Chapter 1: Defining Public Relations

Learning Objective 1
To define the practice of public
relations
and
underscore
its
importance as a valuable and
powerful societal force in the 21st
century.

Crifasis R-O-S-I-E
Research-Objectives-StrategiesImplementation-Evaluation
R-P-I-E
Research-Planning-ImplementationEvaluation
What do the models have in
common? How do they differ?

Prominence of Public Relations

Management and Action

Social media and public relations

have revolutionized communications
with publics.
Example: Arab Spring of 2011
Prominence of Public Relations

Sharpes Five Principles

Honest
communication
(credibility)
Openness and consistency of
actions (confidence)
Fairness of actions (reciprocity
and goodwill)
Continuous
two-way
communication
(prevent
alienation, build relationships)
Environmental research and
evaluation (determine actions
or adjustments needed for
social harmony)
Jennys
description:
the
management of communications
between an organization and its
publics

Multibillion-dollar business in the

United States
320,000
professionals;
21%
employment growth expected from
2010 to 2012
International
Public
Relations
Association strong membership in
80+ countries
250 U.S. colleges and universities
offer
public
relations
sequence/degree
U.S. government has thousands of
communications professionals
Trade associations have strong
membership
What is Public Relations?
PRSAs 2012 definition
Public
relations
is
a
strategic
communication
process
that
builds
mutually beneficial relationships between
organizations and their publics
Seitels definition
Public relation is a planned process to
influence public opinion, through sound
character and proper performance, based
on
mutually
satisfactory
two-way
communication.
Research,
planning,
communications
dialogue, and evaluation, are all essential
in the practice of public relations
Planned Process to Influence Public Opinion
Marstons R-A-C-E
Research-ActionCommunication-Evaluation
PR = Performance Recognition

Public
Relations
Interpreter

as

Every
organization
relations

Management
has

public

Public relations professionals:

Interpret
philosophies,
policies, programs, practices
of management to public
Convey attitudes of public to
management
Counsel Management
Advise Management
Recommend Action
Learn about what public really thinks
Let management know
Examples:
GMs Corvair, Ralph Nader
Mobil Oil in the 1970s
Hurricane Katrina
Economic crisis from financial
companies

PR Ethics Mini-Case: Firing the Nazi in

the House of Dior
John Galliano asked to leave Dior
after anti-Semitic remarks hurt firm
credibility (Page 10)
What other options did Dior have
beyond firing Galliano?

Mild: Interpret issue to sway public

opinion (e.g. positive slant on
negative story)
Virulent:
Confusing, distorting, or
obfuscating the issue or Lying
Antithetical to proper practice of
Public Relations
Public relations cardinal rule: Never,
ever lie.

Learning Objective 2
To explore the various publics of
public relations, as well as the fields
most prominent functions.
The Publics of Public Relations
Public relations should be publics
relations
Internal and external
Primary, secondary and marginal
Traditional and future
Proponents,
opponents
and
uncommitted
The Functions of Public Relations

Writing
Media relations
Social media interface
Planning
Counseling
Researching
Publicity
Marketing communications
Community relations
Consumer relations
Employee relations
Government affairs
Investor relations
Special publics relations
Public affairs and issues
Crisis communications

Learning Objective 3
To underscore the ethical nature of
the field and to reject the notion that
public relations practitioners are
employed in the practice of spin.
The Sin of Spin

Learning Objective 4
To examine the requisites - both
technical and attitudinal that
constitute
an
effective
public
relations professional.
Seven Areas Successful PR Career

Diversity of experience
Performance
Communications skills
Relationship building
Proactivity and passion
Teamliness
Intangibles, such as personality,
likeability, and chemistry

Desired Technical Skills

Knowledge of the field.

Communications knowledge.
Technological knowledge.
Current events knowledge.
Business knowledge.
Management knowledge.

Desired Attitudinal Requisites

Pro communications.
Advocacy.
Counseling orientation.
Ethics.
Willingness to take risks.
Positive outlook.

Case Study: BPs

Credibility Ship

Loose

Lips

Sink

Page 18

Spin Public Relations

3

 How would you assess BPs response

to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill?
How could BP have prevented the
damage
done
by
its
CEO
spokesperson?
Had you been advising Hayward,
what would you have suggested he
say in response to the questions he
was asked?

TOPIC 2
Part II: Preparation/Process
Chapter 4: Public Opinion
Learning Objective 1
To discuss the phenomenon of public
opinion, contemporary examples of
it, the areas that impact it, and how
it is formed.
You cant pour perfume on a skunk
You cannot build trust if reality is
destroying it
Public opinion is a combustible and
changing commodity
It is hard to move people toward a
strong opinion on anything
What is Public Opinion?
unknown god to which moderns
burn incense
an
ill-defined,
mercurial,
and
changeable group of individual
judgments
A group of people who share a
common interest in a specific subject
and their expressions of strong
attitudes on a particular topic
Attitudes Opinions Actions
Public opinion is the aggregate of
many individual opinions on a
particular issue that affects a group
of people
Consensus
Discussion Question

What is the relationship between

public relations and public opinion?
Learning Objective 2
To explore the issue of attitudes, how
they are influenced, motivated, and
changed.
What Are Attitudes?
Evaluations people make about
specific problems or issues
May differ from issue to issue
Characteristics
Personal
Cultural
Educational
Familial
Religious
Social Class
Race
How Are Attitudes Influenced?
Attitudes are positive, negative or
nonexistent
Person is for something, against it, or
neutral
The silent majority
Theory of cognitive dissonance
Avoid
dissonant/opposing
information
Seek
consonant/supportive
information
Social judgment theory
Range of opinions anchored by
a clear attitude
Work
within
latitude
of
acceptance to modify opinions
Motivating Attitude Change
Everyone is motivated by different
needs and wants
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological
Safety
Love
Esteem
Self-actualization
Elaboration Likelihood Model
Central route
Peripheral route
Learning Objective 3
To discuss the area of persuasion, its
various theories, and how individuals
are persuaded.
Power of Persuasion
Persuading is the goal of most public
relations programs
4

 Getting someone to do something

through advice, reasoning or armtwisting
Classic persuasion theory people
may be of two minds
Systematic mode (carefully
considers argument)
Heuristic mode (skimming the
surface)
People are persuaded by different
things, so persuasion is more of an
art than a science
Kinds of Evidence that Persuade
Facts (empirical data)
Emotions (emotional appeals)
Personalizing (personal experience)
Appealing to you (appeal to
audience)
Emotion may be difficult for some to
grasp (e.g. business leaders)
Influencing Public Opinion

Public
relations
program
can
crystallize attitudes, reinforce beliefs,
change public opinion
Opinions to be changed or modified
must be identified and understood
Target publics must be clear
Sharp focus on the laws that
govern public opinion
Laws of Public Opinion
Opinion is highly sensitive to
important events
Opinions is generally determined
more by events than by words
unless those words are themselves
interpreted as an event
At critical times, people become
more sensitive to the adequacy of
their leadership
Confident more responsibility
to it
Lack confidence less tolerant
than usual
Once
self-interest
is
involved,
opinions are slow to change
People have more opinions and are
able to form opinions more easily on
goals than on methods to reach
goals
People
in
democracies
with
educational
opportunities/information
access
display hardheaded common sense
PR Ethics Mini-Case: Occupy: Si,
Changing Public Opinion: Not Exactly

Page 73
How successful do you believe
Occupy Wall Street was?
Had
you
been
running
the
movements
public
relations
initiative, how would you have
improved its approach?
Learning Objective 4
To examine reputation, particularly
corporate
image,
and
how
companies might enhance their
reputation.
Polishing the Corporate Image
Organizations have little choice but
to go public
Examples
ExxonMobile
2008
climate
change
GM, Chrysler, Ford in 2009
Ponzi schemes in 2010 and
2011
JP Morgan Chase $2 billion
trading loss in 2012
Credibility is fragile
Winning favorable public opinion is a
necessity for long-term success
Managing Reputation
Reputation is gained by what one
does not by what one says
Reputation
management
is
a
buzzword
Relationship
management
aligns
communications
with
an
organizations character and action
Creates recognition, credibility
and
trust
among
key
constituents
Stays sensitive to its conduct
in public with customers and
in private with employees
Understands responsibilities to
broader
society
and
is
empathetic to societys needs
Value of reputation is indisputable
Case Study: The Rise and Fall and Rise
of Queen Martha
Page 78
How would you characterize Martha
Stewarts initial public relations
response to the charges against her?
What key public relations principle
did Martha Stewart violate?

