PR Exam 2

Contingency Continuum from Advocacy to Accommodation

Competing Litigation PR Arguing Competition Contending Compromising Avoiding Cooperation Collaboration Negotiation Compromise Capitulation Apology and Restitution

A member employed by a "client organization" shares helpful information with a counseling firm that is competing with others for the organization's business.

Competition

A member spreads malicious and unfounded rumors about a competitor in order to alienate the competitor's clients and employees in a ploy to recruit people and business.

Competition

What is the difficulty in ascertaining whether an act is ethical?

Individuas have different standards and perceptions of what is right or wrong; gray area

In many cases, what stance do organizations adopt in a crisis?

Initially, a pure advocacy stance but with new information and shifting public opinion, the stance changes more towards accommodation, provided such a move does not violate deeply held principles

Other than the FTC, SEC, and FDA, what federal agencies occasionally get involved in distribution of PR materials?

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Communications Commission

True or False: Private citizens usually have more success winning defamation suits than do public figures or corporations

True; with public figures there is the extra test of whether the libelous statements were made with actual malice

What does effective issues management require?

Two-way communications, formal environmental scanning, and active sense-making strategies

What is pure advocacy?

A hard-nosed stance of completely disagreeing with or refuting the arguments, claims, or threats of a competitor or a group concerned about an issue

How can technology be used in relation to audiences?

Can segment a mass audience and compile valuable demographic information; PR professionals can employ search engines and digital databases to conduct both primary and secondary research to narrow in on desirable target audiences; geographic and social statistics from census Bureau; Internet allows to move beyond geographic limits but requires quicker responses to its changing audiences

Which guidelines and government agencies govern the commercial speech used by PR professionals?

Commercial speech is regulated by the government in the interest of the public health, safety, and consumer protection; the agencies involved in this regulation include the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

What are the concepts and trends that help us understand and target publics?

1. Diverse and dynamic 2. Technology helps segment audiences and compile demographic info 3. Visual orientation and short attention span 4. Celebrities 5. Distrust of authority and institutions

What is the strategic phase in strategic conflict management?

An emerging conflict is identified as meriting action by the public relations professional; three broad strategies: 1. Risk communication: dangers or threats to people or organizations are conveyed to forestall personal injury, health problems, and environmental damage 2. Conflict positioning: strategies enable the organization to situate itself favorable in anticipation of actions such as litigation, boycott, adverse legislation, elections, or similar events that will play out in the court of public opinion 3. Crisis management: developed to be prepared for the worst outcome - that is, an issue that resists risk communication efforts and becomes a conflict of crisis proportions; emerging conflict requires action

What are smoldering crises?

An organization was aware of a potential business disruption long before the public found out about it; not unexpected; 86% of business crises; management or mismanagement caused 78% of crises; 50% of executives did not have crisis management plan but 89% believed crises were inevitable; could potentially be prevented with proper issues management and conflict planning

How would the baby boomer audience be described?

1946-1964; period was characterized by a high birth rate and general prosperity following WWII; did not suffer through depression and enjoyed many advantages as the international stature of the US grew; more willing to spend disposable income on consumer goods and luxury items; late 40s and early 50s faced turmoil of Vietnam; born later did not experience and share many characteristics with Gen X; 1956-1964 are shadow baby boomers; first generation to come of age during advent of TV; buying habits and lifestyle heavily influenced by visual advertising; tend to be more skeptical and discerning than their parents' generation; longest-lived generation; largest and most economically advantaged group

What happened in New York Times v. Tasini?

2001; Supreme Court ruled that publishers infringed on copyrights of freelance contributors by making articles accessible through electronic databases

What is defamation?

A collective term for libel and slander used by courts, as there is little difference between the two today; making a false statement about a person (or organization) that creates public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, or inflicts injury or reputation

What are some of the terms that trigger FTC interest?

Authentic, certified, cure, custom-made, germ-free, natural, unbreakable, perfect, first-class, exclusive, and reliable; also green marketing has made terms low carb and organic high interest

What happened with the BP oil spill crisis?

BP criticized for how it managed PR problems; use of social media received strong PR industry praise; used different social media tools to strategically address different aspects of the narrative

Why might an organization fail to adopt an accommodative strategy?

Because of corporate culture a; at othernd other constraints included in the contingency theory of conflict management matrix; organizations do not and sometimes cannot engage in two-way communication and accommodative strategies when confronted with a crisis or conflict with a given public; in some cases the contingency theory contends that the ideal of mutual understanding and accommodation doesn't occur because both sides have staked out highly rigid positions and are not willing to compromise their strong moral positions; taking such an inflexible stance can be a foolish strategy and sign of lacking professionalism; at other times conflict is a natural state between competing interests

Why is health public relations one of the most polemical and highly charges specialties in PR?

Because so much is at stake; skill and understanding of how public discourse and strategic conflict management interact in a free society provide perspective for communicators striving to improve human health and wellbeing as well as address other important topics

What suggestions to communicators were included in the book?

Begin early and initiate a dialogue, actively solicit and identify concerns, recognize the public as a legitimate partner in the process, address issues of concern even if they do not directly pertain to the situation, anticipate and prepare for hostility, understand the needs of the news media, always be honest even when it hurts

What is a crisis?

A major occurrence with a potentially negative outcome affecting the organization, company, or industry, as well as its publics, products, services, or good name; an organizational crisis can constitute any number of situations

How are media advisories, fact sheets, media kits, and pitch letters used in PR campaigns?

Advisories or alerts let journalists know about an upcoming event such as a news conference or photo or interview opportunities; fact sheets provide the five Ws and H of an event in outline form; a media kit or press kit is typically a print or electronic folder containing news releases, photos, fact sheets, and features about a new product, an event, or other newsworthy project undertaken by an organization; PR personnel pitches can take the form of letters, emails, tweets, texts or even telephone calls

How would the religious group audience be described?

Books; products and services structured around religious themes sell

What is a trademark?

A word, symbol, or slogan, used singly or in combination, that identifies a product's origin; must be unique; courts determine whether a name is used as a way of capitalizing on reputation of another organization's trademark with INTENT; always capitalized and never used as nouns, always adjectives modifying nouns, i.e. Kleenex tissues; avoid becoming generic through general public use; aspirin, thermos, etc.; any company can use these names now

What are the two types of ANR?

Actuality: person w good radio voice reads entire announcement Second: announcer reads the release but quote called a sound bite is included; better bc real person Preferred length is one minute

What happens at a news conference?

Communication is two-way; person speaking for company submits to questioning by reporters after opening statement; quick, widespread dissemination of info and opinions; hear simultaneously; can be offensive measure or defensive device; press conferences; most positive in intent; two types: spontaneously occurs out of a news event and regularly scheduled conference - briefing; only significant news; don't ignore; invitation contains material

What does PR enable for-profit and nonprofit organizations to do?

