Public Relations Final Exam

Which of these concepts (stemming from SEC regulations) is not pertinent to public relations personnel?

Full disclosure to government officials regarding meetings with ad agency reps.

Johnson & Johnson employed which overall strategy in the Tylenol crisis:

forgiveness and sympathy

• What makes a good ANR or VNR?

good ANR - more concise and to the point; strong, short sentences written for the ear; more conversational style of speech --> timeliness, localization, humanization, visual appeal good VNR -give television directors max flexibility in editing the material, produce the video package with news footage in mind, keep soundbites short and to the point; never superimpose your own written information on the actual videotape, never use a stand-up reporter, provide television stations with a local angle; good graphics, including animation, are a plus

Which is considered in the public domain and cannot be copyrighted?

government documents

What currently plays a crucial role in election fund-raising:

internet

Photo releases, employee newsletters, and media inquiries about employees are all especially important areas to consider with regard to

invasion of privacy

The highest paying field in public relations is_________

investor relations

Cultivation of key opinion leaders before a new product is publicly announced is important because

journalists often ask and rely on them for knowledgeable statements

• What makes good news stories?

media express great interest in trends and health issues; public concern or a trending topic

What is important in preparing a media interview?

media interview - generated by reporters calling an organization's spokesperson or working through the public relations department to arrange an interview with an executive or expert prepping - - person being questioned should say something that will inform or entertain the audience - develop a theme in the conversation - public relations person should obtain from the reporter an understanding of the interview's purpose - practitioner can aid the client by providing tips about the interviewer's style - especially important to be acquainted with the interviewer's style, where he is from and have direct answers for them; provide credibility and provide more accurate quotes and soundbites

Define persuasion and explain the purpose of persuasion

persuasion - more of a one-way flow of info, argument and influence; used to change or neutralize hostile opinions, crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes and conserve favorable opinions

• What public relations professionals do at the federal, state, and local levels

pg 341 Federal: - US government is the world's premier collector of information and one of the world's greatest disseminators of information a. spend several hundred million dollars a year on public service, advertising, primarily to promote military recruitment - White House a. president gets more media coverage than anyone else b. all presidents have taken advantage of the intense media interest to implement public relations strategies to improve their popularity, generate support for programs and explain embarrassing policy decisions c. presidents must be a chameleon -- likability factor - congress a. hor and senate are major disseminators of information b. regularly release news releases, newsletters, recordings, brochures, taped radio interviews, emails, electronic newsletters and videos, all designed to inform voters back home about congress as well as to keep the congressperson in the minds of voters - federal agencies a. public affairs officers and public info specialists engage in tasks common to the public relations department of corporations b. Department of Defense employs one of the largest public affairs operations in the federal government pg. 342 state governments: - states compete to develop campaigns to encourage tourism, to attract new residents, and to advance the interest of the state - may be tasked with encouraging business and economic development or raising public awareness about policy issues; work may be subcontracted to private public relations firms or conducted in collaboration with industry local governments: - cities employ info specialists to disseminate news and information from numerous municipal departments, which include the airport, transit district, redevelopment office, parks and recreation, convention and visitors bureau, police and fire, city council and the mayor's office - objectives: inform citizens about, and to help them take full advantage of, government services; city council holds neighborhood meetings, airport commission sets up an exhibit showing the growth needs of the airport

• Understand college, university, and school public relations

pg. 379 educational institutions include programs that provide child care, instruction for primary and secondary students, colleges, universities, trade schools and schools for special needs students; most have nonprofit status bc they do not have shareholders who receive proceeds or profits from their operation; public information officer for a local school district must constantly deal with parents, the school board and other community and governmental organizations

elements of issues management approach

predict probs, prevent crises, anticipate threats

Most business crises are

preventable

media uses and gratifications theory

the communication process is interactive; communicator wants to inform and even persuade; the recipient wants to be entertained, informed or alerted to opportunities that can fulfill individual needs; assumes people make highly intelligent choices about which messages require their attention and fulfill their needs

framing theory

the goal is to change the way people make their decisions rather than simply trying to change their choice

Definition of communication.

the implementation of a decision, the process and the means by which objectives are achieved

social learning theory/ social construction of reality theory

the simpler the piece of writing, the easier it will be for audiences to understand

Objectives of communication

to inform, persuade, motivate, or achieve mutual understanding; must have a basic knowledge of what constitutes communication and how people receive messages, how people process info ad change their perceptions and what kinds of media and communication tools are most appropriate for a particular message

• What is a familiarization trip (FAM trip)?

travel writers and/or travel salespeople are invited to a resort, theme park, or other destination for an inspection visit; in the past they were often loosely structured mass media junkets

"Marcom" is industry jargon for marketing communications.

true

A mail survey is less expensive than conducting personal interviews.

true

Changing attitudes would be considered an Objective of Communication.

true

Environmental scanning is in the first phase of strategic conflict management.

true

In terms of customer relations, customer service, in many ways, is the front line of public relations.

true

Secondary research refers to data or information that originally comes from another source.

true

Trade show booths would be an example of a method to reach active information-seekers.

true

When the media provides the public subjects to think about, this is known as

agenda setting

• How Fortune companies use CSR (recent trend)?