 Had you been advising her, what

public relations strategy and tactics
would you have recommended? How
vocal should she have been?
How important, from a public
relations
perspective,
was
her
decision to go to jail early?
What public relations strategy should
Stewart adopt now?
Should she acknowledge that she
made mistakes?

regarding
appropriate
business
behavior.
The understanding of the various
protocols encourages the ability for
individuals,
companies,
and
organizations to learn the skills that
once achieved will transcend any
culture, pocketbook size, or age, and
build the bridge of trust necessary in
any negotiation.
Acquiring and implementing business
etiquette and protocol skills is not
about making your life difficult.
Move with ease and confidence in
any situation, then only you will have
the freedom to now focus on the
business at hand.

Style of Address

On many occasions, most of us are

uncertain as to the correct form of
address to use when referring to
VVIPs or VIPs.

Whether in a conversation, salutation

for speeches or MC script and
especially in correspondence where
any mistake made is highly visible,
the right protocol in addressing VVIPs
or VIPs can turn out to be a
nightmare.

Concerned on the areas of protocol in

event management such as seating
arrangements, dress code for official
functions, display of flags and
hanging of photographs of royalty
etc.

TOPIC 3 Business Protocol

Business Protocol
Current protocol practice
Daily protocol practice in the society
Protocol practice in event
Royal protocol practice
International protocol practice
21 elements of protocol in event
management

CORRECT FORMS OF
MALAYSIAN PROTOCOL
1. PRIME MINISTER
PRIME MINISTER

Definition of Protocol
Definition:
unwritten rules or guidelines that are
peculiar to every culture or organization,
and are supposed to be observed by
all parties in the conduct of business,
entertaining, negotiating, politics, etc.
Our shrinking globe places a greater
emphasis on the need for awareness

ADDRESS
AND

IN

DEPUTY

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime

Minister are always given the
honorific "Yang Amat Berhormat"
and their wives, not being Members
of Parliament, have the honorific
Yang Amat Berbahagia
When writing to the Prime Minister or
the Deputy Prime Minister, in their
offices, the envelope should be
addressed as :
Yang Amat Berhormat Perdana
Menteri Malaysia or Yang Amat

Berhormat
Timbalan
Perdana
Menteri Malaysia
The letter (salutation) should begin
with:
Yang Amat Berhormat (preferably
hand-written by the signatory of the
letter)
However, if it is a personal letter, the
envelope should be addressed as:
Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Seri
Najib Tun Razak
And the letter (salutation) should
begin with:
Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Seri
(preferably hand-written)
Both the Prime Minister and Deputy
Prime Minister should be addressed
in full "Yang Amat Berhormat
Dato Seri for the first time in the
letter and subsequently just "Dato
Seri" or whatever title that he has
been awarded.
When signing off the letter, it is
recommended to leave some space
above the name of the signatory for
him to write 'Yang ikhlas' or 'Yours
faithfully' before signing.
The hand-written salutation and
signing off by the signatory add a
personalized touch to the letter, as
can be seen in the examples below:

Yang
Berhormat
Datuk
Seri
Mohamed
Khalid
Nordin
Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi

The letter should begin with: Yang

Berhormat Tan Sri Menteri or
Yang Berhormat Datuk Menteri, if
he is a Datuk.

3. OTHER TITLED PERSONS: TUN,

TAN SRI AND DATUK

When writing a letter to any of these

titled persons, for example to Tan
Sri Ahmad Mahmud bin Zain who
is not a Member of Parliament, the
envelope should be addressed thus:
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Ahmad
Mahmud bin Zain
and the letter should begin with:
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri,

If he is a Member of Parliament, then

he should be addressed as:
Yang Berhormat Tan Sri Ahmad
Mahmud bin Zain

4. ROYALTY

When a member of royalty is

awarded any of the Orders, his royal
title is usually put before the titles of
his awards. Thus, a Tengku or Raja
will be referred to as:
Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Mahmud
and to the ladies of royal blood as:
Tengku Puan Sri Siti Aminah or
Tengku Dati Siti Aminah

2. MINISTERS, DEPUTY MINISTERS

AND
PARLIAMENTARY
SECRETARIES

In correspondence or conversation,
the Ministers and Deputy Ministers
should be addressed with the
honorific "Yang Berhormat". When
writing to a Minister, the envelope
should
be
addressed:

Yang Mulia Tengku Tan Sri

Ahmad
Mahmud
Yang Mulia Tengku Puan Sri Siti
Aminah

Yang
Berhormat
Menteri
Pendidikan (his office, in this
example,
is
the
Ministry
of
Education)
or, if you wish to use his name:

When writing to them, they should

be addressed as:

However, if the royal and titled

person is a Member of Parliament, he
should be addressed as:
Yang Berhormat Mulia Tengku
Datuk
Adnan
or
Y.B.M. Tengku Datuk Adnan

5. INVITATION

In an invitation where a wifes name

is to be included, for instance in an
7

invitation to a Malay lady, both

husband's and wife's names should
be written on the envelope, thus:
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Ahmad
Mahmud bin Malik dan Puan Sri
Roziah binti Ali as Malay ladies do
not take their husband's name but
retain their own name. The wife's
name can and is usually shortened to
Puan Sri Roziah, or even Puan Sri
only, without the name.

But when writing to the wife of a

titled person, the envelope should be
addressed with her full maiden
name:
Yang Berbahagia Puan Sri Roziah
binti Ali and the letter should begin
with Yang Berbahagia Puan Sri.
The same rules apply to Toh Puan
and Datin, although it must be
remembered that Toh Puan must be
prefixed
with
Yang
Amat
Berbahagia.
In recent years, many Muslims have
made their pilgrimage to Mecca and
they are entitled to carry the title
Haji for a man and Hajjah for a lady.
When conferred with a title, a Haji
should be known as Datuk Haji
Ahmad Mahmud and his wife (if she
is a Hajiah) as Datin Hajjah Roziah.

Non-Malays usually have surnames

and when conferred awards, use
their surnames with the award titles.
For example Mr. George E Taylor,
when made a Datuk, becomes
Datuk Taylor rather than Datuk
George and his wife, if her first name
is Elaine becomes Datin Elaine. In
formal situations they would be
referred to as Yang Berbahagia
Datuk and Datin George Taylor.
In the case of a Chinese, for
example, Mr. Tan Swee Hock will be
Datuk Tan and his wife if her name
is Siew Lee would be Datin Siew
Lee. They would be formally known
as Yang Berbahagia Datuk Tan
Swee Hock and Datin Siew Lee.
For the Indians, Mr. S Ponniah will be
Datuk S Ponniah and his wife if
named Indrani, becomes Datin

Indrani. They will be formally known

as Datuk S Ponniah and Datin
Indrani.
Essential
Address

Tips

On

Correct

Form

of

Do not assume - Please check with

the VVIP's or VIP's office to confirm
the latest title awarded to the VVIP or
VIP and the correct spelling of his or
her name.

