Media Relations (9)

Media relations has taught me two important factors that I've turned a blind eye on. 

#1. In order to carry out a Public Relations (PR) duty, connecting with the media and sending a message out through the media requires a deep understanding of various mediums which reaches the masses. 

"Just as PR provides information to the media, the media provides information to PR as well." 

Since PR and the media are interdependent and unable to function without the other, the need and urgency to understand how things work is of utter importance. In order to understand how things work, PR practitioners have to be up-to-date, selective and targetted. 

Writing, organizational skills, planning and interpersonal skills are also qualities of which PR practitioners must have. Media monitoring is also vital as it adds to further research. 

#2. The media has evolved and advanced to become a complex necessity for PR to be accomplished. 

The media should be considered and is now "a complex and multi-layered part of society", where different media provide different opportunities.

Newspapers are no longer the only option for practitioners to choose. With the advancement and production of the Internet, many alternative doors have been opened. 

The reading made me realise that PR somehow intertwines with other subjects which acquire the same skills. For example, PR and Journalism share the same skill of writing in news style. Having these general skills will aid in exploring into different industries and eventually excelling in a profession you never thought you would excel in. 

I have also thought deeper about how analytical PR practitioners have to be in order to do their jobs well. They have to monitor the media, meaning reading, watching and listening to the media and analyzing what is of news value and what is not. 

At the end of the day, PR practitioners do have skills that most people fail to identify as they have shallow perceptions about PR and the job scope of practitioners. 

Strategy & Planning (7)

What Chapter 7 taught me, is this: 

1. Strategy has to be firmly established and constantly updated or kept in mind and view because of its importance towards a company or organization and how it directs them forward. 

Schmertz's (1986) 4 tips on reputational strategy can be summed up in one line: Be Real, Be Honest. 

Public Relations has to be about being real, showing what the company or organization stands for and how integrity is a value deeply inculcated. That way, the public, clients and customers are able to be assured that you and your company are trustworthy. 

2. Since planning 'gives you control, thoroughness, support, back-up and direction", it needs to be deliberately placed as top priority. 

Organizations cannot afford to plan carelessly or recklessly as it could mean dire consequences. PR is 'inherently a complex, multi-faceted process' and 'planning is not just helpful, it is essential.'

My personal thoughts of strategy and planning are derived from the little analogy at the end of the reading. If PR was a train, strategy would be the engine and planning, the tracks. Nothing would work without either. 

In view of the various practical ways to apply where strategy and planning are concerned, I believe that every company has the ability to recognize where they are and where they are headed. Having the wisdom to strategize and plan does not come by easy but with the right application of the right or suitable tactics, the publics will respond positively as well. 

To have a vision and a mission, sets a common goal to be achieved. And just as it is in life, it shall be in PR as well - "Goals are the 'what' and process is the 'how'."

Thus, Public Relations should and can be applied in personal, daily life - Only because there are common grounds to be met! Hence, strategy and planning are of complete relevance, regardless of whether an individual decides to enter the PR industry or not :)

Chapters 1, 2 and 3.

I think the two key points from this week's readings are that there is much more to Public Relations (PR) than what society deems it to be and that theories play a big part in defining and shaping PR.

Upon briefly understanding and grasping what PR was all about, I realised that PR Practitioners shoulder heavy responsibilities and are required to execute roles that not everyone has the gift or talent for. 

Theories, which in my opinion, seemed irrelevant to PR. I simply could not understand why such a 'social' career required theories to be inculcated and applied. However, when Grunig's theories were explained and intertwined with the gist of PR, they became clearly relevant. 

The readings made me think more about PR theories and/or practice in that having misconceptions about PR and not clarifying doubts could lead to disinterest. Honestly, I always thought that PR simply wasn't my cup of tea because I didn't understand or know much about it - I put it off. That led me to question, since PR has such a wide range of roles and job opportunities and is of utter importance to a company, why do people (like myself) refuse to delve deeper before putting PR off? 

PR has proven itself to be connected to communications as it is 'the development of strategies using communications to build relationships with publics'. It definitely does not sound easy. And not everyone will be up to the job really. As a form of communications, should PR be given less value then journalism or marketing? Is it given less value in today's society?

In conclusion, I'd like to say that I agree with two sentences from the readings: 

"Advertising is visibility, public relations is credibility." 

and

"PR = Art + Science + Business" 

because it is.

PR should be given a chance to prove its worth and effectiveness. These are.. just my 2 cents worth :)