Compete for limited resources (customers, volunteers, employees, donations, grants, etc.) and engage in healthy, honest conflict with those who hold different views of what is best and right for society; achieving these sorts of objectives increases the value of PR to organizations and is also how PR professionals earn the influence that leads to greater recognition, increased respect, and better-paying, more secure jobs

What are copyright laws?

Exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material and to authorize others to do the same; protects creative work from unauthorized use; includes all kinds of ideas; fair use is allowed, infringement is not; applies to print as well as Internet

What are the two major federal agencies concerned with the content of advertising and publicity materials?

FTC and SEC; purpose is to protect the consumer

What happened with the regime in Egypt?

Faced mobilized and determined physical presence motivation and organized through strategic communication; moved gradually towards accommodation; ultimately capitulating to will of the people

True or False: All organizations respond to crises the same way

False

True or False: Translating messages into Spanish is enough to ensure that the Hispanic community is reached

False

True or False: Most conflict situations have a clear-cut, idea solution

False; in many cases PR professionals will not be able to accommodate the concerns of an activist group or particular public because of many factors, including those related to the continued viability of the organization; they must make tough calls an advocate on behalf of their organizations

True or False: Most professional groups believe that the primary purpose of establishing codes of ethics is enforcement

False; it is education and information; they seek to enunciate standards of conduct that will guide members in their professional lives; it works, members of PRSA and other organizations more aware of ethics

True or False: PR firms can hide behind the defense of the client told me to do it

False; legal responsibility to practice due diligence in the type of information and documentation supplied by a client

True or False: The promotion of products and services is protected by the First Amendment

False; the courts have traditionally ruled that such activities fall under the doctrine of commercial speech; messages can be regulated by the state in the interest of public health, safety and consumer protection; states and federal government have passed legislation regulating commercial speech and restricts it if certain standards are violated

What is a fact sheet?

Often distributed as part of a media kit or with a news release to give additional background about the product, person, service or event; FAQ is a variation; usually one to two pages and serve as crib sheet for journalists; use headings providing: the organization's full name, the products or services offered, annual revenues, number of employees, names and one-paragraph bios of top executives, markets served, the company's position in the industry, and any other pertinent details

When does conflict management occur?

Often when a business or industry contends with government regulators or activist groups that seem determined to curtail operations through what the industry considers excessive safety or environmental standards; industries often organize as coalitions and trade groups to fight back; ex. American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity

What is fair use?

Part of a copyrighted article may be quoted directly, but the quoted material must be brief in relation to the length of the original work; complete attribution of the source must be given regardless of the length of the quotation; if the passage is quoted verbatim, quotation marks must be used; it has limitation if it is to be used in ads and promotional brochures; in that case permission to reuse is required; it is important for the oriinal source to approve the context;

How would the Hispanic audience be described?

Places great emphasis on family and children; spend three times more on health care and entertainment; radio is important; TV too; very active on smartphones; texting; mobile activities

How would the senior audience be described?

Population should remain stable; form an important opinion group and consumer market with special interests; seniors will lag behind in Internet use; but Facebook; lead consumers of daytime TV, magazines, books and newspapers

A member changes jobs, takes confidential information, and uses that information in the new position to the detriment of the former employer.

Safeguarding Confidences

A member intentionally leaks proprietary information to the detriment of some other party.

Safeguarding Confidences

How do radio news releases differ from those prepared for print media?

Same basic identifying info; radio all uppercase and double spaced; 30 to 60 seconds; about 125 words; conversational writing; 10 words per sentence

What is the most common and effective approach for audio news releases?

Send the radio station a recording of the news announcement

What major target audiences have emerged as the demographic makeup of the US has changed dramatically?

Seniors: men and women, 65+ or 50+ Tweens: 7-12 Teenage Baby boomers: 1946-1964 LGBT community Racial and ethnic minorities

What are satellite media tours?

Series of prebooked, one-on-one interviews from a fixed location via satellite with TV journalists or talk show hosts

What is a pitch letter?

Short letters or emails to editors that will grab their attention; accompanied by sample of product; also used to ask editors to assign a reporter to a particular event, to pursue a feature angle, or book a spokesperson; lets the editor know about the contents of the media kit in a brief form; outlines why a periodical or broadcast outlet should consider the information as a news article, photograph, or video feature; fine art that requires great skill; first research

Which social media tactics are used by PR professionals?

Social media venues provide PR professionals with the opportunity to participate in conversations, solicit feedback, and build relationships; blogs are omnipresent in terms of both their numbers and their influence; organizations are a presence on social networking sites; to successfully engage the audience in this venue, PR materials need to be low-key and creative; YouTube is the premier social networking site for posting and viewing videos; to garner attention, clips must be innovative, interesting, and somewhat humorous; texting, Twitter, and wikis are extensively used in PR work; apps have expanded the capability of smartphones to tap into information that consumers can use in their daily life; QR codes enable smartphone users to easily access a variety of websites and apps

How did the Internet cause a communications revolution?

The Internet is the first medium that allows almost anyone to send messages to a mass audience without the message being filtered by journalists and editors; prior to its advent mass media were costly to produce centralized and primarily one-way communication with limited feedback

How does the diverse nature of audiences affect PR practice?

The PR practitioner must reach a diverse and constantly changing audience; one of the most important aspects of this job is identifying the target audience so as to appropriately and effectively customize communications and PR efforts

What happened at Penn State?

There were protests regarding the firing of a coach that faced sex abuse allegations; there was no crisis communication plan and they failed to employ proactive conflict management steps

What happens when audiences coalesce around single issues?

They lose the social and political balance necessary to support a democracy

What happens when an organization catches a conflict at an early stage?

They reduce damage to the organization by employing a strategy that crisis management experts term "stealing thunder"

True or False: PR staff must be particularly sensitive to the issue of employee privacy and have a good understanding of employee rights and responsibilities; an organization does not have an unlimited right to publicize the activities of its employers in employee newsletters

True

True or False: People are so bombarded with exaggerated political promises, see so much financial chicanery, and are exposed to so much misleading or even contradictory information that many of them now distrust what they read and hear in the news

True

True or False: Registration is not a condition of copyright protection but it is a prerequisite to an infringement action against unauthorized use by others

True

True or False: Regulatory agencies such as the FTC have power under the Lanham Act to file charges against PR firms that distribute false or misleading information

True

True or False: The FTC has ruled that anyone who endorses a product must make explicit the compensation received from companies

True

True or False: The conflict management life cycle illustrates the "big picture" of how to manage a conflict

True

True or False: The lines between the phases in strategic conflict management are absolute and some techniques overlap in actual practice

True

True or False: The number and reach of minority media channels has increased

True

True or False: Trademark serves as an indicator of quality

True

True or False: When dealing with the news media, anything less than total honesty will destroy credibility and a practitioner's usefulness to an employer

True; achieving trust is the aim of all practitioners and it can only be earned through professional and ethical behavior; should not bribe media representatives; gifts of any kind can contaminate the free flow of accurate and truthful information to the public; other issue is transparency

What happens when companies are found in violation of FTC guidelines?