If the VIP is a Member of Parliament,

he/she should be addressed as Yang
Berhormat and his/her spouse as
Yang Berbahagia. If the recipient of
the title is not a Member of
Parliament, he shall be addressed as
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri or Yang
Berbahagia Datuk etc.

For letters, it is preferable to handwrite the salutation, for example,

Yang Amat Berbahagia Dato Seri.

The VIP should be addressed in full

"Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Seri' or
"Yang Berhormat Tan Sri' etc for the
first time in the text of the letter and
subsequently just 'Dato Seri' or
whatever title that he has been
awarded in the rest of the letter.

Before signing off the letter, do

allocate some space just before
printing the name of the signatory to
enable him to write, "Yang ikhlas" or
"Ikhlas" before signing as this
gesture adds a personalized touch to
the letter.

Managing protocols for event

Areas of protocol pertaining
management such as:

to

event

1. The Red Carpet

The red carpet is laid out for

functions graced by the Yang Di
Pertuan
Agong,
Sultans,
Prime
Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, their
wives and the Menteris Besar.

However, there is an exception if the

Sultan of Pahang is in attendance;
instead of red, the color of the
carpet should be yellow. A note of
advice is to always check the
condition of the carpet to avoid
8

tripping or
incident.

any

other

untoward

2. Walking with the VIP

When accompanying the VIP, always

walk on the VIP's left, keeping 1/2 a
step behind with 1/2 an elbow
distance away while in tandem with
his/her step.

Should you need to point at

something, use your right thumb?
However, if the VIP is a foreigner, it is
recommended to use all the right
hand fingers to point or show the
direction.

3. Holding Room for VIP

It is advisable to provide a holding

room to enable the VIP to freshen-up
or be updated before the event
starts.

The VIP should be ushered into the

holding room if he/she arrives earlier
than the time stated in the
programme or if another invited VIP
is still on the way.

As the host company, the CEO can

take this opportunity to brief the VIP
on the event such as the names of
other
important
guests,
the
programme flow, company's profile
(basic information or latest corporate
update) and also inform him/her
about the media if they are present.

Please ensure that only relevant

people are allowed into the holding
room.

5. Table Arrangement for Meals

The seating arrangement on stage is

simpler if there are an odd number of
seats, e.g. three or five as the VIP
can be seated in the centre.

The host will be on the VIP's right

and the next most senior person will
be on the VIP's left. If there is a VVIP
and a VIP present, the VVIP will be
seated in the middle, with the VIP on
his/her right and the host on his/her
left.

The VVIP table is usually placed at

the centre of the room where the
VVIP is seated in a position which
would enable him/her to see the
other guests. The VVIP will be seated
on the host's left.

6. Dress Code

It is important to dress appropriately

when attending a function. Always
adhere to the dress code stipulated
in the invitation card/letter. As a
guide, please refer to the table in
next slide.

*Sedondon means in unison i.e. of

same color or design group.

Without sedondon means colors not

in unison which means if a lady is
wearing a red floral baju kurung, the
selendang can be of the same or
matching color but her handbag and
shoes should not be in the same
color i.e. red. + To complement the
black national attire is a gold thread
songket samping, with panel placed

4. Seating Arrangement on Stage

Always stand up before and after the

VIP delivers his/her speech. It is
polite to shake the hand of the VIP (if
male)
after
the
speech
but
exceptions can be made if the VIP is
a female.

at the back, and worn with a pair of

laced-up shoes.

Observing the right protocol is very

important especially for official
functions. As mentioned in the last
issue, 'do not assume' If in doubt,

always check with the office of the

VIP whom you are inviting. It is
advisable to confirm with the VIP's
office on the protocol even if you are
quite sure. Remember, it is better to
be safe than sorry.

Learning Objective 1
To discuss the reasons that the public
relations professional must be the
best writer in the organization.
Public Relations and Writing
Public relations professionals should
write and speak better than their
colleagues
No substitute for clear, precise
language in informing, motivating
and persuading
Public
relations
professionals
expected to have mastery over the
written word
Public relations people, by and large,
are horrible writers
Writing for the Eye and the Ear

TOPIC 2
Part IV: Execution
Chapter 15: Public Relations Writing

Writing for a Reader

Reader has luxuries a listener does
not have
Scan material
10

 Study printed words

Dart ahead
Review passages for better
understanding
Reader can check facts
Online readers are fickle and
impatient copy must corral them
Writing for a Listener
Listener gets only one opportunity to
hear and comprehend a message
no second chance
Grab listener quickly tune out
difficult to draw back into listening
fold
Know how to write a speech
Learning Objective 2
To explore the fundamentals of
writing, from drafting to style to
ensuring worthwhile content.
Fundamentals of Writing
Idea must precede the expression
Dont be afraid of the draft
Simplify, clarify
Writing must be aimed at a particular
audience

Use
language
understands

the

reader

The Beauty of the Inverted Pyramid

Climax of news story comes at the

beginning
Lead, first 1-2 paragraphs of a story,
includes the most important facts
Paragraphs are written in descending
order of importance; less important
facts presented as the article
continues
Lead answers who, what, why, when,
where and occasionally how

The Greatest Public Relations Writer of

All Time: Sir Winston Churchill
He got straight to the point
He wrote the truth
He painted pictures
He used simple words
We worked his verbs (stressed words
of action)
Flesch Readability Formula
Avoid pomposity and murkiness
Substitute simple words for 25-cent
words
Use contractions such as its and
doesnt
Leave out the word that whenever
possible
Use pronouns such as I, we, they and
you
Refer back to a noun with a repeat of
the noun or a pronoun; dont create
eloquent substitutions
Cover one item per paragraph

Learning Objective 3
To discuss, in detail, the rationale for
and elements of the news release,
the most practical and ubiquitous of
public relations writing vehicles.
The News Release
First news release Ivy Lee, 1906
explanation
from
Pennsylvania
Railroad about crash that killed 50
people published verbatim in The
New York Times

11

 End of news releases predicted to be

nigh, but its not
Document
of
record
to
state
organizations official position
Influence
publication
to
write
favorably about material discussed
Some news releases are used
verbatim
Five Newsworthy Topics for News
Releases
Impact major announcement that
affects
organization,
community,
society
Oddity

unusual
occurrence,
milestone
Conflict significant dispute or
controversy
Known principal greater title of
individual making announcement,
greater the chance it will be used
Proximity how localized the release
is or how timely it is, relative to the
news of the day
Human interest stories, which touch
on an emotional experience, are
regularly considered newsworthy
News Release News Value
Have a well-defined reason for
sending the release
Focus on one central subject in each
release
Make
certain
the
subject
is
newsworthy in the context of the
organization,
industry
and
community
Include facts about the product,
service or issue being discussed
Provide the facts factually with no
puff, no bluff, no hyperbole
Rid the release of unnecessary
jargon
Include appropriate quotes from
principals
(without
inflated
superlatives)
Include product specifications and
other pertinent information
Include a brief description of the
company/boilerplate
Write clearly, concisely, forcefully

