Public Relations

● Introduction to public relations

● Concept, definitions and process of public relations
● Need and scope of Public Relations
● Growth and development of PR with special reference to India
● Public Relations-Advertising-Propaganda-Publicity- Corporate
Communication: similarities and differences
● Tools of Public Relations
● Careers in PR
CONCEPT, DEFINITIONS AND PROCESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations is planned and persuasive communication designed to create and

maintain good relations of an organization with its significant external and internal publics. It is
described as the invisible sell. The ultimate purpose of public relations is to create an
understanding and basis for trust and finally to influence public opinion. It is regarded as a
typical service or facility. PR is based on a Social Philosophy of Management.
The State Governments in our country have their public relations departments. Autonomous
bodies, corporations and public or private sector business units have their “PR” setup to promote
their interests or to build up their image.
Public Relations is often studied from a managerial, instrumental perspective. However, to
understand its role in building trust or creating mistrust and in developing-or destroying-a
company’s license to operate, public relations also needs to be studied as a social phenomenon.

Contemporary everyday life is influenced by increasing complexity, rapid change, globalization,

and the deconstruction of social structures. As a result, corporations, and other organizations
today have a greater need to build relationships with their stakeholders and to communicate with
them about their aims and behavior. In this interaction, it becomes essential to offer answers to
such questions as “Who are we?” “What are our goals?” and “How should we act to reach our
goals?” This not only gives public relations a new frame to reference, but also gives it a much
more prominent position in the management of organizations. Corporations increasingly tend to
see public relations as a senior management function, and a wider range of organizations have
started to utilize public relations.
Aristotle said, ‘Man is a social animal’. Gone are the days, when people could be self sufficient
in meeting their needs of survival. Today, the society has come to acquire a paradigm of ‘inter-
dependence’ so that every person is dependent on another for the satisfaction of their needs. This
has culminated into a situation where corporations and the public relate to each other. There is
hardly an organization, which is able to accomplish their goals without the help from public.
Business people depend on customers for sales and profits; organizations depend on employees
for productivity and quality of their products; industry relies on several engineers and skilled
men and women to produce products that satisfy human needs like food, clothing, cars and
homes; society depend on the government to provide utilities, law and order, the younger
generation depends on schools and colleges for education and career advancement; and men and
women of all ages depend on religious institutions for spiritual and moral guidance. All these
have culminated into a great need for relationships and communications among all people at all
levels. The inter-dependence of people, businesses, government and social and religious
organizations, has given birth to a new philosophy and a function of management, which has
come to be known as ‘public relations’.
Public Relations has been, in some form or the other, since time immemorial, though not in the
form as practiced today. The discipline had its beginning in the last quarter of the 19th century,
with the advent of utilities like railroads and other industries which expanded across America.
This new economic development necessitated the need for public relations to play its role in
terms of communicating people, who were directly or indirectly affected by the developments
and consequential changes in life style. As such, public relations witnessed some initial existence
and meaningful growth.
Public relations practitioners have a focused responsibility of managing the communication
system which is driven by them for some objective of generating relationships based on
understanding and goodwill. As such communication plays a subordinate role to the functioning
of public relations discipline.
‘The PR department monitors the attitudes of the organization’s publics and distributes
information and communications to build goodwill. When negative publicity happens, the PR
department acts as a troubleshooter. The best PR departments spend time counseling top
management to adopt positive programs and to eliminate questionable practices so that negative
publicity does not arise in the first place,’ wrote Philip Kotler, the marketing guru in 2000.

Definitions of Public Relations:

‘The purpose of Public Relations practice is to establish a two way communication to resolve
conflicts of interest and to establish understanding based on truth, knowledge and full
information’.
-Sam Black, a British PR practitioner
‘Relations with the general public, as through publicity, specifically, those functions of a
corporation, organization, etc, concerned with attempting to create favorable public opinion for
itself’.
-Webster’s New Word Dictionary

‘Public Relations is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual
understanding between an organization and its public’.
-British Institute of Public opinion

‘Public Relations is a combination of Philosophy, Sociology, Economics, Language, Psychology,

Journalism, Communication, and other knowledge of a system of human understanding’.
-Herbert M. Bans

‘Public Relations is a management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the
policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest, and executes
a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance’.
-Public Relations News, USA

Public Relations is ‘The management function which gives the same organized and careful
attention to the asset of Goodwill as is given to any other major asset of business’.
-John W. Hill

‘Public Relations is the attempt by information, persuasion and adjustment to engineer public
support for an activity, cause, movement or institution’.
-Edward L. Bernays

‘Good performance, publicity appreciated because adequately communicated’.

-Fortune Magazine

‘Public Relations is the communication and interpretation of ideas from an institution to the
publics and the communication of information, ideas and opinions from those publics to the
institution, in a sincere effort to establish maturity of interest and thus achieve the harmonious
adjustment of an institution to its community’.
-Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center

“Merely human decency which flows from a good heart.”

-Charles Plackard

“Public Relations is Dale Carnegie - winning friends and influencing people – writ large.”
- Robert Heibroner

“Everything involved in achieving a favorable opinion."