Usually given opportunity to sign a consent decree which the company admits no wrongdoing but agrees to change its advertising and publicity campaigns; may also be fined or ordered to engage in corrective advertising and publicity

What is a media kit?

Usually prepared for major events and new product launches; provides editors and reporters with variety of information and resources to make it easier to report about the topic; basic elements: the main news release, a news feature about the development of the product, fact sheets on the product, organization or event, background info, photos and drawings with captions, bio material on the spokesperson or chief executives, and basic contact info; also called press kits; usually digital

How are webcasts and podcasts used in effective PR?

Webcasting, the streaming of audio and video in real time over a website, is now used by the majority of organizations for everything from news conferences to employee training; podcasts are radio on steroids and are now also available in the form of videos that can be readily accessed by smartphones

What questions should be asked to find out if it's time for a news release?

What is the key message? Should be expressed in one sentence Who is the primary audience? Determines whether the release is sent to a daily community newspaper or trade magazine What does the target audience gain from the product or service? Benefits and rewards What objective does the release serve? Increase sales, enhance reputation, or increase event attendance Next step is to think like journalist and write a news story including five Ws and H

When is a press or media party desirable?

When messages want to be delivered on a more personal basis; luncheon, dinner, reception; host makes pitch at end; press packets provided; unpleasant surprises; three types of media tours; most common is a junket where editors and reporters are invited to inspect a company's manufacturing facilities, ride flight of new air route, or watch previews of TV network programs; second is familiarization trip or fam trips; travel writers and editors by tourism industry; third: organization's executives travel to key cities to talk with selected editors

What is the recovery phase in strategic conflict management?

In the aftermath of a crisis or a high-profile, heated conflict with a public, an organization employs strategies to bolster or repair a reputation: 1. Reputation management: includes conducting systematic research to learn the state of the organization's reputation and then taking steps to improve it 2. Image restoration: these strategies can help when the damage is extreme, provided the organization is willing to undergo genuine change; strategies employed to bolster or repair reputation

How can PR professionals best manage the conflict management life cycle?

Issues management is a proactive and systematic approach to predicting problems, anticipating threats, minimizing surprises, resolving issues, and preventing crises; risk communication attempts to convey information regarding concerns about public health and safety and the environment; one of an organization's most valuable assets is its reputation, which is influenced by how the organization deals with conflict, and particularly crises that generate significant media attention

How are arrangements and fees made with freelance photography?

Low price for use once; considerably higher price if widely distributed; determined for one-time use, unlimited use, or payment of royalties each time used

What is actual malice?

Making a libelous statement while knowing the information is false or publishing the information with reckless disregard as to whether it is false; New York Times v. Sullivan

What is the paramount concern of public relations professionals as discussed in Chapter 8?

Managing communication in the interests of their employers and clients to enhance their competitive position and handle conflict effectively, provided the objectives of their employers are worthy and ethical

What does the law presume about tangible materials?

Material produced in some tangible form is copyrighted from the moment is created; this presumption is often sufficient to discourage unauthorized use and the writer or creator of the material has some legal protection if he or she can prove that the material was created before another person claims it

What example in the book demonstrated that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"?

Merck, the maker of a vaccine preventing cervical cancer (Garadasil), faced backlash; Merck offered a short statement confirming that the vaccine was safe and effective

What does the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) do?

Monitors the financial affairs of publicly traded companies and protects the interests of stockholders; guidelines on public disclosure and insider trading are particularly relevant to corporate PR staff members who must meet these requirements; the distribution of misleading information or failure to make a timely disclosure of material information may be the basis of liability; a company may be liable if it conveys crucial information in a vague way or buries it deep within the news release despite satisfying regulations by getting information out

How would the female audience be described?

More jobs; political and social power; more likely to exercise influence as opinion leaders; hold overwhelming share of consumer purchasing influence (more than 80%); larger network of friends and tend to maintain more regular contact; tend to value the opinions of friends, experts and media rather than marketing messages; receive and absorb information in smaller chunks

What happens when an organization does not catch a conflict early on?

An issue may smolder for some time before turning into a major fire; ex. Occupy Wall Street

What are prepackaged publics?

Audience segments that are easily identifiable and reachable; ready-made targets

What must liability be considered in?

Employee communications and sponsored events

What market represents the fastest-growing segment of the emerging multicultural market?

Hispanic market followed by African American followed by Asian

What happens during an interview with a newspaper reporter?

Lasts about an hour; casual; person-to-person; 400-600 words; not ask permission to approve before it's published

What is the FDA?

Oversees the advertising and promotion of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication, cosmetics and food; under federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act any person who causes the misbranding of products through the dissemination of false and misleading info may be held liable under provision of the law

What are the phases of strategic conflict management?

Proactive phase Strategic phase Reactive phase Recovery phase

How can product placements be leveraged to promote products and services?

Producers are increasingly making deals with companies to feature their products on TV shows or movies

What concerns arise for PR professionals with sponsored events?

Protect from liability; detailed planning; liability insurance; release form

What does copyright mean?

Protection of a creative work from unauthorized use

What are the considerations of ethics?

Public interest, client interest, professional organization code of ethics, personal values, law

Pull vs. Push

Pull - online (interactive) Push- traditional

What is radio and video?

Radio advantages are flexibility and ability to reach specific targeted audiences; messages can be prepared for and broadcast on radio more rapidly than TV and cheaper; more radio than TV; audience exposure easier to obtain; lacks visual impact of TV; speed and mobility; Internet threat to this unique position

What is TV?

Strongest emotional impact of any type of mass media; vividness and personality creates influence that is unmatched; largest broadcast audience; visual element differentiates it

What is pure accommodation?

The organization agrees with its critics, changes its policies, makes restitution, and even makes a full public apology for its actions

True or False: A PR professional is only as good as his/her ethics

True

Do national organizations exercise the right to censure or expel members who violate the organization's code or who are convicted of a crime in a court of law?

Yes

True or False: The Internet has raised new issues about the protection of intellectual material

True; downloading and uploading material

What is controlled media?

The use of communication channels that directly reach and audience

How do various organizations respond to crises?