News Release Content

Proper newspaper style
Clear and concise
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
And sometimes How?
Gist of story must be communicated
in the lead
News release should be objective;
fair and accurate
PR Ethics Mini-Case: Bad Taste Tweet
Release
Page 321
How would you have advised James
Taranto to word his tweet about the
Colorado massacre?
News Release Essentials
Rationale
Focus
No puffery
Nourishing quotes
Company description
Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation
Clarity, Conciseness, Commitment
News Release Style
Sloppy style can ruin chance for
publication
News release style is subjective and
ever changing
Capitalization use capital letters
sparingly
Abbreviations
Months should be abbreviated
when date used, but not when
without date.
Days
of
week
never
abbreviated
First mention of organizations
and
agencies
should
be
spelled out
Numbers spell out zero through
nine and use figures for 10 and up
(with some exceptions)
Spelling check it in the dictionary;
use first/preferred
12

Learning Objective 4
To examine the requisites of writing
for the Internet and social media.
Social Media Releases (SMRs)
Designed to reach non-traditional
journalists (bloggers and podcasters)
A release only needs a photo to
qualify for an SMR but may link to
audio, video, links, etc.
Include
contact
information,
boilerplate, and quotes
Embed head shots and logos; include
video, audio and photos; link to
additional material that might be
relevant
Include tags to social bookmarking
services

in your lead (i.e., who, what, why,

where, when, how)?
Which items would you avoid using
in the news release?
If a reporter from the Blackrock
Bugle called and wanted to know
what happened to former Blackrock
manager Fowler Aire, what would
you tell the reporter?
How could Raina use the Internet to
research public opinion of the
pollution problem? How could the
company use the Internet to
communicate its position in advance
of the Blackrock City Council
meeting?

Writing Releases for the Internet

Brevity
and
succinctness
are
paramount
One reporter per To line
Limit subject line headers four to
six provocative words
Hammer home the headline
Limit length
Observe 5W format (Who, What,
When, Why, Where and How)
No attachments
Remember readability
Importance of Editing
Important to edit work
Verbs are important; use active and
get rid of passive verbs
Each
word,
phrase,
sentence,
paragraph
should
be
weighed
carefully
Editor should be gutsy and use bold
strokes
Concentrate on organizing copy so it
flows
Case Study: The Raina, Inc. News
Release
Page 326
If you were assigned to draft a news
release to accompany Sludge to the
Blackrock City Council meeting on
April 11, which items would you use
13

Objectivity in the Media

Total objectivity impossible; biases &
preconceived notions exist
Reporters do not accept party line on
faith
Reporters should not distort the
official view once substantiated

Part III: The Publics

Chapter 9: Media
Learning Objective 1
To discuss the bedrock importance of
media
relations
as
the
most
fundamental skill in public relations
work.
News on the Internet
More pervasive, intrusive, accessible,
and more likely to cause problems
for public relations professionals
Examples
Microsofts email to Wired
magazine reporter
Targets
response
to
nontraditional media outlets
that do not reach their core
guest
Redner Groups threatening
tweets to Wired.com
Fragmented, omnipresent (24/7),
aggressive,
opinionated,
sharpelbowed and less trained reporters
Media Importance
Public relations must know how to
deal with the press
Press plays devils advocate role
Most reporters have a liberal bias
Everyone is biased one way or
another
Public relations professionals should
base opinions on objective facts
Reporters may break eggs to ferret
out the truth
70%
accuracy
considered
acceptable on the Internet
Objectivity in the Media
Securing positivity publicity through
the media still at heart of public
relations practice
Publicity is more credible than
advertising
Reporters more competitive, more
aggressive, and less objective
Objectivity = fairness with the
intention of remaining neutral

Public Relations and the Media:

Friendly Adversaries
Reporters want to get the facts from
all sides
Reporters want to be treated fairly
and will reciprocate
The reporter wants the story
Organizations want things to be
presented in the best light
Some executives consider journalists
the enemy because they want to
reveal bad news
Learning Objective 2
To explore media communication in
all
its
formsprint,
electronic,
Internet.
Print: Hanging In
Newspapers closed or cut back
during the recession
By summer 2012, print circulation
was
stabilizing
and
newspaper
reading on the Internet was way up
Print still important among public
relations professionals
Newspapers and magazines
use news releases and other
publicity vehicles more than
network/cable TV (they wait
for print coverage)
Online databases, blogs, and
other Web-based media use
releases targeted at print
Number
of
newspapers
and
subscribers
declined,
but
newspapers still set news agenda for
the nation
Electronic Media: Cable Ups and
Downs
Cable has dramatic impact on news
consumption habits
24/7 cable news and biased
channels
created
difficulty
discerning true news
Specialized cable networks
and fake news popularity
Talk radio as a political and
social force
14

 30 minutes of news fills one half of

one page in a newspaper
The Internet Factor
New age of reporting: immediate and
freewheeling
Twitter and Facebook broadcast news
from 2010 Arab Spring
Internet hurt journalistic standards
and increases rumors
Newspaper websites have grown in
popularity and online staffs continue
to expand
New-age news sources
Blogs 181 million and counting
Public relations professionals must
foster close relationships with those
who present the news

Dealing with the Media

A reporter is a reporter
You are the organization
There is no standard-issue reporter
Treat journalists professionally
Dont sweat the skepticism
Dont try to buy a journalist
Become a trusted source
Talk when not selling
Dont expect news agreement
Dont have an attitude
Never lie
Read the paper
PR Ethics Mini-Case: MSNBC Cries
Wawa with Made-Up Romney Gaffe
Page 181
How would you assess MSNBCs
handling of the Romney Wawa
moment?
How would you have handled the
incident were you Andrea Mitchell?
Learning Objective 3
To discuss the value of publicity as
more powerful and credible than
advertising.
Attracting Publicity
Publicity is more powerful than
advertising
Publicity gained by dealing directly
with media
Differences between publicity and
advertising
Advertising costs money while
publicity costs time and effort
(roughly 10% of equivalent
advertising expenditures)

Advertising
guarantees
content, size, location, reach
and frequency while publicity
does not
Publicity appears as news so it
carries
a
third-party
endorsement while advertising
viewed as sponsoring the
organizations
self-serving
view
Value of Publicity
Announcing a new product or service
Reenergizing an old product
Explaining a complicated product
Little or no budget
Enhancing
the
organizations
reputation
Crisis response
Pitching Publicity
Be time sensitive
Write first, then call
Direct release to specific person or
editor
Determine how the reporter wants to
be contacted
Dont badger
Use exclusives but be careful
Do your own calling
Dont send clips of other stories
about your client
Develop a relationship
Never lie
Online Publicity
Online publicity still a relationship
business
Journalists moving toward social
media
Paid wires guarantee use of material
Paid wires reach newsrooms and
have enhanced web use options
Staging online events can draw
reporters and publics
Bar for web events has been raised
Learning Objective 4
To examine the proper way of dealing
with
journalists
vis--vis
organizational publicity.
Handling Media Interviews
Coordinate
interviews
for
organizations executives with media
Executives are generally unfamiliar
and uncomfortable in interview
situations
Reporters may ask impertinent
questions
15

 Executives not used to being

put on the spot
First question: What purpose will this
serve the organization?
Media Interview Dos and Donts
Prepare know interviewers point of
view, interests, questions
Know your lines
Relax
Speak in personal terms
Welcome the nave question
Answer questions briefly and directly
Dont bluff
State facts and back up generalities
There is no such thing as off the
record
Dont say No comment.
Tell the truth
Case

