An Introduction

 Public Relations or PR is a field concerned with maintaining a public image for high-profile people, commercial businesses and organizations, non-profit associations or programs.  PR is used primarily as an image building, reputation management, and persuasion tool.  The practice of managing communication between an organization and its publics (Grunig & Hunt, 1984).

 Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire was a pioneer of public relations in 18 th Century England.  However Edward Bernays, a nephew and student of Sigmund Freud, is generally regarded today as the profession's founder.  Bernays wanted to use ‘propaganda’ used for negatively purposes in the World War for a good cause. Hence the term Public Relations was derived as a euphuism for the word Propaganda. "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society,“ Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.“ (Bernays, Propaganda)

 PR Agenda ◦ To manipulate Public Opinion in order to serve the interest of its client.

 Definition of Public ◦ “Public” is the general body of mankind, a group of individuals, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; also, a particular body or aggregation of people. ◦ “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.” (Abraham Lincoln) ◦ This ‘public sphere’ according to Curran is the “space between governments and society in which private individuals exercise formal and informal control over the state.”

 Public Opinion When attitudes start turning into verbal or behavioral actions, an opinion is formed. According to Herbert Blumer, “public opinion should be viewed as a collective product. It is not a unanimous opinion with which all groups in the public agree upon nor is it the majority opinion (1946).”  Lipmann’s Theory of Public Opinion ◦ Walter Lippmann and the “picture inside our heads”. According to him ‘the ‘pictures in our heads’, make up the understanding of the world around us.

 The Function of Mass Media in Influencing Public Opinion ◦ Media plays a vital role in forming Public opinion. ◦ According to Walter Lippmann the media, at their best, give us representations and pictures of an outside world we do not directly see or experience. ◦ This is one of the foremost reasons why Public Relations practitioners use Communication and Mass Media channels to sell their clients services to the public.  The Use of Mass Media in PR Activity ◦ Good Media relations are absolutely essential for PR practitioners.

 Therefore, PR can be defined as “managing strategic relationships” or “fostering vital relationships”.  Public relations is a Marketing tool just like Advertising.  Its aim is to establish a Two-Way Communication between the buyer and seller.

 Persuasion  Advocacy  Public Information  Cause Related  Image–Reputation Management  Relationship Management

 Why is PR Necessary? Public relations has promised two benefits to business:  Increased sales and  protection from unpopularity which could lead to detrimental governmental or regulatory agency activity. …It is not as a sales device, however, but is a method for protection against the political consequences of a hostile public opinion that corporate public relations has been most influential. (Tedlow, 1979)

 PR is used to build rapport with: employees, customers, investors, voters, or the general public.  PR Activity Arena’s: ◦ speaking at conferences, ◦ working with the media, ◦ crisis communications ◦ social media engagement and ◦ employee communication.

 There are a number of possible futures for public relations. In the first scenario, it becomes largely a technical practice, using communication techniques to support marketing activities and is involved in work on product and corporate branding, corporate reputation, market penetration and development.  In the second, public relations will increasingly become a social practice, helping organizations fit into their social environments, and working on relationships between groups to help bring about social and economic development, and to help in completing social tasks.  In the US and throughout the world, there has been an intense debate over whether public relations, advertising and sales promotion should be integrated into a program called ‘integrated marketing communication’ (IMC).

A Global Culture  Public Relation practitioners should be able to cater to the needs of a more multi-cultural society catering to global settings. Thus a better understanding of inter-cultural communication will be required.