George F. Meredith

"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 uses research and sound and
ethical communication as its principal tools."
Rex F. Harlow

According to Public Relations Society of America, PR encompasses the following “Anticipating,

analyzing, and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues which might impact the
operations and plans of organization. It also involves counseling management at all levels in the
organization with regard to policy decisions, courses of action and communication, and taking
into account their public ramifications and organization’s social responsibilities.
A study of the foregoing definitions, leads us to conclude with an ethical statement.
Public Relations is ninety percent doing good and ten per cent communication about it. Public
relations cannot and should not gloss over the bad deeds of an organization to make them look
good, but can and should professionally help to get credit for a job well done by the organization.
Public Relations as a Process:
Public Relations can also be defined as a process-that is a series of actions, changes, or functions
that bring out a result. This means that public relations activity consists of four key elements.
1) Research-listening: This involves probing the opinions, attitudes and reactions of those
concerned with the acts and policies of an organization, then evaluating the inflow. This task also
requires determining facts regarding the organization: "what's our problem?"
2) Planning-decision making: This involves bringing these attitudes, opinions, ideas and
reactions to bear on the policies and programmes of the organization. It will enable the
organization to chart a course in the interests of all concerned:
"Here's what we can do."
3) Communication-action: This involves explaining and dramatizing the chosen course to all
those who may be affected and whose support is essential: "Here's what we did and why."
4) Evaluation: This involves evaluating the results of the programme and the effectiveness of
techniques used: "How did we do?"
The first phase of Public Relations process is identifying and listing out the information or
message to the communicator.
The second phase of Public Relations is process to ascertain the existing image or awareness
level about the issue in the target group or common public.
The third phase of Public Relations is developing of communication objectives and priorities.
The fourth phase of Public Relations is deals with developing the message and choosing the
media to transit.
The fifth phase of Public Relations is the implementation of the message and media,
coordination or the dissemination of message.
The sixth phase of Public Relations is communication process to check whether message reached
properly and the expected action or behavior or knowledge on image factors.
The seventh phase of Public Relations, in case the message did not reach properly identified the
reason for the ineffectiveness and rectification of the same and disseminates the revised message.
Now, let us briefly see the above component:
1. Listing and prioritizing of information is to be disseminated:
May wish to inform the public:
a) The new policy of the Government or organization
b) The change in the existing policy
c) The new scheme promoted
d) The change in the existing scheme
Public Relations activity starts with identifying the message to be disseminated and prioritized.
2. Ascertaining the existing knowledge level or understanding the perceptions of the public:
The organization can check a quick survey among the target group of the public to
As certain the knowledge level of the issue for which the organization is planning to initiate
Public Relations process and in case of the image it is essential to know whether the image is
positive, neutral or negative in terms of the assessment or in terms of the organization or both.
3. Communication objectives and priorities:
Based on the knowledge level or image factor, communication objective is to be established
which is possible to evaluate and the top management approval is required. For example,
communication objective instead of using the term increasing awareness level about the scheme,
it should be specific "By 2005, in the number of families where of the scheme be atleast one
lakh" so that we can evaluate the impact.
4. Message and Media:
After choosing the objective, the content of the message need to be developed.
While developing the message we should keep in mind the media in which we are going to use
for disseminating that message. TV/Visual media may be effective for showing the
demonstrating awareness. Training media may be effective whether the recipient may wish to
keep the gap or further reference.
5. Implementation of message and media:
Based on the expected reaching level and target group, the budget is to be prepared and message
is transmitted through the appropriate media's.

6. Impact assessment:
After release of the message, it is essential to study the impact at interval by interacting with the
target group.

7. Message redesigned:
In case, the interaction of the target group reveals the message did not reach as expected the
modification in message or media need to be done and the revised message should be
disseminated.

NEED AND SCOPE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Need of Public Relations:
Investing on Public relations will help the organization to achieve its objective effectively and
smoothly. Public Relations is not creating good image for a bad team. Since false image cannot
be sustained for a long time. Though the organization product or services are good it need an
effective Public Relations campaign for attracting, motivating the public to the product or service
or towards the purpose of the program. It not only encourages the involvement from the public
but also results in better image building. Effective Public Relations can create and build up the
image of an individual or an organization or a nation. At the time of adverse publicity or when
the organization is under crisis an effective Public Relations can remove the "misunderstanding"
and can create mutual understanding between the organization and the public.

Good Public Relations is no substitute for sound policy or good performance. False
image cannot be sustained for long time. Disillusionment will follow if the performance is not on
par with the image. At the same time, right policy and good performance do not get
automatically appreciated or even known without effective public relations. Therefore, the need
for PR is obvious.
It is now recognized that money spend on public relations is a good investment. It is as money
spent for good plant layout, good sales planning, or good legal practice. Sound, well-organized,
and dynamic public relations is a sure to improve not only the image of organization, but also the
profits of a business concern.
Effective public relations can win people to a certain cause or a program. PR can motivate
people to buy a certain product or a service. Good Public Relations attracts the right type of
people to the organization. It can encourage investment from the public. Ineffective public
relations or the absence of public relations can also do a lot of damage to the organization.
To understand the communication needs of various publics
Communication is a two way process between the sender and receiver of communication. The
PR practitioners need to understand that the both the sender and the receiver have
communication requirements and obligations. An organization’s basic communication need is to
disseminate information about its activities to various target audience, word towards a positive
image building of the organization. On the other hand, each target audience has or may have
specific communication needs, which they would like to be fulfilled.

PR and Public opinion

Public opinion, according to many experts works as the barometer of public relations. It provides
the psychological environment in which organizations prosper or perish. Looking at the
complexities of business, the growing heterogeneity of publics and the increasing expectations of
consumers, public relations need not only work towards creating a favorable image of the
organization but also what it stands for.

Role and Scope of Public Relations:

Prestige or “favorable image” and its benefits
● Promotion of products or services
● Detecting and dealing with issues and opportunities
● Determining the organization’s posture in dealing with its publics
● Good will of employees or members
● Prevention and solution of labor problems
● Fostering the good will of communities in which the organization has units
● Good will of stockholders or constituents
● Overcoming misconceptions and prejudices
● Forestalling attacks
● Good will of Suppliers
● Good will of Government
● Good will of the rest of the industry
● Good will of Dealers and attraction of other dealers
● Ability to attract the best personnel
● Education of the public to a point of view
 ● Good will of Customers and Supporters
● Investigation of the attitude of various groups toward the company
● Formulation and guidance of policies
● Fostering the viability of the society in which the organization functions
● Directing the course of change

Public Relations and Customer Satisfaction:

The PR professionals hold the opinion that the public relations practice is founded on the
principle that to enjoy good reputation and image, a company must deserve it before it desires.
Corporate reputation is closely linked to the product value. The image perception of a company
in the minds of the consumers is a direct reflection of quality and image of the products it
markets. Consumers measure the product value by the features and benefits they get out of the
product, its good design and style, sound performance, and easy availability in a number of
models, sizes, colors, types and fair prices.