Study: Theyre Heeere

Page 195
Would you let 60 Minutes in?
Would you let them film the press
conference?
Would you let them film the cocktail
party?
Would you let them film a separate
interview with the president?
Would you change the format of the
party?
How does the American Bankers
Association (ABA) deal with the
media today? Visit its online press
room
(www.aba.com/press+room/default.h
tml).
What resources can members of the
press access on this site? How does
ABA make it easy for reporters to
make contact?
Part III: The Publics
Chapter 11: Employee Relations
Opening Example: Beckerman Email
NJ PR Firm received irate email from
CEO about milk
Future abuse of milk privilege (not
refilling the milk) would lead to
termination
Learning Objective 1
To discuss an often-overlooked but
core
critical
constituency
for
organizational
management,
the
internal public.
Worker Boss Relationships Strained
Layoffs across sectors

Only one in five workers give full

discretionary effort on the job
Highly engaged employees help the
bottom line
Firms with highly engaged
employees

shareholder
returns 19% higher than
average
Firms with low engagement
levels shareholder returns
44% lower than average
Management Questions lift employee
morale, commitment and engagement
Is your leadership rolling out a new
strategy or initiative that will require
more engagement than ever from
your employees?
Do you need to activate or reengage
your employees as advocates or
ambassadors?
How well is the urgency for change
understood and acted on within your
organization?
Should leadership communication be
a critical component of delivering on
your
companys
strategy
or
organizational performance goals?
Are you searching for novel ways to
renew or reinvent the employee
experience? Are leaders looking for
better ways of engaging their teams?
Does your employee engagement
research provide sufficient insights
for leaders to build trust, cultivate
two-way dialogue, and engage
employees on critical priorities?
Do your current drivers of employee
engagement support the business
you need to become?
If employee engagement remains at
its current level or decreases within
your company, is there a downside
risk?
Lessons from Google
Free food is important so is candor
Management communications with
employees must be candid, clear and
credible
Critical Internal Communications
Employee relations matters
60% of corporate CEOs reported
spending more time communicating
with employees
Employee loyalty is low no such
thing as lifetime employment
Gulf in pay between senior officers
and common workers
16

 Globalization means it is important to

communicate
benefits
and
opportunities to enhance support
and loyalty among worldwide staffs
Companies
that
communicate
effectively with workers financially
outperform those that dont
Discussion Question
What societal factors have caused
internal communications to become
more important today than in the
past?
Learning Objective 2
To explore the philosophy of dealing
with employees in an era of layoffs
and meager job growth.
Dealing with the Employee Public
Numerous subgroups:
Senior managers
First-line supervisors
Staff and line employees
Union laborers
Per diem employees
Contract workers
Each group has different interests
and concerns
Smart
organizations differentiate
messages and communications for
each segment
How do you convey knowledge to
staff?
Younger, increasingly female, more
diverse, ambitious, career oriented,
less complacent, less loyal
Questions to ask
Is
management
able
to
communicate effectively with
employees?
Is communication trusted, and
does it relay appropriate
information to employees?
Has
management
communicated
its
commitment to its employees
and to fostering a rewarding
work environment?
Biggest problem often employees do
not know where they stand in the
eyes of management

100 Best Companies to Work For in

America
Six Criteria
Willingness to express dissent

Visibility and proximity of upper

management
Priority of internal to external
communication
Attention to clarity
Friendly tone
Sense of humor
PR Ethics Mini-Case: I Hate You, Im
Leaving, Wheres My Check?
Page 233
How would you characterize the
ethics of Smiths decision to go
public with his gripes as a Goldman
employee?
What do you think of the companys
response to the controversy?
What
advice
would
you
give
Goldman Sachs in its future public
relations dealings?
Credibility: The Key
Employees want facts; not wishful
thinking
Trust in organizations would increase
if management
Communicated earlier and
more frequently
Demonstrated
trust
in
employees by sharing bad
news as well as good
Involved employees in the
process by asking for their
ideas and opinions
Well-informed
employees
=
organizations
best
goodwill
ambassadors
S-H-O-C the Troops Communications
must be
Strategic
Where is this organization
going?
What is my role in helping us
get there?
Honest
Management trust may be low
Cant build credibility by
sugarcoating
Open
Feedback
Two-way communications
Solicit, listen to, act one
employee views
Action is key
Consistent
Regular, on-time, predictable
communication program
Steadiness is key
Discussion Question
17

 Summarize the keys to dealing with

employees in todays
business
environment.

Learning Objective 3
To discuss the various tacticsprint,
online,
and
broadcastof
communicating with the internal
public.
Employee Communication Tactics
Internal Communications Audits
In-depth
interviews
with
management
and
communicators

what
management
wants
from
communications team; what
communicators
think
management wants
How
do
internal
communications support the
mission of the organization?
Do internal communications
have managements support?
Do internal communications
justify the expense?
How responsive to employee
needs
and
concerns
are
internal communications?
Online communications
Blogs
Podcasts
Wikis
Employee Communication: Tactics
Intranet guidelines
Consider the culture
Set clear objectives and let it
evolve
Treat it as a journalistic
enterprise
Market, market, market
Link to outside lives
Senior
management
must
commit
Print publications
Newsletters
Integrate
with
online
publications
Bulletin boards
Suggestion Boxes and Town Hall
Meetings
Internal Video
Face-to-Face Communications

Best communications vehicle is faceto-face

Supervisors are the preferred source
for most employees
Why?
Formalized
meetings
may
mix
management and staff in a variety of
formats
Value of meetings lies in substance,
regularity,
and
candor
from
managers
Discussion Question
What are some important employee
communications tactics? How should
each be used?

Learning Objective 4
To examine the ways that social
media have complicated and made
more challenging the function of
communicating with employees.
Internal Social Media
Social media policies should be
based on common sense
Moderating and identification
Social media effectiveness depends
on
It must have a business
purpose
It must be entertaining as well
as informative
It must be composed of
riveting content
The Grapevine
Rumor mill can be treacherous
Identifying source of rumor difficult
and not work the time
Do not overlook the value of
explaining how you reached a
decision
Grapevine may be valuable because
it is believed
Discussion Question
What are the primary considerations
in adopting internal social media?
Case Study: Consultant Drops F-Bomb,
Chrysler Drops Consultant
Page 246
How do you feel Chrysler handled the
tweet controversy?
What new internal client rules would
you enforce were you the CEO of
NMS?
Should social media report to
marketing or public relations? Why?
18

 What are the larger lessons here for

any public relations professional?

