PR Summaries

Public relations
Public relations ia s management function that creates, develops and carries out policies to
influence public opinion or public reaction about an idea, product or an organization. It includes
advertising, publicity, promotional activities and press contact.
In industry public relations personnel keep management informed of changes in the opinions of
various publics: employeEs, stockholders, customers. These professionals council management
as to the impact of any action on the behavior of the target audiences. Public relations person has
the task of communicating the information to the public using methods that foster understanding,
consent and desired behavior.
Politicians seeking office, government agencies seeking acceptance, officials seeking support for
their policies and foreign governments seeking aid all make extensive use of counseling services
provided by public relations specialists.
Public relations play an important role in the entertainment industry - motion pictures, sports,
restaurants - to enhance their business image. Other clients of the public relations specialists are
educational, social service and charitable institutions, trade unions, religious groups and
professional societies.
Public relations practitioner has 7 main functions:
1) programming which means defining goals and determining the target audiences
2) writing and editing materials such as press releases, speeches
3) placing information in the most advantageous way
4) organizing special events such as press functions, displays
5) setting out face to face communication, preparation and delivery of speeches
6) providing research and evaluation using various survey techniques
7) managing resources by planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff to attain these
objectives.
In developed countries public relations is a significant force in all areas of community life and to
avoid the misuse of professional skills, public relations organizations have developed a code of
ethics for members. In many developing countires public relations services are so far virtually
unused, but they are likely to be a future government concern.
Advertising
Advertising a form of commercial mass communication designed to promote the sale of a
product or service, or message on behalf of an institution,organization or candidate for political
office.
It became a major industry in the 20th century and today employs hundreds of thousands of
people and influences the behavior and buying habits of billions of people.
Some advertisements encouraging public not to use illegal drugs or smoke cigarettes are called
public service ads and are intended to promote an idea or influence the behavioe. Institutional
advertising’s goal is to encourage people to volunteer, to donate money or to improve the image
of the institution. For example this may be the advertising of the Red Cross or the United states
armyPolitical advertising has became a key component of electoral campaigns in many
countries.
When some people believe that advertising has economic and social benefits, the others say that
some advertising is deceptive and encourages exclusively materialistic culture and reinforces
harmful stereotypes, so some countries regulate advertising to prevent such ads.
The commerce between countries becoming more popular and many multinational corporations
looking beyond their own country borders for new customers, advertising has become
increasingly international, since those corporations are advertising their products in other
regions.
Shaping of public opinion

In democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on a variety of issues.
The opinions are shaped and manipulated by several factors: individual circumstancesz the mass
media, special interest groups and opinion leaders.
Wealthy people tend to think differently on social issues from poor people. Factory workers do
not share the same views as white-collar workers. In this and other ways individual status shapes
one’s view on current events
The mass media are powerfull influences on the way people think and act. Whatever is featured
in newspapers and magazines attracts enough attention that people begin to inform themselves
and to express opinions. The mass media have also created larger audiences for government a
wider range of public issues. Earlier elections were seen as local contest, but today they are seen
as struggles between party leaders and programs. In the US radio and television have been
beneficial to the presidency. Si=ince the days of Roosevelt presidents have appealed directly to a
national audience to advocate their programs.
Special interest groups spend vast amounts annually trying to influence public opinion. Public
utilities for instance tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuclear power plants. Opposed them
were citizens organizations lobbied to halt the use of nuclear power.
Opinion leaders are usually prominent public figures, whose opinions whether intelligent or not,
carry weight with some segments of the population. Nobel Prize winners suddenly thrust into
public view by the media and quickly reaching a large audience gain a hearing and can influence
on shaping news and complex issues.

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Public relations

Shaping of public opinion

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