The satisfaction is realized by the customers almost immediately with FMCG products, but in the
case of consumer durables, the product must be backed by a sound guarantee, comprehensive
service policy, trained service personnel, regular maintenance, and easy availability of spare
parts. The service aspect of such products creates customer satisfaction and form an integral part
of the effective consumer relations program of reputable companies.

Public Relations and Goodwill:

Perhaps the most important force affecting all organizations and governments today is the
opinion of people. Businessmen realize this when they talk of “goodwill”.
Organization goodwill today means not only the attitude of the consumer toward its products, but
also the attitude of the employees, the community, the government, the stockholders, the dealers
and distributors, the suppliers and others. All of these groups are vital to the success of a
company; the goodwill of every one of them is indispensable. This is equally true for all other
types of organizations.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PR
Ancient Times
From ancient times to the modern day, public relations, like other disciplines of human activity
has, come a long way to attain professional maturity. The origin of public relations, however, can
be traced back to the dawn of civilization. It perhaps started with the realization of ancient
humans that it is not possible to survive alone. The ancient man felt the need for relationship and
therefore of communication with members of their communities. This was the start of the inter-
dependence by humans. The man came to be known as ‘social animal’. The phenomena like
informing, persuading, and uniting people, though appear elements of the modern society, yet
they have been there since the early civilization. Goals, techniques, tools, and ethical standards
change with the passage of time.
The evidence of public relations can be found in the ancient history of India where the writings
of the earliest times mention about the kings and their spies, whose function was to provide
sensitive feedback on public opinions to the king, eulogize the king amongst people or spread
grapevines that favour the kingdom. History reveals the stories of the kings themselves going to
the streets, in the guise of a common man, to collect information about the joys and sorrows of
the people they ruled.
Thirteen centuries passed between the fall of the Roman Empire in AD 475 and the
Enlightenment of the 18th century. During the Dark Ages, public opinion played little part. With
the Renaissance, which was characterized by a secular movement stressing the rights of reason to
investigate nature and society, the basis of the modern world was laid, with its emphasis on the
individual and the society.

The 20th century

Public relations have been there, in some form or the other, though not in the form as practiced
today. The discipline had its beginning in the last quarter of the 19th century, with the advent of
utilities like rail, roads and other industries which expended across America. This new economic
development necessitated the need for public relations to play its role in terms of communicating
to the people, who were directly or indirectly affected by the developments and consequential
changes in life styles. As such, public relations witnessed some initial existence and meaningful
growth. The down of the 20th century, with its changing economic and social scenario posed
many new challenges for the society. The American history has recorded that it was Samuel
Adams and his fellow revolutionaries who planned and utilized the public relations means and
methods to succeed in the American war of Independence. Significantly, revolutionaries such as
Samuel Adams and his associate, Thomas Paine used pamphlets and public events to raise public
support for the American Revolution. Some of the enlightened and enterprising American
Businessmen, in the early decades of the 20th century, felt the need to favorably project the
meaning and relevance of their business of the society, and, therefore, resorted to meaningful
public relations efforts. This led to the establishment of public relations and publicity counseling
firms who would work as advisory or consulting outfits for the industry. Some of the business
houses even established public relations departments in their firms. From the phenomenon
onwards, the practice of public relations appears to have moved ahead significantly.
The First World War
Public relations, though not recognized as such, have always existed as a discipline that dealt
with the system of communication. With the outbreak of the First World War arose a global need
and effort to influence the public opinion. When on 6th April, 1917 the United States of
American entered the First World War, almost immediately; a committee on public information
was set up to direct the flow of information to the people. The committee at that time followed
the concept of ‘one way persuasive communication’. Headed by George Creel, the committee
was responsible for consolidating public opinion in support of the war effort through a well-
orchestrated and nation-wide propaganda campaign.
Twelve years after the war, yet another historical development that had a far-reaching impact on
the public relations profession was the stock market crash of 1929, which plunged the American
economy into a well known ‘Great Depression’. Rampant unemployment, and resultant public
frustration and anguish erupted in widespread criticism of the business enterprises.
The Second World War
The post World War Second period saw an increase in the number of corporate public relations
departments and the rapid growth of newly formed public relations firms, many of them started
by returning war veterans.
The name of Arthur Page will remain in history as a single individual who made sizable
contribution to the practice of public relations. He remained the head of public relations for the
American Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1927 to 1947 and did much to establish
public relations as a management function. He counseled managements that gaining public
approval should be based on performance in the public interest. His philosophy is enshrined in
the statement- ‘All business in a democratic country begins with public permission and exist by
public approval. If that be true, it follows the business should be cheerfully willing to tell the
public what its policies are, what it is doing, and what it hopes to do. This seems practically a
duty.
During the fifties, many of the largest advertising agencies operated public relations units under
the agencies’ name. Most of these agencies wings did not last long as bid advertising clients
expected the agencies to provide public relations service at low or no cost. With profits eroding,
the agencies had no choice but to close down their public relations wings. This made them
deficient to compete with independent public relations firms whom the clients regarded as hard
core public relations professionals who deserved a suitable consultation fees.
Modern Times
In the seventies, the advertising agencies, including those that had earlier abandoned their own
public relations units, recognized that public relations was an important component of a ‘full
service ’agency. They also saw public relations as a contributor to profits and a strategic means
to gain access to client’s top management.
The first major public relation firm to be brought by an advertising agency was Carl &
Association, acquired by Foote, Cone & Belding in 1978; it was subsequently sold in 1989 to
Hill & Knowlton. Other major acquisition included Burson Marsteller by Young & Rubicam and
Hill & Knowlton by J. Walter Thompson. Over the last part of the 20th century, public relations
emerged as a major and corporations took it very seriously as a top management function and
have also cashed upon its potential in establishing and furthering their interest in the world
markets and communities.
Impressed by the role of public relations, government and bureaucrats worldwide, irrespective of
time, place, and culture, have been its votaries. It is very difficult to think of a king, president, or
a government official who was not a successful public relations practitioner. So, today, there is
not an aspect of human life, whether it is politics, religion, health, or education where public
relations do not have a role to play.
After the US, the next most widely developed territories for public relations are Canada and the
UK followed by countries of Western Europe and Asia. Asia, with its great variety of religions,
cultures, and growing business has tremendous potential for public relations profession and its
practitioners. With its surging population of young people taking to professions and resultant
disposable incomes, Asia is a vast market for products and services, marketed both by local as
well as global companies. A host of multinational companies setting up operations in Asian
countries is a common sight. This market development naturally brings several related
challenges and opportunities which public relations profession will have to address.