Part III: The Publics

Chapter 13: Community Relations
Opening Example: Susan G. Komen for the
Cure and Planned Parenthood
Susan G. Komen for the Cure was a
beloved and successful charity
Cut funding to Planned Parenthoods
breast screening due to legal
investigation
Support plummeted, the decision
was reversed, executives departed
Learning Objective 1
To discuss the importance of dealing
with communities, both geographic
and ethnic.
Multicultural Diversity
In 2012, more than half the children
born in the U.S. were minorities
In 2010, Hispanics represented 16%
of the U.S. Population and Asians
represented almost 5% of the
population both growing at 3% per
year
Multiracial Americans = fastest
growing U.S. demographic
Minorities are getting younger while
whites are getting older
Immigrants gravitate to six U.S.
states: California, New York, Texas,
Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey
Hispanic buying power in the top 20
U.S. markets is $850 billion

High
income
Asian
population
fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in
the U.S.
Discussion Question
How
important
is
it
for
an
organization to focus on dealing with
minorities?
Learning Objective 2
To review the tradition of corporate
social responsibility that has uniquely
characterized U.S. institutions.
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
Social responsibility source of pride
in the 1980s
Give back to society through
participation in (voluntarism) and
contributions to (financial support)
not-for-profit organizations
Financial support was cut with the
recession
Organizations are becoming more
diverse
Trends in Corporate Giving
Corporate giving is becoming more
focused
Matching gifts are a high priority
International giving is on the rise
Corporate leaders taking active
stance
in
confronting
societal
challenges
Corporate contributions depend on
profits
Gen X is aware of and concerned
about contributions to society (the
firms and their own)
Community Relations Expectations
Determine what the community
knows
and
thinks
about
the
organization
Inform the community of the
organizations point of view
Negotiate or mediate between the
organization and the community and
its constituents if there is a
discrepancy
Community relations are critical
What the Community Expects
Positive
contributions
to
the
communitys Appearance
Participation
in
civic
functions,
activities, and education
Stability so the company can help
grown with the area
Pride that they are residents
What the Organization Expects
Municipal services
Fair taxation
Good living conditions for employees
19

 Good labor supply

Reasonable degree of support for the
business and its products
Community Relations Objectives
Tell the community about the
operations of the firm
Correct misunderstandings, reply to
criticism, remove disaffection that
may
exist
among
community
neighbors
Gain favorable opinion of the
community, especially when there is
labor unrest
Inform employees and their families
about
company
activities
and
developments
Inform people in local government
about
firms
contributions
to
community welfare & to obtain
support for legislation
Find out what residents think about
the organization
Establish a personal relationship
between
management
and
community leaders
Operate a profitable business
provide jobs and pay
Cooperate
with
other
local
businesses to advance economic and
social welfare
Community Relations on the Web
Expanded
educational
and
commercial
opportunities
for
minority
communities
and
philanthropic organizations
Internet has potential to further
human relations and progress
Discussion Question
What are typical community relations
objectives for an organization?
Learning Objective 3
To discuss the multicultural publics
that populate society, including
Hispanics, African Americans, Asians,
and groups beyond nationalities,
such as seniors and the LGBT
community.
Serving Diverse Communities
40 million Americans are foreign born
2/3 of current U.S. and future
population growth in and will be due
to immigration
Hispanics reached 50.5 million in
2010
Women,
African
Americans,
Hispanics, Asians, LGBT people,
seniors, persons with disabilities, etc.

important members of labor force

and sources of discretionary income
Equal pay, promotional opportunities,
equal rights, etc.
Women
51% of U.S. professional workers
51% of managerial and professional
jobs
Mommy tracks, mommy wars, glass
ceilings, pink-collar ghettos less
prevalent
Women climbing to middle- and
upper-management positions in PR,
but make less money in those
positions than men
Hispanics
By 2050, they will comprise 1/3 of
the population
77% of Hispanics reside in California,
Texas, Florida, Arizona, New Jersey,
and Illinois
Potent political and economic force
Voracious media consumers; TV and
radio
Hispanic buying power is $1 trillion
and will group 50% in the next five
years
African Americans
Growth stabilized at 39 million
New York has the largest black
population, followed by Florida,
Texas, Georgia and California
56% of blacks live in the south (as of
2010)
Socioeconomic status improvement
due to large increases in womens
incomes
Disposable income nearly $1 billion
per year
Buying power projected to reach
$1.307 billion in 2017
Asians/Muslims
Asian population fastest growing
between 2000 and 2010
Emphasize traditional family mores
Greater importance on career and
material success
Most put-upon public post 9/11 is
Muslims
2.6 million Muslims in the U.S.
Bridges TV - build bridges of
understanding between American
Muslims and mainstream America
LGBT Community, Seniors, and Others
LGBTmarket
15 million Americans
$690 billion spending power

20

 Attitudes
toward
LGBT
community
and
same-sex
marriage changing
Senior citizens
Over-50 crowd controls more
than
50%
of
Americas
discretionary income
35 million members of AARP;
half still work
Discussion Question
Why do companies need to reach the
Hispanic community?
Learning Objective 4
To examine the role of public
relations
in
orchestrating
the
activities of nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofit Public Relations
Nonprofits serve social, educational,
religious, and cultural needs of
community around them
Primary source of employment for
public relations graduates
Media advocacy = public relations
without resources
Protests
Marches
Demonstrations
Media photo opportunities
Stealth Internet campaigns
Master of All Trades
Positioning the Organization break
a few eggs to achieve a clear and
differentiable identity
Developing a Marketing/Promotional
Plan raise non-profits profile,
respect and levels of support
Media Relations free media is
critical; media advocates champion
mission and cause
Support Fundraising depend on
donors for support
Identify campaign plans and
objectives set financial goal
Organize fact-finding
Recruit leaders
Plan and implement strong
communications activities
Periodically
review
and
evaluate
Discussion Question
What are the primary responsibilities
of a non-profit public relations
professional?
Case Study: The Silence of the Lions
Page 290
What would you have advised
Second Mile to do when apprised of
the charges against its founder?

What would you have counseled

President Spanier to do when
apprised of the charges against
Sandusky?
What would you have counseled
Coach Paterno to do when apprised
of charges against his assistant?
Do you agree with Penn States
decisions after the grand jury
revelations?
Was the school fair in its treatment of
Joe Paterno?
Part III: The Publics
Chapter 10: Social Media
Opening Example: Daniel Toshs Rape
Joke
Daniel Tosh became a sensation
because of the Internet
Tosh directed a gang rape joke at
an L. A. audience member who left
Joke and exit were tweeted, blogged
about, retweeted and reblogged
Tosh gave weak apology
Learning Objective 1
To discuss the phenomenon of social
media and its lasting impact on the
practice of public relations.
Social Media Dominance
White House Director of New Media
in 2009
News is tweeted first
Facebooks $104 billion value
Opportunities and pitfalls
Immediate and pervasive
Has not replaced human
relationships
Brief History of the Internet
ARPANET during Cold War (1969)
World Wide Web in1989
Worldwide users in 2012 = 2.27
billion
Africa rose from 34 million in
2007 to 140 million in 2012
Asia rose from 418 million in
2007 to over 1 billion in 2012
Europe rose from 322 million
in 2007 to 501 million in 2012
The Middle East rose from 20
million to 77 million
North America rose from 233
million to 273 million
Latin America rose from 100
million to 236 million
Oceania rose from 19 million
to 24 million
21

 Digital divide between haves and

have-nots was closing
Some early ventures failed; others
are thriving
Discussion Question
What is the status of the Internet and
World Wide Web in public relations
today?
Learning Objective 2
To explore the general parameters of
public relations and the Internet.
Public Relations and the Internet
Public relations department have
interactive specialists
Journalists embraced the Internet as
primary source for research and
reporting
Personal contact with a journalist via
a relationship is still the best way to
get your message heard
Practitioner Internet usage growth
predicted due to
Demand for being educated
vs. sold
Quest for conversation
Need
for
real-time
performance
Need for customization
Familiarity with Internet and its use
are requisites for practice
Websites
First face of organization to public
Serve multiple functions (e.g. find
information, conduct business)
Permit organization to speak in its
own voice
Make websites as navigable as
possible
Have a clearly identifiable Media
icon and organized subsections
Developing a Winning Website
Answer Strategic Questions
What is your goal?
What content will we include?
How often will we edit?
How will we enhance design?
How interactive will it be?
How will we track use?
Who will be responsible?
Search Engine Optimization
Email
90% of adult Internet users surveyed
regularly use email
Teens prefer text messaging, instant
messaging, and social network site
messaging
Pervasive internal communications
vehicle

