Defining Public Relations Paper

Defining Public Relations Paper

An important, but frequently overlooked approach to business promotion and marketing is Public Relations also known as PR. There are many different definitions of PR. There are PR firms that can influence the publics opinoins on behalf of companies and organizations. In an effort to compare and contrast different defintions and evaluate why there are so many definitions this paper will look specifically at four varying definitions.

According to the Wikipedia dictionary Public relations can be defined as "the art and science of managing communication between an organization and its key publics to build, manage and sustain an accurate image." (ND Wikipedia.org) Your name was noted saying the definition of PR is an organizations effort to maintain, persuade, manipulate and evaluate the publics perception of the company by taking certain actions based on the perception and attitude of the public toward the company.

One of the earliest noted definitions of PR was created by Denny Grisword, publisher of Public Relation News. According to Miss Grisword, "Public Relations is a management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interest of an organization followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance."(2007, Public Relation News) According to two American PR professionals Scott M. Cutlips and Allen H. Center, "PR is a planned effort to influence opinion through good character and responsible performance based upon mutual satisfactory two-way communication". (ND Wikipedia.org)

The main components of each definition are similar: influencing the publics attitudes and perception of a certain organization. It is a methodology used to influence opinions and create a good image. All four definitions are basically the same just worded differently. There are many different definitions of PR, most suggest that the term public relations was primarily used to suggest image building, reputation management, and persuasion efforts. A major component of PR involves "planting" feature stories or news in newspapers, magazines, television or radio programs, and other branches of the media. PR has a negative connotation attached to it as the public knows that they are being manipulated.

Reliance on perception is a prescription for entrenching powerful groups