CBC

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Lesson ON:
CONTEMPORARY
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION

03/03/2024 1
CHAPTR FIVE
5. PUBLIC RELATION
 5.1. Meanings
•What is Public Relations?
Public relations (PR) are the practice of managing the flow
of information between an individual or an organization and the
public.
The aim of PR by a company often is to persuade the public,
investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders to maintain
a certain point of view about it, its leadership, products.
Definition “Public relations are a planned process to
influence public opinion, through sound character and proper
performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way
communication.”
 5.1. Meanings
•The phrase “public-relations‟ has two words namely, “public‟ and “relations‟.
 A “public‟ is a group of individuals having similar or common interests; an
association of persons having the same interests, problems, circumstances, expectations
and goals.
In this sense “publics‟ are customers, employees, suppliers, lenders, shareholders,
special interest groups, government, middlemen and so on.
"Relations- Human wants to create the need to establish relations with one another.
The representative wants of the individuals will profoundly affect their relationship.
'Relationships are of all possible types. We have relationship by ran-superior to
inferior, inferior to superior, and equal to equal. We have relationship by sentiment-
benevolent, Friendly, suspicious, jealous, hostile.
A relationship may be active, or it may be passive it may be good or it may be bad,
or it may be neutral. At any rate, the relationship is there to be accepted, ignored or
altered, as desired.
 5.1. Meanings
"Public Relations is distinctive management function which helps
establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding,
acceptance and cooperation between an organization and its publics;
involves the management of problems or issues;
helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public
opinion;
defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve
the public interest;
helps management keep abreast of and effectively utilize change,
serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and
 5.1.1. Functions of public relations

Public Relations is establishing the relationship among the

two groups (organisation and public).
Art or Science of developing mutual understanding and
goodwill.
It analyses the public perception & attitude, identifies the
organization policy with public interest and then executes the
programmes for communication with the public.
 5.1.1. Functions of public relations

Public relations serves a wide variety of institutions in society

such as businesses, trade unions, government agencies, voluntary
associations, foundations, hospitals, schools, colleges 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.
 5.1.1. Functions of public relations

•Advantages of PR
Credibility
Cost
Avoidance of Confusion
Lead Generation
Ability to reach specific groups
Image Building

•Disadvantages of PR
Difficult to quantify PR benefits
Lack of control
“Deft‟ management required
 Con’t..

Role of PR manager
Advocate: He must focus all energy on building an organization
that will be deemed a good corporate citizen.
Communicator: The public relations manager crafts
communications policies and oversees the development of all
statements and news releases for the company. Communications
must be clear, concise and relevant to the audience.
Problem Solver: The public relations manager is the ultimate spin
doctor. It is her job to put the best face on news and information
that could discomfit or harmful the company's reputation.
 Con’t..

Roles and Objectives of PR

 The Government uses Public Relations to keep the public
informed about the activity of government agencies, explain
policy, and manage political campaigns.
 The Companies use it to handle relationship with many groups
affected by a company’s product and policies: consumers,
shareholders, employees, and the managing body.
 Con’t..
Major Roles of Public Relations Management are:
1. Communication Management: It develops communication objective in line with
organization’s overall objectives and sets a two-way communication process facilitating
exchange of information between key publics and management.
2. Reputation or Image Management: Public Relations function of an
organization shapes its image. Planning and implementing of policies, procedures
and strategies that demonstrate an organization’s commitment to public and social
responsibility, ethical behavior affects reputation of the organization.
3. Issues Management: Public Relations identify and analyses problems, issues
and trends that can affect an organization. It also develops strategy and executes
programme to deal with the issues.
 Con’t..
Major Roles of Public Relations Management are:
4. Crisis Management: PR plays a critical role in protecting reputation of an organization
when there is negative or unfavorable reports and adverse publicity, which if left unchecked
might negatively affect organization.
5. Relationship Management: Another important Role of Public Relations is to identify
key publics and establishing strategies for building and maintaining mutually beneficial
relationships with those publics.
6. Media Relations: PR establishes an effective relationship with media to get favorable
publicity to influence public and change their behavior in the desired direction.
7. Risk Management: PR help organizations to identify potential danger and risk factors
and alerts the management. It also suggests the necessary changes to avoid the risk.
8. Strategic Management: PR serves on the management team helping the organization
develop sound policies that are in the best interests of the public as well as the organization.
 Con’t..
•The Broad Objectives of Public Relations Function are:
Establishing, maintaining and projecting the organization’s corporate character and
identity
Creating and sustaining awareness about the Company, its goals, products and services.
Winning trust and confidence of various stakeholders and getting their acceptance
Responding to criticism of the organization
Establishing an effective channel of communication between public and the organization
Getting Cooperation from various stakeholders for achieving business objectives
Generating positive publicity in media
Earning awards, certification and endorsement from various organization, individuals or
associations
Reinforcing the by maintaining positive relationships with key audiences, and thereby
aiding in building a strong image
 Con’t..
 Reactive vs. Proactive PR
 Reactive PR must react or respond to a public relations issue or problem.
 Proactive PR allows organizations to plan and execute public relations
activities on their own timeline.
PR Skills
 Writing
 research
 interpersonal communication
 media and cultural literacy
 critical thinking
 business knowledge
 The Public Relations Process
•Effective public relations are accomplished through a process known as RACE
(Research, Action, Communication, and Evaluation).
•There are four fundamental questions asked in the RACE process.
 The RACE formula
Research
 What is the problem or situation?