1. Attack the accuser: the party that claims a crisis exists is confronted and its logic and facts are faulted; sometimes the organization threatens a lawsuit 2. Denial: the organization explains that there is no crisis 3. Excuse: the organization minimizes the responsibility for the crisis by denying any intention to do harm and saying that it had not control over the events that led to the crisis; this strategy is often used when a natural disaster or product tampering occurs 4. Justification: the crisis is minimized with a statement that no serious damage or injuries resulted; sometimes, the blame is shifted to the victims; this is often done when a consumer misuses a product or when an industrial accident occurs 5. Ingratiation: the organization acts to appease the public involved; consumers who complain are given coupons or the organization makes donations to a charitable organization 6. Corrective Action: the organization takes steps to repair the damage from the crisis and to prevent it from happening again 7. Full Apology: the organization takes responsibility and asks for forgiveness; some compensation of money or aid is often included Organizations do have to consider more accommodative strategies (ingratiation, corrective action, full apology) if defensive strategies (attack accuser, denial, excuse) are not effective; the more accommodative strategies meet immediate crisis communication demands and can hep to subsequently repair an organization's reputation or restore previous sales levels

What are the PRSAs code provisions of conduct?

1. Free flow of information: maintaining it; Protecting and advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful information is essential to serving the public interest and contributing to informed decision making in a democratic society. 2. Competition: being honest when critiquing competitors; Promoting healthy and fair competition among professionals preserves an ethical climate while fostering a robust business environment. 3. Disclosure of information: to key publics asap; Open communication fosters informed decision making in a democratic society. 4. Safeguarding confidences: maintaining client confidences; Client trust requires appropriate protection of confidential and private information. 5. Conflicts of interest: acknowledging and avoiding potential ones;Avoiding real, potential or perceived conflicts of interest builds the trust of clients, employers, and the publics. 6. Enhancing the profession: by providing trustworthy information; Public relations professionals work constantly to strengthen the public's trust in the profession.

What three concepts of the SECs regulations are most pertinent to PR personnel?

1. Full information must be given on anything that might materially affect the company's stock 2. Timely disclosure is essential 3. Insider trading is illegal

What are the four systematic processes that correspond to the four phases of the conflict management life cycle?

1. Issues management - proactive phase 2. Strategic positioning and risk communication - strategic phase 3. Crisis communication - reactive phase 4. Reputation management - recovery phase

What are six keys to winning in the court of law and in the court of public opinion?

1. Make carefully planned public comments in the earliest stages of a crisis or legal issue 2. Understand the perspective of lawyers and allow them to review statements when an organization is facing or involved in litigation 3. Guard against providing information to the opposing side in a legal case 4. Counsel and coach the legal team 5. Build support from interested parties, such as industry associations or chambers of commerce 6. Develop a litigation communication team before you need it

What are the four approaches for getting your organization's news and viewpoints on local television?

1. Send the same news release that the local print and online media receive 2. Send a media advisory/alert informing the assignment editor about a particular event or occasion that would lend itself video coverage 3. Phone, text or email the editor and make a pitch to have the station do a story, emphasizing visual element 4. Produce a VNR that's formatted for immediate use and requires a minimum effort on the part of the station personnel

What four things must be proved by a person filing a libel suit?

1. The false statement was communicated to others through print, broadcast, or other electronic means 2. The person claiming to be libeled was identified or identifiable 3. There was actual injury in the form of money losses, loss of reputation, or mental suffering 4. The person making the statement was malicious or negligent

What are the three reasons that corporations, to some degree, are considered public figures by the courts?

1. They engage in advertising and promotion offering products and services to the public 2. They are often involved in matters of public controversy and public policy 3. They have some degree of access to the media through regular advertising and news releases that enables them to respond and rebut defamatory charges made against them; Not to say corporations cannot win lawsuits, ex. GM v. NBC

What are six ways to say no and keep your job?

1. Use and cite the PRSA code of ethics as a framework for responding to unethical requests 2. Point to your organization's own stated values 3. Let your boss know what the headlines might say if the unethical behavior is discovered 4. Use the point of view of the affected public to make a rational or emotional appeal 5. Get others in your organization to join you in saying no 6. Note cases in which other organizations behaved similarly and highlight any negative outcomes

Knowledge of copyright law is important from which two perspectives?

1. Which organizational materials should be copyrighted 2. How the copyrighted materials of others may be used correctly

What do some think traditional ethics prohibits?

A person from assuming an advocacy role because in that role a person is biased and trying to manipulate people; society expects PR people to be advocates; PR practitioners are justified in disseminating persuasive information so long as objective and reasonable persons would view those efforts as truthful; some argue that pure advocacy is unethical; suggest the most ethical way to practice PR is to consider accommodating both the needs of the organization and their publics

What is Reg FD?

A regulation related to fair disclosure issued by the SEC; expanded on material disclosure of information that could affect the price of stock by requiring publicly traded companies to broadly disseminate material information via a news release, webcast, or SEC filing; intended to ensure that all investors receive financial information from a company at the same time

What is the threat appraisal model?

Approach that determines how to react in a conflict; PR practitioner monitors the external communication environments, such as news, social media, and the blogosphere, assesses them, arrives at a stance for the organization and begins communication efforts from that stance; they face a complex set of forces to monitor and consider; a threat to an organization requires an assessment of the demands that the threat makes on the organization as well as an assessment of the resources available to address the threat; once a threat is identified the PR professional must consider a variety of factors: are the knowledge, time, finances, and management commitment available to combat the threat? what is the best method to assess the severity of the danger? is it a situation with the potential for a long duration, or is it a relatively simple matter that can be resolved fairly quickly?; after carefully assessing the threat, professionals sometimes decide to ignore the issue and save themselves and their clients the time, energy, and trouble; letting an issue or group die on the vine may appear to be accommodative or humane but it is often considered an affront, even an insult; it should be done only after ethical deliberation; monitor for threats -> assess threats -> determine desirable stance for the organization -> begin communication efforts from that stance (situational demands, resources)

What is the contingency theory?

Approach that determines how to react in a conflict; two fundamental principles underlie the definition of PR as strategic management of competition and conflict; first is that many factors determine the stance or position of an organization when it comes to dealing with conflict and perceived threats; the second principle is that the public relations stance for dealing with a particular audience or public must be dynamic; the stance must change as events unfold; there is a continuum of stances ranging from pure advocacy to pure accommodation; these two principles form the basis of the theory; the PR approach that is used is contingent on many factors that must be taken into account; expertise and experience of professional play role in formulating the proper strategy for dealing with a conflict/issue; organizational-level variables are also important; the values and attitudes of top management clearly have a great influence on how an organization responds to conflict and threats; depending on circumstances, factors such as the attitudes of top management and the judgment of professionals may move the organization either toward or away from accommodation of a public; the range of response forms a continuum from pure advocacy to pure accommodation; many factors determine stance; the stance is dynamic

Does PR reduce or escalate conflict?