- 42% of a company's reputation derives from perceived corporate citizenship, sound governance and quality as a workplace - corporations added a Chief Rep Officer position - 74% of CROs said they were not ready for the "reputation economy" - responsible business practices ward off increased government regulation - companies with good policies and good rep tend to have less employee turnover from coursehero: - Over 3,000 companies published CSR reports - In 2003, 1 in 10 Fortune 500 firms had board committee dedicated to environmental issues and in 2008, 1 in 4 - Affects the way you recruit - The number of business schools offering green courses increased from 34% in 2001 to 63% in 2007 - CSR-focused jobs increased 37% from 2005 to 2008 - Students have got choice and are less interested in earning $ - 97.3% are willing to make a financial sacrifice to work for a socially responsible company, sacrificing 14,902 dollars a year - The extensive negative publicity about corporations and businesses over the past several years made it imperative that companies make a special effort to regain public credibility and trust - Thus, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is now high priority - Executives and their public relations staffs are charged with improving the reputation and citizenship of their employers - Dominant corporate communication strategies on Fortune 100 corporations' websites - High CA strategy—dominant strategy based on message presence % (38); dominant strategy considering the degree of emphasis % (32) - True hybrid strategy—23; 18 - High CSR strategy—39; 50

• Fundraising in nonprofit organizations

- corporate and foundation donations - structured capital campaigns - direct mail - event sponsorship - television solicitations - telephone solicitations - endorsements and tie-ins - online and social media

• Discuss ethics issues related to persuasion.

- do not use false, fabricated, misrepresented, distorted or irrelevant evidence to support arguments or claims - do not intentionally use specious, unsupported or illogical reasoning - do not represent yourself as informed or as an "expert" on a subject when you are not - do not use irrelevant appeals - do not ask your audience to link your idea or proposal to emotion-laden values, motives or goals to which it is actually not related - do not deceive your audience by concealing your real purpose, your self-interest, the group you represent etc.

• Public relations in health communication and hospital efforts

- hospitals - focus on diverse audiences, both external and internal; involves keeping patients and families satisfied as well as seeking new clients 1. staff has two primary goals a. to strengthen and maintain the public's perception of the institution as a place where medical skill, compassion, and efficiency are paramount b. to help market the hospital's array of services such as surgery and cancer treatment - health agencies - provide health care, funding for health initiatives, and oversight - medicare, medicaid, and the children's health insurance program - must be prepared to handle crisis situations done on behalf of citizens, not to defend the org itself

• What are the elements of a proactive and systematic issues management effort (basic steps as defined by Chase), what are the benefits of issues management?

- issue identification, issue analysis, strategy options, an action plan and the evaluation of results benefits of issues management: issues management allows you to identify issues and influence decisions regarding them before they have a detrimental effect on the corporation

• What are the key aspects of the Internet in relation to public relations

- making a website interactive - managing the website

• How do public relations practitioners distribute written communication materials?

- mat releases - media alerts and fact sheets a. product fact sheets -distributed as part of a media kit or with a news release to give supplemental information about a new product b. corporate profile - one-page summary in bulleted list format that gives the basic facts about an organization or a company with org's full name, products or services offered, organization's annual revenues, the number of employees, the names and one-paragraph bios of top execs and the markets served

The basic purposes and functions of public relations in government

- mission of government is public service - widespread perceptions exist that administrations fall short of these ideals, but shortcomings of some government officials and employees should not blind citizens to the tangible benefits of the democratic system - need to be able to communicate effectively with constituents in order to function efficiently; election campaigns, military recruitment, floating a bond issue - common thread in governmental PR: circulation of information

• Strategies and tactics employed by nonprofits to remain viable

- partnerships are mutually beneficial --> maximizes donations that are distributed to hundreds of associated charities

• What are the new types of software/tools being used in public relations

- podcasts - blogs - wikis - social media - Twitter - LinkedIn - YouTube - Flickr and Instagram - Pinterest

• Roles public relations plays in election campaigns

- public affairs activities and lobbying are year-round activities; are part of congressional and presidential campaigns; American-style campaigning is the most expensive in the world; candidates retain professionals to organize fundraising activities; new trend in fundraising is attending an event

• What are the new technologies that are used in public relations and how are they used

- widespread broadband - cheap/free easy-to-use online publishing tools - new distribution channels - mobile devices - new advertising paradigms - podcasts - blogs

What are some of the basic rules for writing with clarity so messages can be understood?