Action (program planning)

 What is going to be done about it?
Communication (execution)
 How will the public be told?
Evaluation
 Was the audience reached and what was the effect?
 The Public Relations Process..

1. Research
3. Communication
•The first step in the public relations process:

 Implementation of tactics
Clearly define problem/situation (situational
analysis)  Visible part of a public relations plan
 S.W.O.T. (Organizational analysis)
 Comes AFTER research and planning
 Audience Analysis (needs, wants, desires, VALs)
•Value of Research
4. Evaluation/Measurement
 Clarify/Direct Strategy  Measuring production
 Achieving Credibility with Clients/Management
 Measuring awareness
 Measuring Results
2. Action (planning)
 Measuring attitude change
 Goals/Objectives  Measuring behavior change (ultimate
 Themes/Key Messages
objective)
 Strategies/Tactics
 Calendar
 Budget
 Evaluation
 The Public Relations Process..
The phase of Public Relations process
The 1st phase of PR process is identifying and listing out the information or message to
the communicator.
The 2nd phase of PR is process to determine the existing image or awareness level about
the issue in the target group or common public.
The 3rd phase of PR is developing of communication objectives and priorities.
The 4th phase of PR is deals with developing the message and choosing the media to
transit.
The 5th phase of PR is the implementation of the message and media, coordination or
the dissemination of message.
The 6th phase of PR is communication process to check whether message reached
properly and the expected action or behavior or knowledge on image factors.
The 7th phase of PR, in case the message did not reach properly identified the reason
for the ineffectiveness and rectification of the same and disseminate the revised
message.
 5.2. Components of public relations
•Components of Public Relations: Public relations as a bridge of meaning between the
organization and the public’s first, it has certain elements. These are:
1. Human Relations:
•PR is getting along with the people or “publics‟ both internal and external. No individual is
rational. Each person who works in an organization has to get along with others.
2. Empathy: is the power of understanding feeling of others. For instance feeling sorry for
others is sympathy.
3. Persuasion: There are two ways of changing the mind of another or others namely by
persuasion and by force. The persuasion is positive and hence results in positive outcome
and force is negative and, therefore, the outcome will be not encouraging.

4. Dialogue: is a conversation with some purpose. Dialogue is a reasonable exchange of

ideas bringing into being a new form of knowledge; the use of dialogue is for influencing
behavior, selling goods or inspiring ideas.
 5.3. The Need for Public Relations
•There are four fundamental forces that answer the question why PR. These are:
1. Communication: Technically, the means of communication have reached the
stage of perfection and sophistication and there is no end for this.
2. New Information Order: If one things, whether we are all correctly informed is really
very difficult to say. “New Information Order”, as far as one is aware, a correct reply is yet
to be received.

3. Information Load: Information load is also called message load or quantity. Those
people who do not believe in others will attract our attention to the flood of information to
which we are all exposed today. The correct answer to this is that this flood is largely
without direction and that it is inaccurate and incomplete.
4. Mutually and Understanding: By definition, PR where mutuality is founded on
interaction between consideration for public opinion, and the need of the communicator or
organization to inform or establish contact.
 5.5. Media relations

• In present information age, the mass media play an essential role

in conveying information to people and forming opinions.

 Media relations refers to working with journalists and media

outlets in order to reach wider target audience.
 It is about establishing and maintaining mutual understanding,
goodwill, co-operation, respect and support between an
organization and the mass media to communicate the
organization’s goals, ideas, intent, achievements, policies and
other newsworthy message.
 5.5. Media relations

 Organizations seek publicity in media when there is:-

 Launching of a new product/service

 Launching of promotional campaigns/activities
 Awards received by the organization
 Opening of new outlets
 Sponsored events
 Participation in social activities
 Community Engagement
 Disasters, strikes or organizational closures
 5.5. Media relations

Public Relations Vs Media Relations

 Many people consider media relations and public relations as same thing. But
in practice, both are different, even though they are very closely related.
 Public relations are the art and science of connecting and communicating
various publics with whom an organization may have a relationship. There
exist different publics, which may include employees, customers, government,
industry, investors, shareholders, communities, general public, vendors,
suppliers, members, and the media.
 However, Media relations is the interaction with reporters, journalists and
editors in print, electronic , and online media in order to communicate
information about an organization. Simply put, a media relation is a sub-
category of public relations with a focus on the media.
 5.5. Media relations
The Importance of media relations
Media Relations is an important part of Public Relations Function because:
 Media has a significant influence in forming public perception and opinion.
 Positive news coverage has higher credibility in comparison to paid
advertising.
 The cost of coverage in the news media is substantially lower in comparison to
the advertising cost.
 Coverage in news media has implicit third party endorsement of the journalist
or writer, helping in establishing the reputation
 It helps in managing negative news in case of adverse situations, saving
reputation of the organisation.
 Negative coverage in media damages organisations’ reputation and image.
 5.5. Media relations

•Why is media important in Public Relations?

 Media Helps in multiplying the message
 Media Reaches a wide audience at local, regional, national and
international levels
 Media can draw attention of Government officials,
Parliamentarians/ Legislators, decision makers and opinion
leaders
 Media can influence public opinion in positive and negative
direction
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THE END