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INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY:Definitions Of Public Relations

HOW DOES PR WORK?:OVERVIEW, Formulation of policy >>
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Fundamentals of Public Relations ­MCM 401
VU
Lesson 1
INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY
This course is designed to teach and guide the students to know and learn about Public Relations. In this
course we will try to acquaint you with various aspects and applications in different Public Relations
situations and requirements. Besides teaching you about the introduction and history of Public relations
This will guide students through its role in different modes and in varied segments. We will also apprise
about its importance, explain different designs and templates of its applications. The major components to
learn will be its skills in modern world, the overall importance and significance of its practice in normal and
crisis situations.
After going through the contents of first lecture, students will be able to know about Public Relations and
its origin as given below:
A.
Introduction to Public Relations.
B.
History of Public Relations.
C.
Meaning of Public Relations.
D.
Techniques of Public Relations.
Lecture Overview
This lecture introduces the students with the background, meaning and history of Public Relations. During
this we will be discussing the above mentioned three aspects of Public Relations. We will also briefly try and
identify the techniques of public relations used in the olden days and compare these with modern day
techniques.
Introduction
In fact the subject of public relations is not new and it has been there and in practice since time
immemorial. Man has always tried and wanted to communicate to make him understand, e.g. Pictograms (
Chinese characters are still an example ).1000 of years ago wall paintings in the caves of primitive people,
Writings on tablets of stone, ancient buildings , pyramids, early temples , mosques , cave paintings in
Zimbabwe bear pictorial messages. Holy Books also communicate and tell people about faith. So, it will be
appropriate to say that public relations are as new as civilization.
Let us now first of all try to know and understand about public relations.
Meaning Of Public Relations
Now a days PR is misunderstood and supposed to try & create a favorable image or climate of opinion
and/or improve a tarnished image. This is not true. This is only marketing & advertising which is only a
segment of PR. PR is about creating and understanding through knowledge which often involves effective
change. So it means that PR is a form of Communication which applies to any sort of organization,
commercial or non-commercial in the private or public sector.
Definitions Of Public Relations
The universally accepted definition of public relations as per Edward Burneys popularly known as the
Father of PR is that :
·
"It is a planned & sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an
organization & its publics.
·
"However, Quentin Bell, another PR consultant thought the word persuasion would be better
than mutual understanding.
·
Some PR professionals also described PR as a "phenomenon & necessity of our times."
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Fundamentals of Public Relations ­MCM 401
VU
Yet there is a very simple and different definition for easy comprehension of Public Relations.
Simple Definition
For better understanding if we take the two initials of the word Public Relations i.e. P and R then we define
"P" for Performance for Public and "R" for Result as against Relations.
Different Techniques Of PR
In the olden days for PR purposes people used Pictograms ( Chinese characters are still an example. ) , 1000
of years ago Wall Paintings in the caves about primitive people , Writings on Tablets of stone, Ancient
Buildings e.g. pyramids , early temples & mosques ,cave paintings in Zimbabwe bear pictorial messages.
Holy Books communicated and told people about faith. while these days bill boards, hand outs, print and
electronic Media, sponsorships , free sampling, corporate identity practices , audio and video mediums ,
conferences , seminars Special Offers , etc. are few of the visible PR techniques used to achieve defined
objectives.
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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY:Definitions Of Public Relations
  2. HOW DOES PR WORK?:OVERVIEW, Formulation of policy
  3. PUBLIC RELATIONS DISTINGUISHED:Size of a PR Department.
  4. PUBLICS OF PR:Expanded Publics, Few Examples Of Publics
  5. PLANNING PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMMES:Print Media, Electronic Media
  6. MEDIAS OF PR:Media for External Publics, Principles of Good Press Relations
  7. PRESS RELATIONS IN PR:What is News, Secrets Of Good News Release.
  8. CREATED PRIVATE MEDIA:Private Media, New Forms of House Journals
  9. SPECIAL USES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS:Crisis Management, Skills Of PR
  10. BUDGETING IN PR:Labour, Office Overheads, PR & Photographs
  11. PUBLIC RELATIONS PROBLEMS:Defining PR problems, C’s of PR explained
  12. METHODS OF COMMUNICATION:Psychology of Public Relations
  13. PR IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS:Techniques of Trade Association PR
  14. PR IN LABOUR UNIONS & RELIGIOUS GROUPS:Community Public Relations
  15. PR IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS & IN MEDIA CHANNALS
  16. USING ADVERTISING FOR P R COMMUNICATION:Role Of PR
  17. ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN MARKETING:How To Educate The Market
  18. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CORPORATE STRUCTURE:Corporate Identity Essentials
  19. E-PR & ITS TOOLS:Immediate Points To Consider, Using Email As PR Tool
  20. SPONSORSHIP—AN IMPORTANT PR TOOL:PR & Communication Audit
  21. HOUSE JOURNALS:Possible Publics Of House Journals, Exhibitions & PR
  22. CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN PR:Plan Of Action Adopted, Interview at your place
  23. ADVERTISING IN PR:Broad Objectives Of Advertising, Direct Advertising.
  24. INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS:Media Used, Within Store Contacts
  25. PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANCY:Disadvantages, Mass Communication
  26. PUBLIC RELATION’S ROLE IN MARKET EDUCATION:Kinds Of Markets
  27. MODERN DAY VALUES OF PR:Ethics Of Public Relations
  28. CHOICE OF MEDIA FOR PR COMPAIGN:Communication Channels & Media
  29. PR TECHNIQUES:Tactics & Techniques
  30. DESIGNING PR COMPAIGNS:Definitive Mission statement, Reputation.
  31. PUBLIC OPINION:Identifying Priority Publics, If Goal Is Attitude Change
  32. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND RESEARCH:Planning Phase Of Research
  33. PR AND RESEARCH:Unobtrusive Measures, Questionnaires For Survey
  34. PROBLEMS SOLVING STRATEGIES:Communicate results
  35. PERSUASION & COMMUNICATION THEORIES:Message Orientation
  36. COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS & THEORIES:Research and Persuasion
  37. PUBLIC RELATIONS & LAW:How To Stay Out Of Trouble
  38. PUBLIC RELATIONS & CASE STUDIES:Case Analysis, Images Of Public Relations
  39. PR AND PRINTING PROCESSES:Fundamentals Of Printing
  40. PUBLIC SPEAKING -- A PR TOOL:Key Benefits, How To Prepare
  41. PR -- COPING WITH UNEXPECTED:Some Possible PR Ideas
  42. DREAMS & REALITIES OF PR:Who Takes Charge Of Identity?
  43. CHANGING INTO OVERDRIVE:How International Is PR?
  44. GETTING ON WITH PR:Where does PR fit in the structure?
  45. FUNDAMENTALS OF A SUCCESSFUL NEWSLETTER:RESEARCH, WRITING