1. use symbols, acronyms and slogans to enhance simplicity 2. avoid cliches and hype words 3. avoid euphemisms 4. avoid discriminatory language

Not all public relations firms have large staffs and global outreach. Of the 1,600 firms listed in O'Dwyer's Directory of Public Relations Firms, most have less than ____ employees.

10

Approximately how much of a public relations budget should be allocated toward contingencies or unexpected costs?

10 percent

Tylenol's market share in the painkiller field prior to the crisis was:

37

diffusion theory

5 factors influence a person's eval of a product or idea 1. relative advantage 2. compatibility 3. complexity 4. trial ability 5. observability

• Know all materials that go into a VNR package

90 sec news report, B-roll (video only, without narration), clear identification of the video source; script, spokespeople information, media contacts, extra soundbites, and story background information

• What is important in writing and giving a speech?

????

• Know the following terms: VNR, ANR, public service announcements, product placements, issues placements, SMT, podcasting, blogs, webcasting, b-roll, speak method, mock-interview, media tour, and wikis

ANR - pg 269 public service announcements - an unpaid announcement that promotes the programs of government or voluntary agencies or that serves the public interest; written in uppercase and double-spaced ; submit multiple PSAs on the same subject in various lengths; add sounds and other things to make PSA more interesting; can mail a script to the station's public service director, send a CD with announcements of varying lengths, provide an 800 number, provide downloads from a sponsoring org's web server; stations more receptive about PSA with local events and children's issues product placements - aka plugs; negotiated by product publicists and talent agencies; proliferated in TV shows and movies, charge hefty fees for manufacturers to have their products featured; also agreements with radio stations to promote a product or event as part of their programming issues placements - convincing popular television programs to write an issue or cause into their plot-lines; CSI, ER etc. constantly bombarded with this; federal drug companies try to get their products mentioned SMT - satellite media tours; series of pre-booked, one-on-one interviews from a fixed location via satellite with a series of television journalists or talk show hosts; started several decades ago when companies began to put their CEOs in front of television cameras, time-efficient way for them to give interviews; 85% of nation's television stations participate in satellite tours; can either do it by satellite or do them on location podcasting - the practice of using the Internet to make digital recordings of broadcasts available for downloading to a computer or mobile device. blogs - a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style. web-casting - broadcast an event on the internet B-roll - video only, without narration; given to news stations so they can edit the video themselves speak method - ?? mock interview - A mock interview is an emulation of a job interview used for training purposes. The conversational exercise usually resembles a real interview as closely as possible, for the purpose of providing experience for a candidate. media tours - for radio: spokesperson from a central location conducts a series of around-the-country, one-on-one interviews with several radio station; prebook telephone interviews with DJs, news directors or talk show host; the person speaking must be prepared to give early-morning interviews wiki - a website that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure by its users

media dependency theory

Dependency theory conceives of dependency as a relationship in which the fulfillment of one party's needs and goals is reliant on the resources of another party. A main focus of the theory is the relationship between media and audiences. In industrialized and information-based societies, individuals tend to develop a dependency on the media to satisfy a variety of their needs, which can range from a need for information on a political candidate's policy positions (to help make a voting decision) to a need for relaxation and entertainment.

Public relations at colleges and universities involves "development," another word for

FUNDRAISING

According to a survey of CEOs, public relations has a lukewarm return on investment (ROI) of about 120 percent. True or False

False

An outside firm does not need a prolonged briefing period regarding the client because of their expertise in diverse areas. True or False

False

• Differences among PSA, corporate advertising, commercials

Only nonprofit, civic and voluntary organizations are eligible to use PSAs - Corporate advertising: even if the messages presented are in the public interest, corporations have to purchase time or space for their ads - Two major differences between commercials and PSAs: 1. Commercial announcement used controlled media 2. Advertisers pay for the right to choose the form, placement, and timing of messages - PSAs are uncontrolled—media outlets make decisions about whether to use the PSA or not (and when to use it) - Commercial announcements tend to promote marketplace transitions, PSAs promote social causes and behavior change - Paid commercial announcement promoting social causes and behavior are NOT PSA

The high emphasis placed on practical skills to start is a benefit of working for a

PR firm

Understand every aspect of media training

PR personnel often do media training to ensure that sources give competent mediainterviews - A valuable method in training executives to deal with media is a mock interview -Video taping for reviewing Q&A sessions - Two parts of media training: what to say and how to say - Educate executives how news is produced and processed