Face-to-face
best;
email
viable
alternative
Email newsletters replaced print
newsletters
More
immediate
and
interactive than print
Allow for feedback
Internal or external use
One
page,
relevant
information,
link
content,
disseminate regularly
Instant Messaging (IM) and Texting
IM is closely related to conversation
Texting is sending 160 characters or
fewer messages from cell phones
using Short Message Service (SMS)
Person-to-person messaging most
common
Blogs and CEO Blogs
Bloggers recognized as bona fide
news source
Embraced
by
professional
communicators, print and broadcast
media; encourage dialogue
Corporate blogs are 8% of the
blogosphere
People turn to blogs for information
Blogs
gain
respect
through
sneezers early adopters in a
social group
Some blogs are required reading for
journalists
CEO blogs have gotten mixed
reviews
CEO blogs should not read like
warmed-over press releases
PR Ethics Mini-Case: Blogger Backlash
Crushes ConAgra Conclave
Page 209
Had you been Ketchum, what would
you have advised client ConAgra
relative to its idea?
How would you have structured the
invitation to bloggers?
Discussion Question
How has email changed the way
people
and
organizations
communicate?
Learning Objective 3
To discuss the four primary social
media vehicles of Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, and YouTube and how
public relations professionals use
them.
Social Networks
Social networks attract a variety of
age groups and interests
22

 Expanding opportunities for public

relations practice
Public relations professionals must
be conversant and proficient in using
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and
YouTube
Facebook
Biggest social networking service,
one billion members
Ideal for sharing news, photos,
videos, playing games, supporting
causes and connecting with people
with common interests
Facebook serves community-building
purposes for public relations:
Attract attention
Two-way communication
Conversation monitor
Interactive activities
Internal communication
Halo effect
Network with media
Crisis management
Link to other materials
Twitter
Micro-blogging tweet < 140
characters to alert friends and
followers
Multi-person text message service
Tool for public relations:
Finding your Tweeple and
what they think are important
Finding the Tweetfluentials
who might be influential in
speaking about brand
As a news sources used to
break news or pitch stories
Providing valuable content
tips and insights
Building a community tweet
daily to engage followers
Crisis management issue
statements and post updates
LinkedIn
Facebook for the professional set
Connect
with
like-minded
professionals
Discover business or employment
opportunities
Develop network of contacts
Public relations functions:
Notes notify others of
events,
job
openings,
recommendations
Groups forums, alumni
groups, conferences

Answer Forum advice from

professionals
Polls and Card Munch
Job Openings
YouTube
15 minutes of fame
Organizations use for marketing
purposes
Target specific user groups
Messages must be short and
simple
Some organizations have gotten into
trouble because of YouTube posts
Contenders: Pinterest and others
Pin pictures on a virtual bulletin
board
Use site as canvas to create ideal
self
Public relations uses:
Visual stories
Industry stories
Videos
Employee participation
Sharing
Instagram photo sharing bolsters
brands
Foursquare check-ins businesses
can offer products and incentives
Yelp customer reviews

Social Media Analytics

Content sourcing and methods
standardize evaluations
Reach and impressions more difficult
to come by in social media
Engagement business outcomes
like sales; other outcomes like blog
posts, video comments, retweets
Influence and relevance subjective
human research
Opinion and advocacy qualitative
measure
Impact and value financial results
and reputation impact
Discussion Questions
What is the significance of Facebook
relative to public relations practice?
What is the significance of Twitter
relative to public relations practice?
Learning Objective 4
To examine the pros and cons of
dealing with bloggers and the new
journalists who populate the Internet.
Web-Based Communication Vehicles
23

Intranets
Extranets
Wikis
Podcasting
RSS
QR Codes and LBS
Side of Online Communications
Internet sabotage: no organization is
immune
Monitoring the Internet is important
Easy for customers to complain on
blogs, start rogue websites, spread
urban legends
Public relations professionals adopt
inoculation strategies
Clear
communications
channels
Relay
concerns
privately
before frustrations mount
Monitor and beware of the web
Discussion Question
How should organizations protect
themselves from online attack?
Case Study: Ronald McDonalds Brush
with Antisocial Media
Page 222
What do you think of McDonalds
social media strategy in general?
How
would
you
characterize
McDonalds handling of the racist
tweet?
What
would
you
have
done
differently
relative
to
the
#McDStories controversy?

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Topic
Seven
(7):
Ethical
Public
Relations
Learning Perspectives
The practice of public relations is all
about earning credibility.
Credibility begins with telling the
truth.
Public relations must be based on
doing the right thing, or acting
ethically.
What exactly are ethics?
Great thinkers have struggled for years to
answer this question. Here is one definition:
Ethics are standards of conduct that
indicate how one should behave based on
moral duties and virtues.

Ethics refers to the values that guide a

person, organization, or society the
difference between right and wrong,
fairness and unfairness, honesty and
dishonesty.
An individuals or organizations ethics
come down to the standards we follow in
our relationships with others.
Doing the right thing
Why ethics?More profit?
More trust?
In me.
In company.
In
industry/market/econom
y.
Right thing to do, dont
care about the rest.
Must do it or get caught.
Part of being a good manager.
Expected of me by superiors, so gets
me promoted.
To protect others, not me.
Incarcerated - imprisoned
Ethical Quadrants

Ethical Quadrants
Quadrant I: Ethical and Legal
Act according to the law - the land &
practiced customs
e.g. paying taxes to the government,
asset declaration, customs/immigration
practices.
Quadrant II: Ethical but Illegal
Act according to practiced customs
but not according to the law of the
land.
e.g. organizing events to collect
money for the poor without any legal
permits from respective bodies.
Quadrant III: Unethical but Legal
Act according to the law of the land
but against practiced customs.
e.g eating lunch at kenduri kahwin
in a village, by using a pair of fork and
spoon.

Another definition of ethics

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Quadrant IV: Unethical and Illegal

Act against both law of the land and
practiced customs.
e.g. killing other people just for the
fun of it.
The ISES Code of Ethics
The ISES stands for International
Special Events Society
http://www.ises.com
Each member of ISES shall agree to
adhere to the following Code of
Ethics:
1. Promote and encourage the highest
level of ethics within the profession
of the special events industry while
maintaining the highest standards of
professional conduct.
2. Strive for excellence in all aspects of
our
profession
by
performing
consistently at or above acceptable
industry standards.
3. Use only legal and ethical means in
all
industry
negotiations
and
activities.
4. Protect the public against fraud and
unfair practices, and promote all
practices which bring respect and
credit to the profession.
5. Provide
truthful
and
accurate
information with respect to the
performance of duties. Use a written
contract clearly stating all charges,
services,
products,
performance
expectations and other essential
information.
6. Maintain
industry
accepted
standards of safety and sanitation.
7. Maintain adequate and appropriate
insurance coverage for all business
activities.
8. Commit to increase professional
growth and knowledge, to attend
educational
programs
and
to
personally contribute expertise to
meetings and journals.
9. Strive to cooperate with colleagues,
suppliers, employees, employers and
all persons supervised, in order to
provide the highest quality service at
every level.
10.Subscribe to the ISES Principles of
Professional Conduct and Ethics, and
abide by the ISES Bylaws and
policies.
ISES Principles of Professional
Conduct and Ethics. Retrieved
December 13, 2006, from