Public Relations in India

According to the Global Alliance for Public Relations, the public relations industry in India
employs about 10,000 people in 700 firms across the country. But a lack of education and formal
training has resulted in some shortages of trained workers. Each year, between 90 and 150
students from various educational institutions enter the public relations field.
Public relations in India is seen as tactical rather than strategic and is taken seriously by a small
number of large organizations. The industry is gaining recognition as a profession, though, and
practitioners are working to earn a positive image in India.
Modern public relations practices began in India in the 1940s when many companies started
offering public relations services, and other large companies, such as Tata Motors and Tata
Communications, India’s largest telecommunication provider, opened public relations
departments. The Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) was established in 1958, and the
economy reforms in the 1980s allowed for the growth of public relations agencies. Melcole PR,
Indian Public Affairs Network (IPAN) and the Taj Hotel’s Good Relations were opened during
this time.

Today, international agencies such as Ogilvy Public Relations, Weber Shandwick, Hanmer &
Partners and Genesis Burson-Marsteller have offices in India. 20:20 Media is an independent
firm that was opened in 1989 and specializes in technology public relations.
Public Relations-Advertising-Propaganda-Publicity-Corporate
Communication: Similarities and Differences
PR is often taken to be synonymous with advertising, propaganda and publicity. Be it a product,
service, an idea, a concept or an issue; advertising, publicity and public relations inputs add value
to it in the minds and hearts of the target group. They communicate relevant and appropriate
information and benefits to bring about an attitudinal and behavioral change in them. A change
which is desired and which is positive, it is however, not generally conceded that public relations
stand for total image building activity of an organization and included a wider range of activities;
other are means to achieve that objective.

Advertising and Public Relations:

There is no general argument as to the relative positions of advertising and public relations. As
advertising is one of the means of communication with the public, a strong case can be argued
for its inclusion as a part of public relations. The fact that the advertising is paid for does not
affect this general point. The image that the public has of a particular company undoubtedly
derives in part from the type of advertising favored by that company.
This question is seldom faced squarely, and usually past precedent outweighs logic. The
advertising department has deep roots, and since it spends a great deal of money it often has a
direct responsible for its activities. Only in a few cases does one find one man in charge of both
public relations and advertising although where this does apply it appears to work very
satisfactorily.
In the future there is likely to be a swing towards this combination of two functions, but it is
likely to take a very long time to break down existing traditions. Where there are two separate
departments in a company, it is essential that close liaison should exist and it is helpful if both
departments report to the same director or management committee.

Advertising :
Advertising is paid space and time in print including billboards and electronic media to promote
the sales of products, acceptance of ideas, or to earn goodwill. The American Marketing
Association has designed advertising as any paid form on non-personal presentation and
promotion of ideas, good and services by an identified sponsor”. The encyclopedia Britannia
defines advertisement as “a form of paid announcement intended to promote the sale of
commodity or service, to advance an idea or to bring about some other effect, desired by the
advertised”. In other words advertisement is paid use of any channel of communication-radio,
television, film, press etc. to identify explain or to urge the adoption of a product, service or idea.
Now let us see the difference between public relations activities and advertising:
● Advertising deals with the selling of goods and services, public relations generates public
understanding and builds goodwill for an organization.
● Advertising works almost exclusively through mass media, outlets public relations relies
on a number of communication tools-brochures, slide presentations, special events,
speeches, news releases, feature stories and the like.
● Advertising is addressed to external audiences-primarily consumers of goods or services,
public relations presents its massage to specialized external audiences (stock holders,
vendors, community leaders, environmental groups and so on) and internal publics
(employees).
● Advertising is ready identified as a specialized communication function, public relations
is broader in scope-dealing with the policies and performance of the entire organization,
from the morale of employees to way telephone operators respond to calls.
● Advertising often used as a communication tool in public relations and public relations
activity often supports advertising campaigns.
● Advertising’s function is to goods and services, the public relations function is to create
an environment in which the organization can thrive, this calls for dealing with economic,
social and political factors that can affect to organization.