Can involve reducing conflict, as is frequently the case in crisis management; other times conflict is escalated for activist purposes; some strategies are less dramatic

What occurred between the Susan P. Komen Cancer Foundation and Planned Parenthood?

Competition and conflict; both provide health services to women and compete with each other for donations from many of the same sources; competition rose to conflict when Komen announced in January 2012 that it would no longer provide cancer screenings to poor women; rationale was that the foundation decided not to fund organizations under investigation by Congress; but, only one conservative Republication legislator called for investigation because of abortion counseling; criticized by women; online community and mainstream media made it seem like major conflict; Komen rescinded decision and had to rebuild credibility and reputation

Why is there a trend toward increased monitoring of employee email by employers?

Concerned about being held liable for racial slur, sexual harassment, explicit jokes implying a hostile environment; FOIA allows public to see emails of government employees; other important aspects of employee free speech are whistle-blowing and protection of an organization's trade secrets; whistleblowing allowed if organization is guilty of illegal activity

What is deja vu all over again?

Conflict management is like deja vu all over again; after a crisis, the best organizations will strive to improve performance by starting once again at the beginning of the conflict management life cycle; issues that are deemed important receive attention for crisis planning and risk communication; when preventative measure fail the crisis must be handled with the best interests of all parties considered in a delicate balance; at all times the goal is to change organizational behavior in ways that minimize damaging conflict for the sake of the organization and its stakeholders

The member fails to disclose that he or she has a strong financial interest in a client's chief competitor.

Conflicts of Interest

The member represents a "competitor company" or a "conflicting interest" without informing a prospective client.

Conflicts of Interest

What should be found in an online newsroom?

Contact info Corporate background News releases and media kits Multimedia gallery Search capability

What types of blogs are PR writers involved in?

Corporate/organizational, employee, and third-party

A member deceives the public by employing people to pose as volunteers to speak at public hearings and participate in "grass roots" campaigns.

Disclosure of Information

Lying by omission: A practitioner for a corporation knowingly fails to release financial information, giving a misleading impression of the corporation's performance.

Disclosure of Information

What is the most significant aspect of the mass audience or general public in the United States?

Diversity

A PRSA member declares publicly that a product the client sells is safe, without disclosing evidence to the contrary.

Enhancing the Profession

A member initially assigns some questionable client work to a non-member practitioner to avoid the ethical obligation of PRSA membership.

Enhancing the Profession

What happened in Community for Creative Non-Violence v. Reid?

Established rights of freelance writers; 1989; Supreme Court ruled that writers retained ownership of their work and purchasers of it simply gained a license to reproduce the copyrighted work; ownership is subject to negotiation and contractual agreement; writers may agree to assign all copyright rights to the work they have been hired to do or may give permission for one time use; all agreements with freelance writers must be documented in writing and use clearly stated

Why is ethics a relevant issue for PR practitioners?

Ethics refers to a person's value system and the means by which he or she determines right and wrong; when a person is an advocate for a particular organization or cause, the individual must always behave in an ethical manner; groups such as PRSA, IABC, and IPRA play an important role in setting the standards and ethical behavior of the public relations profession; most PR organizations have published codes of conduct and educational programs

What guidelines for video, audio and print news releases on healthcare topics were established by the FDA?

First, the release must provide fair balance by telling consumers about both the risks and benefits of the drug or treatment; Second, the writer must be clear about the limitation of a particular drug or treatment; Third, a news release or media kit should be accompanied by supplementary product sheets or brochures that vie full prescribing information

What is the inverted pyramid?

Forms the lead paragraph of a news release; summarizes the most important part of the story; succeeding paragraphs give tails in descending order of importance

A member entertains a government official beyond legal limits and/or in violation of government reporting requirements.

Free Flow of Information

A member representing a ski manufacturer gives a pair of expensive racing skis to a sports magazine columnist, to influence the columnist to write favorable articles about the products

Free Flow of Information

What did the 1990 U.S. Federal District Court Case regarding photography determine?

Freelance and commercial photographers retain ownership of their work; own photo but cannot make copies; has to be transferred explicitly in writing; PP of A sued firm for ignoring copyright notices on additional copies

How would the youth audience be described?

Generation Y (1981-2003); millennials; succeed Gen X (1965-1980) who are independent, tech savvy and resourceful; the E-Generation; spend about quarter of lifetime online; increasing buying power and are establishing attitudes toward brands and causes; influence parents' buying decisions, have pp of their own, and mature into adult consumers; today's children have greater autonomy and decision=making power within the family; kid-fluence: persistence and importance; 15-24 year olds have $500 billion of pp; boomerang children return after leaving home increase

Why is finding a trademark so difficult?

Hard to find one not already in use; competing organizations claim similar slogans or trademarks; lawsuits claim trademark infringement: Entrepreneur magazine v. EntrepreneurPR

What are some of the telltale signs of trademark infringement?

Has the defendant used a name as a way of capitalizing on the reputation of another organization's trademark- and does the defendant benefit from the original organization's investment in popularizing its trademark? Is there intent to create confusion in the public mind? Is there intent to imply a connection between the defendant's product and the item identified by trademark? How similar are the two organizations? Are they providing the same kinds of products or services? Has the original organization actively protected the trademark by publicizing it and by actually continuing to to use it in connection with its products or services? Is the trademark unique? Cannot simply describe product

What is the proactive phase in strategic conflict management?

Includes activities and thought processes that can prevent a conflict from arising or from getting out of hand (issues tracking and issues management interchangeable): 1. Environmental scanning: the constant reading, listening and watching of current affairs with an eye toward the organization's interests 2. Issues tracking: becomes more focused and systematic through processes such as blog monitoring and daily news story scanning 3. Issues management: occurs when the organization makes behavioral changes or creates strategic plans to address emerging issues 4. Crisis plan: well-run organizations develop them as a first step in preparing for the worst - an issue or an event that escalates to crisis proportions; preventative

True or False: Often times, ethical and legal dilemmas go hand-in-hand

True

What is the IABCs code of ethics?

It is based on the principle that professional communication should be not only legal and ethical but also in good taste and sensitive to cultural values and beliefs; members are encouraged to be truthful, accurate, and fair in all of their communications; published in several languages and published in monthly publication; sessions on ethics at annual meeting, conducts workshops on ethics, and encourages discussion of ethics in local programs; critics complain that such codes have no teeth bc really no punishment even if expelled can still work in the PR field

True or False: One in seven new marriages is interracial or interethnic

True

What is the distinction between competition and conflict?