International Special Event

Society Web site:
http://www.ises.com/about/pri
nciples.cfm
Ethics in Business
Ethical or unethical behaviours by a
manager or
employer of an organization.
Some business ethical issues:
Stealing
Lying
False impression, fraud and deceit
Conflict of interest and influencebuying
Hiding vs. divulging information
Cheating, unfair advantage
Personal decadence
Interpersonal abuse
Organizational abuse
Rule violations
Accessory to unethical acts
Moral balance (ethical dilemmas)
Classical approaches to ethics
Utilitarianism:
considering
the
greater good rather than individual
desires.
The Golden Mean of Moral
Virtue: seeking the middle-ground
between two extreme points of view.
The
Categorical
Imperative:
acting on a maxim that you intend
on becoming universal law.
Classical approaches to ethics
Principle of Utility: seeking the
greatest happiness for the greatest
number of people.
Judeo-Christian Ethic: loving your
neighbor as you would love yourself.
Ethical decisions are based on:
Our moral choices
Norms of society
Legal principles
Organizational values
Professional values
Our moral choices
Norms of society
Legal principles
Organizational values
Professional values
Corporate codes of conduct
These are formal statements of the values
and business practices of a corporation.
They have been developed to:
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increase public confidence

stem the tide of regulation
improve internal operations
respond to transgressions

Corporate social responsibility

Social responsibility touches every level of
organizational activity:
Product lines
Marketing practices
Corporate philanthropy
Environmental activities
External relations
Employment diversity
Employee safety and health
Ethics in journalism
Do you believe that the Society of
Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
(right) reflects what appears in print or on
the air?
Why or why not?
Ethics in public relations
Four ethical theories are relevant to public
relations:
Attorney/adversary model by Barney
and Black
Two-way communication model by
Grunig
Enlightened self-interest model by
Baker
Responsible advocacy model by
Fitzpatrick
and Gauthier
Public relations and ethics
1. Advocacy act as responsible
advocates; never reveal confidential
or private client information
2. Honesty dont exaggerate or lie
3. Expertise guide client decisionmaking
4. Independence

strike
an
independent tone
5. Loyalty loyalties must remain
constant
6. Fairness treat even obnoxious
reporters with fairness
The essence of the code is
that honesty and fairness lie at the
heart of the public relations practice.
For details, see Figure 6-2 of your
text.

Part II: Preparation/Process

Chapter 6: Ethics
Learning Objective 1
To discuss the one aspect that should
differentiate public relations from the
law and other business pursuits
ethics.
Public Relations Professionals Must
Conduct Themselves Ethically
2010 FTC complaint against Reverb
Communications
2011 Lanny Davis resigned as public
relations representative for Ivory
Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo
2012 Walmart fired Mercury Public
Relations for ruse
Earn credibility by telling the truth
and doing the right thing
What are ethics?
Right vs. wrong
Religious beliefs
Law
Acceptable standards of behavior
Utilitarianism (greatest good for
greatest number)
Deontology (do what is right though
the world should perish)
Do the right thing
Cardinal rule of public relations:
Never, ever lie
Discussion Question
How would you define ethics?
Ethics refers to the values that guide a
person, organization, or society the
difference between right and wrong,
fairness and unfairness, honesty and
dishonesty.
An individuals or organizations ethics
come down to the standards we follow in
our relationships with others.
Learning Objective 2
To explore ethicsor the lack thereof
in todays business, government,
media, and public relations cultures.
Unethical Behavior
Government
Carley Rangel
Anthony Weiner
Operation Fast and Furious
Scott McClellan
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 Business
Insider trading
Bernie Madoff, Allen Stanford,
Raj Rajaratnam, Rajat Gupta
Sports
Steroids
scandal
(Mark
McGwire,
Roger
Clemens,
Sammy Sosa)
Lance Armstrong
Education (Penn State)
Catholic Church
PRSA Member Code of Ethics 2000
Advocacy
Honesty
Expertise
Independence
Loyalty
Fairness
Do the Right Thing
Josephson Institute:
ethics are
standards of conduct that indicate
how one should behave based on
moral duties and virtues
Right vs. wrong
Fairness vs. unfairness
Honesty vs. dishonesty
Ethics depend on culture, religion,
education
Perspectives on Ethics
Utilitarianism greater good
Golden mean of moral virtue
between two extremes
Categorical imperative act on
maxim you will to become universal
law
Principle
of
utility

greatest
happiness for greatest number
Judeo-Christian ethic love neighbor
as thyself
Applied Ethics
Professional ethics
Public relations people must always
tell the truth
Honesty and fairness are at the heart
of public relations
Are we doing the right thing?
Ethics in Business
Why do people think business ethics
is an oxymoron?
Investments
in
ethics
and
compliance programs
Corporate Codes of Conduct
Increase public confidence
Stem tide of regulation
Improve internal operations
Respond to transgressions
Discussion Questions

How important
is the ethical
component of the practice of public
relations?
Why have corporations adopted
corporate codes of conduct?
Learning Objective 3
To discuss the concept of corporate
social responsibility.
Corporate Social Responsibility
How companies manage business
processes for a positive societal
impact
Product lines
Marketing practices
Corporate philanthropy
Environmental activities
External relations
Employment diversity in retaining
and promoting minorities and women
Employee safety and health
Ethics in Government
24-hour
cable
news,
24/7
blogosphere increase scrutiny
Sleaze factor poisons politics
Elliott Spitzer
Mark Sanford
Anthony Weiner
Herman Cain
John Edwards
PR Ethics Mini-Case: The Sad Memoir
of Scott McClellan
Page 115
How would
you
assess
Scott
McClellans ethical responsibility to
be loyal to his boss versus his ethical
responsibility
to
reveal
what
happened at the White House?
What are the public relations ethical
considerations revealed by the
McClellan case?
Ethics in Journalism
Respect dignity, privacy, rights and
well-being of people when gathering
and presenting news
Do not communicate
unofficial
charges affecting reputation or moral
character without giving accused
chance to reply
Guard against invading a persons
right to privacy
Do not pander to morbid curiosity
about details of vice and crime
Judgments against ethical standards
Plagiarism in The New York
Times,
Washington
Post,
Boston Globe
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 Refusal
to
reveal
sources/suppressing news
Get stories at any cost/pay for
stories
Screamers
Discussion Question
What
is
corporate
social
responsibility?
Learning Objective 4
To
underscore
the
bedrock
importance
of
public
relations
professionals doing the right thing.
Ethics in Public Relations
Differentiates public relations from
other professions
Relevant ethical theories
Attorney/adversary model
Lawyers
and
public
relations are advocates
in
an
adversarial
climate
Both
assume
counterbalancing
messages
will
be
provided by adversaries
Two-way
communication
model
Collaborate, work jointly
with people, listen and
give-and-take
Balance
role
as
advocate with one as
social conscience
Responsible advocacy model
Professional
responsibility:
first
loyalty to clients
Responsibility to voice
opinions
of
organizational
stakeholders
Six Core Values
Advocacy act as responsible
advocates; never reveal confidential
or private client information
Honesty dont exaggerate or lie
Expertise guide client decisionmaking
Independence

strike
an
independent tone
Loyalty loyalties must remain
constant
Fairness treat even obnoxious
reporters with fairness
Defending a Dictator
Middle East dictators sought help
from U.S. PR firms and scholars

Many accepted blood money and

attempted to portray dictators in a
positive light
What are the ethical implications
associated
with
representing
someone who does not do the right
thing?
Case Study: Doing the Right Thing by
Making a Hurd Decision
Page 122
What other options did HewlettPackard have in dealing with Mark
Hurd?
Do you think the board did the right
thing?
Had HP decided to slap its CEO on
the wrists for his infraction, what
might have been the outcome for the
company?

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