Lobbying:
Lobbying involves educating selected groups of publics more intensely about the policies and
program of an organization so as to ensure their support at various forums. This may be done
through the regular supply of specially written brochures and pamphlets carrying facts and
figures about specific issue. In the US Lobbying is licensed. In India, we have not yet considered
this as a licensed practice. Certain well-to-do private business houses appoint PROs, who pursue
the files table to table and try to obtain favorable noting from officials and each level.
Propaganda:
Propaganda is publicity and in many ways like PR, is a means to build and carve out public
opinion in favor of, or against an issue or cause. However, propaganda has been considered as a
negative term, bordering on the unethical. The classic example that is often cited is if you tell a
lie thousand times it will become truth.
Public Relations has often been accused of indulging in image-making activity even when the
companies conducted themselves in a manner which is contrary to the projected images. This
kind of “pseudo image making” activity is not public relations. This is called propaganda. In
propaganda, one is free to distort facts or even to falsify them to achieve one’s purpose. Promise
is one thing and performance is another.
To make the communication campaign or propaganda effective, it must be backed up with
action-genuine and concrete. For instance, despite a wide propaganda and expensive advertising,
a candidate is not able to win over the voters because he or she is not able to convince them
about saving the country from corruption, communalism and price rise. A clear distinction can be
drawn between public relations and propaganda. Goebbels described propaganda as ‘an
instrument of politics, a power for social control. The function of propaganda is not essentially to
convert; rather its function is to attract followers and to keep them in line. The task of
propaganda, given suitable avenues, is to blanket every area of human activity so that the
environment of the individual is changed to absorb the (Nazi) movement’s world view’. These
quotations from Goebbels stress the great difference in the two approaches. Propaganda does not
necessarily call for an ethical content, and the word is used these days mainly to describe those
types of persuasion which are based solely on self-interest and in which it may be necessary to
distort the facts or even to falsify them in order to achieve the purpose. Public Relations, on the
other hand, recognizes a long-term responsibility and seeks to persuade and to achieve mutual
understanding by securing the willing acceptance of attitudes and ideas. It can succeed only
when the basic policy is ethical and the means used are truthful. In public relations, the ends can
never justify the use of false, harmful or questionable means.

Publicity:
Publicity or information about an event, an individual, or group, or a product, is disseminated
through the new media and other channels to attract favorable public notice. Publicity has
graduated from propaganda. It is only intended to draw the attention of the audiences and create
awareness by any means that is both credible and relevant. Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Centre
define publicity as “the dissemination of information, making matters public from the point of
view of one who wishes to inform others”. It is also called a systematic distribution of public
information about an institution, individual, a product, an idea or a service. Placing information
in a news medium to attract the attention of the public towards the products or services’ is also
publicity. Thus, it can be described as telling a story without payment.
Publicity involves conveying information to a mass or targeted audience about a product,
or program in the form of a news story, feature story, by lined article or other kinds of non-paid
media coverage.
Publicity depends much on media. Media publicity has news value. Publicity material
gives a lot of information to journalists who sort the wheat from the chaff according to their
needs and feed the media. Publicity is carried in the media free of cost as against advertising
which is a paid form. Because publicity cost is primarily the cost of producing background
materials, media release and the cost of coverage in placing a story are relatively cheaper. It is
considerably less expensive than advertising.
Media persons are hungry for good sources of information for writing stories. The public
relations manager as a source could be of great use to them by providing publicity material in the
form of press releases, backgrounds, press kits, features, press photos, etc,. Public relations is
about striving to achieve and improve a two-way communication, whereas publicity is mainly a
one-way communication not seeking either any dialogue or feedback. The disadvantage in
publicity compared to advertising is that one has full control over the message in advertising and
the posters and brochures. But, one does not have the control over publicity message. It is
controlled and managed but the media depending on the news values, availability of space and
time.
If publicity is the front cover of a news magazine which is published free of cost,
advertising is the back cover which carries paid forms of communication in the shape of an
advertisement either to sell a product or a service. The front cover is free, because it carries
pictures and messages of news value and public interest, while the back cover is a paid one.
PR and Publicity:
Publicity is part of public relations. Both are free as they provide news of public interest.
Publicity is one of the main strands of public relations described as the term ‘Press Agentry’
which is public relations through newspaper.
Public relations and publicity are not two independent disciplines, but two sides of the
same coin. Public Relations is often used as a synonym for publicity. Publicity is strictly a
communication function whereas Public Relations involve a management function also. But
publicity is not public relations. It is a tool used by the public relations practitioners. While the
boundaries of these two disciplines may well overlap, they differ in the technique of their
approach. Public Relations deals with the people individually in mass as distinct from general
approach to disseminating information, while publicity disseminates information to the general
public. Therefore, publicity has been defined as ‘the art of dealing with the people in masses’.
Its chief function is to gain public attention for companies, clients, products or services. For
example, when a scientist invents a new thing, the news about the invention hits the front page in
newspapers and becomes the main story of electronic media. This, in brief, is publicity and
utilizes all media of communication such as press releases, leaflets and posters.

Concept of Corporate PR:

The term ‘Corporate Public Relations’ embraces all relationships that affect the corporation as a
whole in reaching both the internal and the external publics. But the term ‘Corporate
Communications’ also used as a substitute for Corporate Public Relations. The debate about the
difference between corporate communication and corporate public relations is still on. In fact,
there cannot be a substitute for corporate public relations. However, the identity crisis of public
relations profession has created this difference. Public Relations has to operate only under
corporate public relations. Such misunderstanding will be cleared when corporate know the
difference between communication and public relations.
The public relations profession is often described as being that of communications on the
ground that it deals with communication activity between an organization and its public. Not
everyone agrees. According to Harold Burson, the doyen of public relations business, “the term
communications has become synonymous with public relations but this does a disservice to our
profession by making it tactical….. The best term for what we do is public relations”. Long after
he sold control of his public relations consultancy, Burson opted for perception management as a
replacement for describing its service (Devis). A debate is also going on about whether the term
‘communication’ or ‘communications’ is preferable. A few authors have pointed out that
communication belong to electronic equipment. Therefore, many professionals adopted the term
‘communication’ without the ‘s’ as being more appropriate for public relations leaving
communications with the ‘s’ to the telecommunication professionals. It is a small point but a
major step for it not only clears the confusion but also brings clarity. However, public relations
practice comprises more than communication. Communication is means while Public Relations
is the end to mutual understanding. There is a discrete area of public relations which deals with
the corporate face of organizations and that is corporate public relations practice.