Most PR activities and programs deal with competition between organizations for sales and customers; conflict usually involves confrontations between organizations and various stakeholders or publics; matter of degree and focus; in competition everyone's eyes are on the prize; with conflict all eyes are on the opposition; striving for mutual benefit is important and involves balancing interests of employer/client with number of stakeholders; powerful third public is the stock investor who provides essential capital to corporations; PR professionals must first look to the needs of the organization, then manage the conflict; competition = fighting for resources; conflict = an issue between groups

How would the Asian/Pacific Islander audience be described?

Most active PC and Internet users; least amount o fTV; stream most online video

Which characteristics of the Internet make it a powerful PR tool?

New media have unique characteristics, including easy updating of material, instant distribution of information, an infinite amount of space for information, and ready interaction with the audience

Which PR tactics are best for reaching TV and radio audiences?

News conferences should be held only when there is news that requires elaboration and clarification; radio news releases, unlike releases for print media, must be written for the ear; a popular format is the audio news release (ANR) that includes an announcer and a quote (sound bite) from a spokesperson; both radio and TV stations accept PR announcements (PSAs) from nonprofit organizations that wish to inform and educate the public about health issues or upcoming civic events; radio media tours (RMTs) and TV satellite media tours (SMTs) involve an organization's spokesperson being interviewed from a central location by journalists across the country; the video news release (VNR) is produced in a format that TV stations can easily use or edit based on their needs; VNRs are relatively expensive to produce but have great potential for reaching large audiences

What is the formal step of copyrighting?

Official registration of the copyrighted work within three months after its creation; providing more legal protection; consists of depositing two copies of the manuscript, recording, or artwork with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress

What is search engine optimization (SEO)?

News releases only effective if writer uses these techniques carefully; the process of selecting keywords for the news release that make content easily retrievable if a journalist or consumer conducts a search; use one or two keywords within first 65-70 characters of headline and in first two paragraphs because read from top to bottom; Google Adwords; Google External Keyboard; Google Trends; SEO plays major role in social media release (SMR) which make it possible to embed a news release with photos/graphics, video, and audio components

What was suggested about statements of opinion versus statements of fact?

News releases should be written to identify the two: 1. Opinion statements be accompanied by the facts on which the opinion are based 2. Statements of opinion be clearly labeled as such 3. The context of the language surrounding the expression of opinion be reviewed for possible legal implication

What are some tactics used by PR professionals?

News releases: press release, most commonly used, primary purpose is the dissemination of info from PR sources to mass media such as newspapers, broadcast stations and magazines, great deal of info in newspapers originates from news releases Public service announcements Media conferences Special events News conferences Radio news releases PSAs RMTs SMTs VNR

What are media advisories/alerts?

Notes sent by PR staff by reporters and editors about a news conference or upcoming event; can let the media know about an interview opportunity with a visiting expert or alert them that a local person will be featured on TV; may be sent alone or with accompanying news release; most common formate is short, bulleted lists; typical one-page advisory has: a one-line headline, brief paragraph outlining the story idea, answers to some of the five Ws and H, and a short paragraph telling the reporter whom to contact for more information or to make arrangements

How has the Internet impacted mass media?

Now: widespread broadband, cheap or free, new channels, mobile devices and tablets, new ad paradigms

What is conflict?

Occurs when two groups direct their efforts against each other, devising communication and actions that attack; arises when labor unions pressure Walmart to unionize or when an environmental group lobbies Home Depot to stop selling lumber from endangered hardwood forests; also occurs when government regulators revoke million-dollar salaries and bonuses paid to executives at companies receiving taxpayer bailout funds

What is competition?

Occurs when two or more groups or organizations vie for the same resources; it is inevitable and omnipresent; in business these resources may consist of sales, market share, contracts, employees, and ultimately profits; in the nonprofit sector, the competition may be for donations, grants, clients, volunteers, and even political influence

What is the reactive phase in strategic conflict management?

Once the issue or imminent conflict reaches a critical level of impact on the organization, the PR professional must react to events as they unfold in the external communication environment:(2 and 3 interchangeable) 1. Crisis communication: includes the implementation of the crisis management plan as well as 24/7 efforts to meet the needs of publics such as disaster victims, employees, government officials, and the media 2. Conflict resolution (techniques): used to bring a heated conflict - such as collapsed salary negotiations - to a favorable resolution when conflict has emerged but is not careening out of control; often the most intractable conflicts end up in the courts 3. Litigation PR: employs communication strategies and publicity efforts in support of legal actions or trials; must react when conflict reaches a critical level of impact

What role do competition and conflict play in PR?

PR can be defined as strategic management of competition and conflict; some of the most crucial roles played by PR professionals involve the strategic management of conflict

What is online and social media?

PR practitioners can deliver specially tailored information, establish contacts, exchange ideas; altered intellectual and entertainment landscape; Internet offers unusual opportunities to deliver messages to audiences in the exact form that PR practitioners receive them; websites; online discussions; directly reach targets without having to pass through any media gatekeepers; communication with Generations X and Y

How can PR professionals facilitate good working relationships with lawyers?

PR practitioners should be aware of legal concepts and regulatory guidelines and receive briefings from the legal staff on impending developments

Why is it important to match media type to audience?

PR practitioners should consider the appropriate media or medium for each public relations campaign so as to speak effectively to target audiences

How is ethics viewed with the contingency theory?

PR practitioners sometimes face a categorical imperative or moral obligation to advocate purely for the organization's position; to accommodate the demands of the public would be unethical when a categorical moral imperative to advocate for your organization or client drives your professional decisions

What is strategic conflict management?

PR professionals' deliberate influence on the course of conflicts to the benefit of their organizations, and when possible, to the benefit of the organizations' many constituents by developing communication strategies and processes

What happens in radio media tours?

PR tactic for radio; spokesperson conducts series of one-on-one interviews from a central location with radio announcers across the country or region; low cost and convenience

What is image restoration?

Part of recovery phase; image restoration strategy that an organization chooses depends on the situation or the it depends concept; if an organization is truly innocent, a simple denial is a good strategy but not black and white so a more common strategy is acknowledging the issue but making it clear that the situation was an accident or result of a decision with unintentional consequences (evading responsibility strategy); another strategy relies on reducing offensiveness; most accommodative is a profuse apology; chosen strategy or combination of strategies may not restore reputation; many cases start defensive only to end up needing corrective action or apology

What is the Copyright Term Extension Act?

