSHIP SURVEY – a study to determine the characteristics, preferences, and reading habits of an audience. SLANDER – oral defamation. STANDING PLANS – plans for dealing with certain types of situations, particularly common situations and emergencies. STRATEGIC PLANS – long-range plans concerning a group's major goals and ways of carrying them out. These plans usually are made by top management. PUBLIC RELATIONS is a management function that helps to define organizational objectives and philosophy and facilitate organizational change. Public relations practitioners communicate with all relevant internal and external publics in the effort to create consistency between organizational goals and societal expectations. Public relations practitioners develop, execute, and evaluate organizational programs that promote the exchange of influence and understanding among organizations' constituent parts and publics. PUBLIC RELATIONS helps our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves to bring public and public policies into harmony. PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALISTS are responsible for maintaining positive relations with the press, employees, community, consumers, investors, regulatory agencies, contributors, constituents, and a number of other publics. They must be involved in activities as diverse as sales promotion, political campaigning, interest group representation, fund-raising, and employee recruitment. SUNSHINE ACT – a law requiring meetings of governmental boards, commissions, and agencies to be open to the public. TACTICAL PLANS – short-range plans for accomplishing the steps that lead up to achieving an organization's goals. These plans are carried out at every level of an organization and on an everyday basis. TARGET AUDIENCE – the primary group an organization is trying to influence. UNCONTROLLED MEDIA – those media whose actions are not under the public relations practitioner's control, such as community newspapers and radio stations. WHISTLE-BLOWING – insiders telling the media what they know about improper practices by others, usually in the same company, with the hope of improving the situation.

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