TOOLS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

PR tools will depend on the audience it is desired to reach. Time, place, and persons always
make a difference.
We already know that in the process of public relations, any message is used to target a particular
audience. Let us take the example of a school principal who has to address her students before
their exams. She will have to prepare her talk effectively so that the students feel encouraged and
motivated. Consider the example of another message appealing to the public to participate in a
campaign to keep the city clean. This may be broadcast through radio or television.
A website can also be used to provide information. You may try looking up the website of a
university which gives vital information on the courses offered, procedure for applying for the
course and so on.
Various tools used in Public Relations are:

1. Press releases, media alerts, press

conferences
– For timely/breaking news
2. “Backgrounders”
– Meetings to build relationships, educate

3. Special events
– Planned meetings and shows
– Created events for key audiences

4. By-lined articles
– Gives your organization’s "Point of View" on issue

5. Speeches

6. “Pitch” letters or calls to media

– Propose coverage

7. Photos, B-roll videotape, other visuals

– Materials given to media to help tell your story

8. Brochures, newsletters, fliers, posters, hoardings

9. Web site content

– Blogs, discussion boards, webinars etc.

Functions and Careers in PR

The number of students who say they would like to enter the field of public relations is growing
steadily. But when pressed, many of these students are not entirely clear about the depth or
breadth of the profession. That’s not surprising. Because of the ways public relations is portrayed
in popular culture, people are often unclear about what professionals in the industry actually do.
Contrary to the way it is frequently depicted, public relations is a broad field that encompasses
many specialties.

Today’s corporate world has become very competitive in every sense. Every organisation goes
the extra mile to keep its various publics by creating and maintaining mutually cordial
relationships with them. Since public relations has equally become scientific and technology-
based, it is hazardous for any firm not to hire appropriately qualified personnel to man its public
relations office. Aside from working for a firm however, there are other options of employment
for a good public relations person. The Public Relations Society of America outlined the
following as the activities an average public relations personnel does.

Information Service
Part of building a company's reputation is the role of supplying information to a variety of
publics. Companies send news releases to the media in order to inform the public about earnings,
acquisitions, new products and the like (media relations). Companies must respond to inquiries
from customers, distributors, government officials and community residents.

Product Publicity
Introduction of new products, and campaigns to put fresh life into the sale of established
products, are important functions in what is broadly called marketing communications. PR
practitioners work closely with the marketing department to develop product publicity that
reinforces advertising and promotion campaigns.

Investor Relations
Also referred to as stockholder communications, investor relations is a means for providing
information to individuals who own stock or have a special interest in the corporation. Elaborate
annual reports, quarterly reports mailed with dividend checks and other printed materials are sent
to stockholders on a regular basis.

Financial Relations
A parallel function to investor relations is to provide extensive information to the financial
community including security analysts at brokerage houses, large banks and similar institutions,
and to weigh the information and make judgments on a company's financial strength and
prospects. On the basis of their recommendations, institutional investors and brokerage firms buy
or sell a company's stock. A thorough knowledge of finance is essential for a public relations
person specializing in financial relations.

Community Relations
A company is a vital part of a community and as such has obligations to that community through
various kinds of support including encouraging employees to do volunteer work, donating
needed equipment to local schools or hospitals and so on. Good community relations include
efforts to improve the quality of life in the community.

Employee Relations
In any organization, there must be a good communication "flow" between management and
employees and employees and management. The public relations department often works closely
with personnel or human resources to achieve good employee relations through publication of an
employee newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or video news magazine, the writing of brochures to
explain company policies and benefits, preparation of audio-visual materials for training and
policy-transmission purposes, the scheduling of staff meetings and seminars, the training of
speakers among managers and supervisors who serve as communicators to employees, and
coordination of employee productivity or energy conservation campaigns.

Special Events Management

Public relations personnel are responsible for the planning and implementation of special events
including exhibitions, sponsorship of the games, of civic or cultural events and festivals.

Public Affairs
The actions of government on the local, state, and national level have major effects on how
companies conduct their affairs. Thus, a number of PR people work in an area often referred to
as governmental relations.
In this role, public affairs executives seek to influence legislation through contact with legislators
and governmental regulatory agencies.
A lobbyist has a narrower function "concerned with direct or indirect means of exercising
influence on passage or defeat of legislative bills or regulatory actions, and to influence their
outcomes."

Trade Associations/Labour Unions

The association works to promote or oppose legislation, informs the public about the industry,
and undertakes statistical and other types of research for the benefit of its members.

Labour unions must use public relations extensively to inform members about pension plans,
insurance programs, and contract negotiations to name a few tasks.

Government or Military Relations

Government or military offices personnel work as public relations practitioners although they are
most commonly referred to as public information officers (specialists) or public affairs officers.

Sports Information and Entertainment Publicists

These work basically as press agents to promote the personalities and careers of movie stars,
musicians, rock bands, athletes, politicians, authors and so on. Generally, professionals in the
sports and entertainment industry are referred to as promotions directors or managers.

Educational Public Relations

Public relations play a vital part in almost every educational institution. Fund raising is an
important part of educational public relations. In urban areas, elementary and high school
districts frequently employ public relations officers to assist the news media and to work with
parents and school groups. Collegiate public relations practitioners may distribute news releases
containing information about campus events and personalities, prepare periodicals, brochures
and catalogues, maintain ties with alumni, maintain relations with local, state government
officials, recruit students, maintain internal relations with faculty, staff and students, solicit
donations from foundations, alumni, state governments and special interest groups (a serious task
in private institutions).

