Public Relations Theory in the Digital Age
Public Relations is a relatively new discipline characterized by debate over its definition. Some disciplines are very easy to define, for example history and mathematics. However, Public Relations has several meanings and this fact is used by critics to show the main weakness of Public Relations. Even so, Public Relations is basically a practical discussion (course) and as long as the practice of Public Relations undergoes changes and developments, it can be said that its definition can continue to change and develop.
At the beginning of the 21st century, we entered a period of important and radical change, with the emergence of digital media that changed the channels of communication and the practice of journalism. This will continue until it certainly has a major influence on how Public Relations performs its functions.
Will current circumstances give rise to a new definition of Public Relations? Very possible. This new era will lead to a dynamic, changing, evolving and challenging industry. This is also one of the attractions in the discussion of Public Relations.
There is a deep debate around the relationship between advertising, marketing, and Public Relations . A student who is learning about PR for the first time usually finds it difficult to distinguish between Public Relations and advertising. It wasn't too long since it was last seen as a bad relationship regarding advertising, but that has now changed, for example when it comes to brand reputation, Public Relations is more important than advertising. There is value in brand reputation. A well-known brand name like Heinz has a high value and when its reputation goes down, the company's finances will also decline. In the next article, we will analyze the relationship between reputation management and the company's financial condition. This discussion specifically takes the example of a case in a company that has a bad reputation which is then related to its financial situation in detail.
Based on a study conducted by Context Analytics (2009), PR plays a more important role than advertising in maintaining brand value. Research shows that on average 27 percent of a brand's value is related to how often it appears in the media. Even in some industries where more market research is done before the sale, PR activity can account for about half of a brand's value. For example, with the visibility of computer media, it results in 47 percent of brand value.
Anyone studying PR for the first time will find the dynamics exciting in a fast-growing industry full of challenges and opportunities. The industry is looking for talented new PR people for the best opportunity to work in the PR field. And anyone who wants to work in PR will find it interesting, in fact everyone has the opportunity to make a splash in the PR world and who knows, you might be one of them!
The Origin of Public Relations
Read this article:
You will understand why there is a problem in defining PR. A clearer understanding of the history and theory of public relations
Understand the latest mainstream and classic public relations theory, including seeing how and why public relations theory relates to public relations practice.
In this article we discuss the relationship between history and public relations theory and how the history of public relations has influenced the development of public relations theory. Theoretical understanding is very important for PR practitioners because theory helps them, among other things, understand why some PR campaigns succeed and others fail.
PR theory is explained by different but related ideas.
- firstly communication theory and secondly an analysis of how PR was practiced in the past
- and together they came up with a different theory of PR.
Communication theory is the study of information transmission and methods of transmitting information. This theory is important in the discussion because it covers several different schools.
To achieve the purpose of publishing this article, we discuss the most important communication theories for the public relations debate, such as: the study of the sender-to-receiver communication process. Then we continue our conversation with public relations theory to test and deepen the benefits of the theory developed by American public relations expert James Grunig. Grunig's theory is currently the most influential theory in the PR debate. Although it gets a lot of criticism, it is still important to discuss, understand how this process occurs, why this theory is important, and why it gets so much criticism.
Is public relations very difficult to define or there are many definitions of public relations and each is almost the same. He was later condemned by PR critics for not accepting that definition as proof that PR is a fundamentally imperfect discipline. Critics usually argue that there is no definition of PR because PR has no real substance: only illusions, twists and the unseen. On the other hand, the argument is, how can there be confusion about the benefits of PR when we all know what PR is? - That is, to receive advertisements for your clients or company in the media. One of the aims of this discussion is to show that public relations has many meanings and still plays an important role in the most important part of modern communication systems.
American academic Rex Harlow claims to have created the first definition of a summary of all definitions of PR. His study identified
72 definitions made from the 20th century, when modern PR was born, to 1976, when the study was conducted. He then combined all the elements and arrived at one global definition, namely:
Public Relations is a unique administrative function that helps create and maintain the means of communication, creating understanding and cooperation between an organization and its publics; including problem management; help management stay informed and responsive to public opinion; define and emphasize management's responsibility to serve the public interest; help management stay abreast of changes and use them effectively; use good research and communication ethics as their main tools. (Harlow, 1976: 36)
Harlow's critics have made it clear that the above definition tries to cover everything, therefore it is too detailed and rendered useless. Many critics also argue that the definition of a profession cannot cover a wide range of practices, from Greenpeace campaigns to tabloid coverage of unknown actors.
In 1978, the first meeting of the World Assembly on Public Relations in Mexico agreed on a definition of public relations known as the "Mexican Definition". This definition is important because it is the first time that various national organizations have agreed on a mutually agreed definition.
Public relations is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting the consequences of those trends, providing input to organizational leaders, and implementing planned action programs that serve the interests of organizations and the public (Warnaby and Moss, 2002: 7).
The key to the above definition is the effort to develop the credibility of PR by linking it with the social sciences and asserting that public relations is an objective scientific knowledge. The definition of PR above is quite long. In its development, the understanding put forward by James Grunig and Todd Hunt also emerged, which made the definition more focused: "Public relations is the management of communication between an organization and its public" (Grunig and Hunt, 1984 : 8).
Cutlip, Center and Broom (2000:6), who wrote one of the first books to summarize the theory and practice of public relations, defines public relations as follows:
Public relations is an administrative function that identifies, develops, and supports one another. beneficial relationships between an organization and its various audiences that determine its success and failure.
The main link between the two definitions above is that they place public relations as part of the management of an organization that creates influence and credibility for the company, not just a part of the business that supports the company's sales success.
In the United Kingdom, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) offers a definition that adds a new dimension:
Public relations is reputation - the result of what you do, what you say, and what other people say about you. Public relations practice is a discipline whose mission is to maintain reputation - its purpose is to gain understanding and support, and to influence opinion and behavior. This activity is a planned and continuous effort to build and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between the organization and its public.
This new element equates PR with reputation management. Although it seems reasonable, there are actually many criticisms of the PR idea of reputation management. Interestingly, the definition of PR CIPR above develops from the previous definition. The evolution of this definition illustrates the dynamics of PR and shows how the industry has adapted to changes around it.
Another definition of PRSA (PRSA) with a different emphasis is:
Public relations helps organizations and the public adapt to one another. Public relations is an organizational effort to achieve cooperation with a group. Public relations helps organizations communicate and communicate effectively with their most important audiences.
Thus the description of PR may be useful for you readers.
Post a Comment for "Public Relations is a relatively new discipline characterized by debate over its definition"