Passed in 1998 it reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court (Eldred v. Ashcroft) in 2003, protects original material for the life of the creator plus 70 years for individual works and 95 years from publication for copyrights held by corporations

What are the PRSAs code of ethics?

Purpose is to inform, not enforce; the group believes that professional values are vital to the integrity of the profession as a whole and has six core values: 1. Advocacy: serving the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for clients or employers 2. Honesty: adhering to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interest of clients and employers 3. Expertise: advancing the profession through continued professional development, research and education 4. Independence: providing objective counsel and being accountable for individual actions 5. Loyalty: being faithful to clients and employers, but also honoring an obligation to serve the public interest 6. Fairness: respecting all opinions and supporting the right of free expression

How would the African American audience be described?

Specialized magazines and websites; associated with urban market; moving out of urban areas; fashion trends set by hip-hop music stars; heaviest TV consumers; voice minutes more than others

What are the phases of the conflict management life cycle?

Strategic conflict management is broadly divided into four phases; specific techniques and functions are part of each phase: the proactive phase, the strategic phase, the reactive phase, and the recovery phase

What is issues management?

Systematic process that corresponds to the proactive phase of the conflict management life cycle; identifying and dealing with issues in a timely manner; a systematic approach to predicting problems, anticipating threats, minimizing surprises, resolving issues, and preventing crises; proactive planning; proactive in that it tries to identify issues and influence decisions regarding them before they have a detrimental effect on a corporation; active planning and prevention often mean the difference between a noncrisis and a crisis, the difference between little or no news coverage and a front-page headline; studies have shown that the majority of organizational crises are self-inflicted, in that management ignored early warning signs; with appropriate handling issues and situations can be managed or even forestalled by PR professionals before they become crises or lead to significant losses for the organizations

What is crisis communication?

Systematic process that corresponds to the reactive phase of the conflict management life cycle; takes over when high-profile events dwarf the effectiveness of even the best strategic positioning and risk management strategies; the conflict management process includes ongoing issues management and risk communication efforts and is severely tested during crisis situations when a high degree of uncertainty exists; even the most thoughtfully designed conflict management process cannot prepare an organization to deal with certain crises and sometimes even when risk communication is employed to prevent an issue from evolving into a major problem that issue will grow into a crises; at such times verifiable information about what is happening or has happened may be lacking; uncertainty causes people to become more active seekers of information and more dependent on the media for information to satisfy the human desire for closure; a crisis situation puts a great deal of pressure on organizations to respond with complete and accurate information as quickly as possible

What is reputation management?

Systematic process that corresponds to the recovery phase of the conflict management life cycle; reputation is the collective representation of an organization's past performance that describes the firm's ability to deliver valued outcomes to multiple stakeholders; the track record of an organization in the public's mind; the three foundations of reputations: economic performance, social responsiveness, and the ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders; PR plays a role in all three but professionals who manage conflict effectively will especially enhance the latter two; the social responsiveness of an organization results from careful issues tracking and effective positioning of the organization; the ability to make valuable contributions to stakeholders who depend on the organization results in part from the organization's ability to fend off threats that might impair its mission; PR professionals must apologize at those times when all efforts to manage conflict have fallen short; the future trust and credibility of the organization are at stake, based on how well this recovery phase of conflict management is handled; the frequent platitude in post-crisis communication is that practitioners should acknowledge failings, apologize, and then put the evens in the past as quickly as possible; apology is not always effective because of the hypocrisy factor; questionable track records cause apologies to be viewed as insincere and hypocritical; relational approach suggested which assumes that crises are episodes within a larger stakeholder-organizational relationship; determining how stakeholders perceive the situation can help communicators determine which strategy is best to rebuild the stakeholder-organization relationship and restore the organization's reputation; reputation, unlike corporate image, is owned by the public

What is strategic positioning and risk communication?

Systematic process that corresponds to the strategic phase of the conflict management life cycle; strategic positioning is any verbal or written exchange that attempts to communicate information to position the organization favorably regarding competition or an anticipated conflict; ideally the PR professional communicates in a way that not only positions the organization favorably in the face of competition and imminent conflict, but also favorably influences the actual behavior of the organization; often PR professionals can communicate in ways that reduce risks for affected publics and for their employers; communication about risks to public health and safety and the environment is a particularly important role for PR professionals in the strategic phase; organizations are increasingly engaging in risk communication to inform the public of risks such as those associated with food products, chemical spills, radioactive waste disposal, or the placement of drug abuse treatment centers or halfway houses in neighborhoods; these issues deserve public notice in fairness to the general populace; expensive lawsuits, restrictive legislation, consumer boycotts, and public debate may result if organizations fail to disclose potential hazards; as is often the case, doing the right thing in conflict management often proves the least disruptive tactic int he long run; when risk communication fails, however, an organization may face a true crisis

What are some general characteristics of the baby boomer audience?

Tend to define themselves according to their profession; Well educated and take pride in accomplishment; Question authority and are likely to take a strong position on social issues; Competitive, particularly when it comes to their careers; Great appreciation for leisure time, which they believe is well earned; May retire later than their parents due to improved healthy and financial uncertainty

How would the LGBT audience be described?

Tend to support companies and brands that reflect and support their views; high brand loyalty, purchasing products that target advertisements to gay consumers and support gay issues; may be offended by conventional or normative principles that conflict with their values and lifestyles; ensure messages are nonstereotypical; connect event or news announcement with festive occasions; authentic family images

What do PR professionals need to know about defamation, employee and privacy rights, copyright, and trademark laws?

The concept of defamation involves a false and malicious (or at least negligent) communication with an identifiable subject who is injured either financially or by loss of reputation or mental suffering; it is important to get written permission to publish photos or use employees in advertising materials, and to be cautious in releasing personal information about employees to the media; employees are limited in expressing opinions within the corporate environment; copyright is the protection of creative work from unauthorized use; it is assumed that published works are copyrighted, and permission must be obtained to reprint such material; new copyright issues have been raised by the popularity of the Internet and the ease of downloading, uploading, and disseminating images and information; a trademark is a word, symbol, or slogan that identifies a product's origin; it can be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; companies vigorously protect trademarks to prevent them from becoming common nouns

What is print media?

The most effective choice for delivering a message that requires absorption of details and contemplation by receivers; can be read repeatedly and kept for reference; newspapers disseminate information quickly but face competition from online; magazines disseminate information slower, better for reaching special-interest audiences; books take even longer but can generate strong impact over time; more popular among older and highly educated audiences; newspapers aimed at audience of varying educational and economic levels and designed for family reading; include something for everyone; effectively handle complex or in-depth material; younger favor online; magazines deal with subjects in greater depth so allot more time; subscriptions down; online subscriptions; books not recognized as PR tools but can be; has stature in mind of readers; e-books

What is the role of news releases in public relations?