Generally, however there are five major areas where public relations experts usually work which
are:
1. Corporations
2. Non-profit organizations and Trade Associations
3. Government
4. Public Relations Agencies
5. Independent Consulting Firms

Corporations: Corporations refer to organizations that produce goods and services with a strong
motive for profit. In today’s world, corporations do not only offer most of the jobs in public
relations, but they equally offer the greatest variety of jobs. In most corporations, public relations
jobs focus on specific publics. Indeed, several big corporations create different sub departments
for their various publics, thus you have employee relations, media relations, government
relations, community relations consumer relations, etc. If the corporation is a public limited
company, it could have a financial relations department otherwise known as investor relations
department. Each of these departments is usually headed by a public relations personnel who is
an expert in a given sub-field. Their duties would include research as well as advising the
organisation’s management. They also plan, execute and evaluate communication programmes.

Governments: Government Departments at centre, state, and local levels also employ public
relations personnel. If you get a job in any of these places, you would be called by such titles as
press secretary, public information officer, public affairs officer, etc. Your job would involve
writing news releases and position papers, speaking with reporters, speech writing and press
briefing. You may equally ply your trade with political parties. Your duties will include all the
above and voter relations and media relations.

Public Relations Agencies: There are lots of challenges and

opportunities for growth and development if you work in a public relations agency. The work is
enormous because companies that have in-house public relations departments and those who do
not would at one time or the other require the services of an independent public relations
organisation. Thus, agencies handle public relations activities of other organisations,
corporations, non-profit set ups, governments and even individuals. For instance, some
corporations may hire your agency to handle its annual report to stockbrokers or its overseas
investors. You could be hired to partner with other agencies or bodies or even the public
relations department of a corporation to do research, planning, communication and evaluation.
Just as it is in advertising agencies, staff of public relations agencies are often assigned to
accounts. Usually, an account would include all the public relations activities planned for one
particular client. Accounts are managed by account executives. It would be their job to research
into the public relations problems, write messages, and decide on media and placement. They
equally do evaluation of such campaigns. It is now very common to have public relations staff
specialising in various areas of an account. Some are experts in message designing, media
planning and placement, while others focus on research. In some cases, a staff could take up
more responsibilities than one, Public relations agencies vary in size. There are some that work
as a small part of big advertising agencies while others are full-fledged, full blown agencies, yet
others are one room agencies.

Independent Public relations Consultants: Successful public relations consultants are often
persons with broad experience having worked in a few agencies and handled several successful
accounts. They are a one-man agency. Very often they specialise in small areas of public
relations like crisis communication, speech writing, international public relations, etc. In the
words of Guth and Marsh (2000) ‘The main appeal of independent consulting is also is biggest
burden. The consultant alone bears the responsibility for success or failure.
In general, no matter which public relations specialty you consider, public relations practitioners
and executives agree that the following personal traits, skills and basic knowledge are “musts”
for successful practitioners:
Personal traits:
Integrity
Tenacity/ perseverance
Curiosity
Ability to handle criticism
Sense of humor
Drive to succeed
Pragmatic
Empathic
Ability to see future opportunities
Gregarious
A compromising spirit
Resourcefulness
Strong work ethic
Creativity
Cultural sensitivity
Confident
Dependable
Accountable
Optimistic
Flexible
Energetic
Willingness to learn
Enthusiasm
Self-starter
Learned skills:
Impeccable communication skills
Excellent interpersonal skills
Finely honed listening skills
Scrupulous attention to detail
Ability to multi-task
News junky
Good negotiator
Strategist
Effective networker
Organizational skills
Ability to think on your feet
Social and cultural savvy
Ability to connect and communicate with all types of audiences
Ease in talking to strangers
Ability to analyze and solve problems
Stickler for timely, thorough follow up
Knowledge:
Understanding news value
A liberal arts understanding of the world
Persuasion concepts and tactics
Public relations and communications theories
Relationship building strategies
Societal and cultural trends
Codes of ethics
Legal and regulatory requirements and constraints
Marketing and finance
Uses of research and forecasting
Multicultural and global issues
Management theories and approaches
Organizational behavior and development
Media roles and information needs
Understanding of journalists and their jobs
Planning models and their application
 ● PR IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Meaning and various stages:
One of the findings of research is that when facing a crisis situation, management tends to react
in very restrictive ways. Unfortunately, such behaviour may not prove to be in the best interest of
the organization. The critical balance, which is so difficult to achieve, is to ensure a full
appreciation of the realities of the crisis situation and its potential seriousness, and to respond in
a calm and rational way, and not to panic. Therefore crisis has to be managed very carefully in
the interest of both the organization and the stakeholders.
Meaning :
Crisis management by definition is the “planning, application and communication of strategies
and tactics that can prevent or lessen the impact of the crisis on the company but also maintain its
reputation”. It is way of thinking, designing and acting, when a crisis hits the organization.
It is also a set of factors designed to combat crises and lessen the actual damage inflicted by a
crisis.
Stage of crisis management:
How do you manage a crisis? The three key stages of crisis management are : before the crisis,
during the crisis and after the crisis. In all these stages, the crisis team should always keep in
mind the stakeholders and organization’s goal.

1. Before the crisis: Every organization must think that the unthinkable or expect the
unexpected’, and prepare an emergency plan for implementation as and when a crisis occurs.
One should not wait for the public to bring problems to the attention of the management or
media to highlight organizational problems. Organizations must be proactive and identify issues
and problems so that they could not become crisis situations at a later stage.
One should invite comments at all times. Welcome enquires and pay attention to what
people say. Such comments might reveal the first hint of a problem taking shape. Create a
reservoir of goodwill with stakeholders that can be tapped if or when times get tough or crisis
occurs.

