Before coming to Stirling, friends and relatives asked me what I was going to study and everybody’s reaction to my answer - "Public Relations"- was more or less the same, a laugh and then saying "Oh! that must be really fun dealing with people every day!" But my experience until now shows that PR is more than just dealing with people.
On the 12th
of April 2001 The BBC News trying to explain what PR is, published an article on its website entitled What’s The Point of PR? People’s assumption of that time was either that of my friends that "PR was about wining and dining journalists" or that it equalled to propaganda, manipulation, hiding the truth, black art and fluff. Even seven years later the debate on whether "Public Relations" is a form of "propaganda" continues. An article released in The Independent entitled PR: The Dark History of Spin and Its Threat to Genuine News, on the 14 of April 2008, suggests that Publi
c Relations is "a term invented by early spin doctors when propaganda got a bad name" . The term propaganda, however, implies manipulation of the public opinion and lying that, as we all know, is not the case in PR practice. According to The Chartered Institute of Public Relations "the role of PR is to establish and maintain mutual understanding and goodwill between an organisation and its publics". Industry ‘s professional code emphasises on telling the truth and having honest regard for the public interest.
PR is neither propaganda nor window-dressing. PR uses persuasion instead of propaganda and it doesn’t misinform the public. The term PR also implies management of image and reputation but this includes much more than just smiling every single moment, and organising "glamorous" events.
Stereotypes and negative connotations of PR exist even today and unfortunately they are very difficult to change. Yet, as future practitioners, in our attempt to change the image of organisations, we could do -or at least try to do- something to change the image of PR industry as well.
I totally agree with you, in many countries, the name "PR" sometimes comes with negative implications, and that is because PR hadn’t been seen as a professional occupation before.
ReplyDeleteI worked for Chanel PR for 3 days, and it was not fabulous as people usually think it is. As for the VIP runway show, besides the ordinary PR works, she even had to clean the ballroom after the fashion show - with her Chanel suit and high heel!
Basically PR is just like house keepers, they should do EVERYTHING to make the house looks good, and communicate with visitors and owners without lies.
The question of weather or not PR uses propaganda is probably a valid one but I believe each individual PR person has to ask him- or herself if they are in the industry to promote the interests of their clients or to get publicity by any means possible.
ReplyDeleteOne of the first things I was told when I began working in PR was that I should never lie. Whatever I told the media and therefore the public should be true since the truth would always come out anyway.
It might seem a childish point of view but it should be easy enough to understand that if your client is caught in a lie then his credibility is forever lost.
This is something celebrities have a hard time understanding because they are constantly telling lies and pretending not to have done what we all saw them doing on youtube.
It doesn´t really make a difference since celebrities are usually more interesting to the public if they are surrounded by scandal but the same can not be said for corporations and political players.
As an executive you do not want to deny charges against you just be embarrassed when photos or videos surface later that day.
That would not be good PR.
Iris Alma.