The news release is the most commonly used PR tactic; these releases are key sources for a large percentage of newspaper and online articles; news releases must be accurate, informative, and written in journalistic style

What factors affect the stance that an organization takes during conflict management?

The outstanding practitioner monitors for threats, assesses those threats, arrives at a desirable stance for the organization, and then begins communication efforts from that stance; external and internal variables -> stance -> strategy

How can information about the general characteristics of key demographic groups inform effective PR efforts?

The senior group has grown in number as life span has increased; young people represent another growing audience with a changing face; their values, lifestyle, interests, and consumption patterns are conspicuously different from those of other demographic groups; in the U.S. baby boomers are an economically advantaged group with great purchasing power; women have significant purchasing power and exercise great influence as opinion leaders in general; LGBT community is a demographic and lifestyle group the travels, consumes luxury goods, and tends to support companies that are sympathetic to gay and lesbian issues; religious groups such as Catholic and evangelical religious groups are growing in market and political power; the ethnic-minority population is increasing at about five times the rate of the general population in the US, though such groups comprise many different target audiences; when addressing these publics, the PR practitioner must be sensitive to the special issues, concerns, or interests of specific national and ethnic audiences

What happened with copyright protection in 1991?

The shield of copyright protection was weakened when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that directories, computer databases, and other compilations of facts may be copied and republished unless they display some minimum degree of creativity; raw facts may be copied at will

How was public relations defined in Chapter 8 in terms of management?

The strategic management of conflict and competition in the best interests of the organization and, when possible, also in the interests of key publics; this definition is more assertive than definitions that emphasize building mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its various stakeholders; building relationships is a key objective, but it is only part of the larger role that public relations plays in ensuring an organization's success

What does the stance that an organization takes towards each stakeholder involved in a conflict determine?

The strategy employed - what is done and why; stance-driven approach to PR began with discovery that virtually all practitioners share an unstated, informal approach to managing conflict and competition: "it depends"; stance taken depends on many factors and changes in response to changing circumstances

What are some general characteristics of the youth audience?

They will spend as much time interacting with friends online as in person; Initial interaction online will precede most dating and marriages; They will spend 10 times more time online than in interaction with parents; They will be more reserved in social skills; They will be savvy and skeptical about online identities; They will not tolerate print forms, slow application processes, and archaic systems; Parents still rule when it comes to advice about careers and some lifestyle choices and have a strong influence on product decisions; Trust in information is derived from relationships; The top five sources of advice are parents, doctors, clergy, friends, and teachers; As avid and skilled Internet users, Gen Y is savvy about unfiltered and unpoliced content; Teens recognize the credibility of editorial content compared to ads and even public service announcements, with TV being the most trusted medium for them; Publicity for products and issues will influence members of Gen Y, whether those messages are directed at them or at those whom they look for advice

What are the approaches that determine how to react in a conflict?

Threat appraisal model and contingency theory

Whta is libel?

Traditionally, a printed falsehood

What is slander?

Traditionally, an oral statement that is false

True or False: Adherence to professional standards of conduct is the chief measure of a PR professional

True

True or False: Corporations are increasingly filing defamation suits against bloggers and individuals who tweet about their businesses

True

True or False: Ethics in PR begins with the individual

True

True or False: FTC guidelines state that businesses and reviewers may be held liable for any false statements about a product

True

True or False: Good intentions go further with smart PR

True

True or False: How an organization respond int he first 24 hours often determines whether the situation remains an incident or becomes a full-blown crisis

True

True or False: In today's business environment, with its high potential for litigation, it is essential for PR professionals and lawyers to have cooperative relationships

True

True or False: Libel suits can be filed against organizational officials who make libelous accusations during a media interview, send out news releases that make false statements or injure someone's reputation

True

True or False: Making unflattering comments about competition's products can end in a lawsuit

True

True or False: Many people now have a visual orientation and like to consume content by looking at it, but they also have shorter attention spans

True

True or False: Most national organizations place heavy emphasis on educating their members on professional standards rather than having a highly structured grievance process in place

True

True or False: The FTC has jurisdiction to determine if advertisements are deceptive or misleading

True; also jurisdiction over product news releases and other forms of product publicity; advertisements and product publicity materials are vehicles of commercial trade and subject to regulation; Section 43a of Lanham Act makes it clear that anyone may be subject to liability claims if that person participates in the making or dissemination of a false or misleading representation in any advertising or promotional material; it applies to ad and PR firms who can be held liable for writing, producing, and distributing product publicity materials on behalf of their clients; ex. Campbell's; also consider context; film quotes; actors man in the street

True or False: A copyright does not protect ideas, only the specific ways in which those ideas are expressed

True; an idea for promoting a product cannot be copyrighted but brochures, drawings, news features, etc. that express a particular idea can be

True or False: An organization must have a signed release on file if it wants to use photographs or comments of its employees and other individuals in product publicity, sales brochures and advertising; good to give financial compensation

True; it is misappropriation of personality

True or False: A form of trademark infringement also can result fro the unauthorized use of well-known public figures (dead or alive) in an organization's publicity and advertising materials

True; misappropriation of personality if permission and licensing fees not negotiated; right of publicity doctrine gives celebrities ability to cash in on their fame; akin to a trademark or copyright; often times commercial asset that can be inherited

True or False: Moral conflicts pose special challenges in PR

True; organizations clash with opposition due to moral conflict and then aim at impugning the ethics of the opponent by saying "We are just trying to tell the truth, but they are lying and twisting facts"; both sides use same tactics and full range of persuasive PR strategies; fail to understand other side

True or False: Professional organizations such as the PRSA and the IABC have standards for ethical, professional PR practice and have worked to help society understand the role of PR

True; professional organizations can play a key and powerful role in advancing ethical practice

True or False: Computer manipulation of original artwork can violate copyright provisions

True; slight changes can as well if intent is to capitalize

True or False: Ethnic groups are growing five times faster than the general population

True; some places there is an ethnic majority - California, Texas, New York, etc.

What is a PSA?

Unpaid announcement that promotes the programs of government or voluntary agencies or that serves the public interest; flexibility with radio

What are some general characteristics of the senior audience?

With the perspective of long experience, seniors often are less easily convinced than young adults, demand value in the things they buy, and pay little attention to fads; They vote in greater numbers than their juniors and are more intense readers of newspapers and magazines; Retirees watch TV more frequently than younger persons; Seniors represent an excellent source of volunteers for social, health, and cultural organizations because they have time and often are looking for something to do; They are extremely health conscious out of self-interest, and want to know about medical developments; Savings have eroded in recent years, many unemployed, median net worth has declined