2. After the crisis: When the worst of the crisis has passed, take a stock of all the steps
implemented and prepare guidelines for the future. By maintaining a profile, being visible,
accessible, involved in industry and community matters and not being known only for having
experienced a crisis, the company has the best chance of regaining any ground lost during the
crisis and winning respect from the industry and community. This could be a good case study for
future.
Crisis management problems and strategies include: decision- making dilemmas and
moral challenges managers face, managing crisis victims, reducing litigations, recovering
reputation., healing corporate wounds, dealing with organized opposition, selectively engaging
the media and influencing employee community. Public attitude solutions to these problems lie
in effective relief and public relations communication strategies.
Planning for a Crisis:
The basic principle of crisis management is ‘Expect the Unexpected’. The following is a
road map:
Catalogue the areas of crisis and evolve a policy to manage the crisis.
Appoint a crisis committee which will act to both prevent and manage crisis.
Put the plan in writing or bring out a crisis manual for the organization.
Define the role of communication.
Test the plan, test and test again.

Crisis team
Who will implement the crisis plan? Someone has to be in total charge when the crisis takes
place. In most cases it will take the time of all key persons. One person is designated as the head
of the crisis team from the top management. However, the crisis team which handles the crisis is
located at the place of crisis or corporate office, which consists of key representatives of the
organization from human resources, operation, safety, security, public relations, legal, finance,
etc. if the CEO heads the team, it will be more advantageous. It is the crisis team that can offer
focused, pragmatic, useful advice to deal with difficult situations strategically and immediately
while limiting collateral damage.

Crisis PR Planning :
Public relations as an anticipatory profession, which attempts to foresee events, trends
and issues that disrupt operations of the company, has a critical role to pay even in crisis
situations. Public relations as a two-way communication process provides an interpretation of
crisis situation to which everyone, both inside and outside the organization will react. In fact,
crisis public relations is used in verify of ways in the management of before, during and after the
crisis. The crisis management team of which public relations is a part must move hand-public
relations communication policy. As a crisis management plan is designed, there should be a
crisis public relations strategy also for pressing into action in such situations. Instead of facing
tensions, rather becoming victims of stress, public relations must prepare crisis public relations
communication plan.
What is crisis public relations communication? It may be defined as a corporate
communication strategy of collecting and disseminating both the internal and the external public.
In simple words, crisis public relations is the collection and dissemination of information on
crisis situation. It is an important ingredient in crisis management when public relation
practitioners use the information gathered during risk assessment to develop communication
strategies for keeping the key publics informed of the crisis. The role of public relations in crisis
is both fire preventive, fire brigade and fire fighting. One function precedes a conflict while the
other comes when the conflict is on.

Crisis PR strategy:
According to Coombs (2005), there are two general uses of the term ‘crisis
communication:
(i) Crisis communication as information: it refers to the need to collect and disseminate
information during a crisis. The information is collected to fill the information void of a crisis
and thereby allows the crisis management team to understand what is happening and what
actions and decisions they need to take in a crisis.
(ii) Crisis communication as strategy: it refers to the use of communication massages to
repair relationships with stakeholders. What an organization says and does after a crisis, the
crisis response strategies, affects its relationships with stakeholders. Thus, the crisis
communication is a factor throughout the four stages of a crisis: prevention, preparation,
response and learning.
In the before the crisis stage, public relations can identify possible crisis risks. Collecting
crisis risk information is the job of crisis public relations and a plan has to be designed for
meeting the situation. In the during the crisis stage which is the most visible and widely studied
aspect of crisis public relations, the organization must provide full information and adjusting
information. A crisis manager uses words and actions to shape stakeholders perceptions of the
crisis or the organization.
In the final after the crisis stage, the public relations team must collect information to
complete a through postmortem of the crisis management effort. Moreover, lessons from the
postmortem are used to improve prevention, preparation and response to the crisis situation.
These lessons must be communicated to the proper authorities in the organization who can effect
desired changes. The learning stage returns to crisis communication as information. Crisis public
relations communication is the lifeblood of the entire crisis management effort. It plays a vital
role in all the stages of crisis management.
 Public Relations Society of India

The national association of PR practitioners was established in 1958 to promote the recognition
of public relations as a profession and to formulate and interpret to the public the objectives and
the potentialities of public relations as a strategic management function.

The society functioned as an informal body till 1966 when it was registered under the Indian
Societies Act XXVI of 1961, with headquarters in Mumbai. The father-figure of professional PR
practitioners in India, Kali H. Mody, was the founder President of PRSI from 1966 to 1969.

Chapters were launched in Mumbai, Delhi. Chennai and Kolkata till 1969.

Earlier in 1965, another professional body, the Public Relations Circle” was been founded and
registered in Kolkata. It was the first ever association of professional PR practitioners in Eastern
India and was doing commendable work. However, at the First All India PR Conference in 1968,
at New Delhi members of the Public Relations Circle, Kolkata, unanimously decided to disband
the regional organization to strengthen the national body, thus forming the Kolkata Chapter of
PRSI, in 1969.

The management of the Public Relations society of India is vested in the National Council,
consisting of representatives elected by all the regional chapters.

The members of the society are public relations practitioners from Multinationals, Govt., Public
and Private sector, Academics and PR consultants.

Membership

The membership of the society is open to any person and also to any firm, body corporate or
association of persons. Such membership takes effect on admission and classification at the
discretion of the National Council.

Each application for membership is forwarded by the Regional Chapter to the National Council
for consideration with their recommendations regarding acceptance and classification, and
forwards the same to the Secretary-General for consideration of the National Council.

On April 21st PRSI adopted International Code of Ethics.