• Understand the differences between ANR, VNR and print news release

Video news release - package that , like an ANR, is formatted for immediate use with a minimum of effort by station personnel; alternative is to provide B-roll material; used when there is potential for national distribution and multiple pickups by television stations and cable systems; can be reformatted for an organization's website, be part of a multimedia news release; 90 secs costs 20,000 to 50,000 for production and distribution; must carefully analyze news potential of the information; traditionally like a media kit prepared for print publications - 90 sec news report, B-roll (video only, without narration), clear identification of the video source; script, spokespeople information, media contacts, extra soundbites, and story background information; process of creation is highly technical, see pg 272 for info on VNR tips and more information Audio news release - radio news releases; differ from online releases bc they are written for the ear, more concise and to the point, third difference is writing style; can be sent to stations for announcers to read, but most effective is providing radio station with a recording of someone already doing it; controlled quality of sound; somewhat of a bargain compared with producing materials for television, should not be sent to every station

The retainer fee approach for a public relations firm is

a monthly charge with set hours

• What is issues management?

a proactive and systematic approach to predict problems, anticipate threats, minimize surprises, resolve issues and prevent crises; basic idea behind it is proactive planning

Which of the following is not an example of qualitative research?

a survey with a large number of respondents

Corporations must build a rapport with business editors and reporters by being __________ about company operations and policies.

accessible, open and honest

The person (at a public relations firm) in charge of most day-to-day activity with clients

account executive

Which is not indicative of a focus group?

almost exclusively used in media research

• PSA definition.

an unpaid announcement that promotes the programs of government or voluntary agencies or that serves the public interest; as part of their responsibility to serve the public interest, radio and television stations provide airtime to charitable and civic organizations to make the public aware of and educate them about such topics as heart disease, obesity and safe driving

uncertainty reduction theory

asserts that people have a need to reduce uncertainty about others by gaining information about them. Information gained can then be used to predict the others' behavior. Reducing uncertainty is particularly important in relationship development, so it is typical to find more uncertainty reduction behavior among people when they expect or want to develop a relationship than among people who expect or know they will not develop a relationship. Passive strategies -- we observe the person, either in situations where the other person is likely to be self-monitoring* (a reactivity search) as in a classroom, or where the other person is likely to act more naturally (a disinhibition search) as in the stands at a football game. Active strategies -- we ask others about the person we're interested in or try to set up a situation where we can observe that person (e.g., taking the same class, sitting a table away at dinner). Once the situation is set up we sometime observe (a passive strategy) or talk with the person (an interactive strategy). Interactive strategies -- we communicate directly with the person.

• Have a basic understanding of the factors in persuasive communication such as: audience analysis, source credibility, appeals to self-interest, clarity of message, timing and context, audience participation, suggestions for action, content and structure of messages, and persuasive speaking.

audience analysis - helps communicator tailor messages that are salient, answer a felt need and provide a logical course of action; basic demographic information can help determine the nature of an audience; ex psycho-graphics - attempts to classify people by lifestyle, attitudes and beliefs source credibility - Aristotle's concept of ethos; explains why orgs use a variety of spokespeople depending on the message and the audience appeals to self-interest - publics become involved in issues or pay attention to messages that appeal to their psychological or economic needs clarity of message - many messages fail because the audience finds the message unnecessarily complex in content or language timing and context - message is more persuasive if environmental factors support the message or if the message is received within the context and other messages and situations with which the individual is familiar; these factors are called timing and context audience participation - change in attitude or reinforcement of beliefs is enhanced by audience involvement and participation; user-generated content ca have a beneficial effect on the creator, if not the audience suggestions for action - people endorse ideas only if the sponsor proposes an action; recs for action must be clear; ex. may not only ask people to conserve energy but also furnish ratioale on why and ideas on how to do so content and structure of messages - number of techniques can make a message more persuasive; expert communicators continue to use a number of devices including drama, stats, surveys and pools, examples testimonials, endorsements and emotional appeals persuasive speaking

five-stage adoption process

awareness - person becomes aware of product by means of ad or news story interest - individual seeks more info on the idea evaluation - person looks at the idea or product on the basis of how it meets specific needs and wants trial - person tries product one experimental basis adoption - individual uses product on regular basis

Mass media have the most influence in what stages of the adoption process?

awareness and interest

Providing advice or tacitly supporting an illegal activity of a client or an employer is known as

conspiracy

interaction theory

constant feedback between the source and the receiver occurs in a continual loop

Members of Congress engage in extensive information efforts to reach

constituents

agenda-setting theory

contends that media content sets the agenda for public discussion; people tend to talk about what they see or hear on the evening news or read in the newspaper or a blog

• Why corporate sponsorship has been popular?

corp sponsorship - cause-related marketing form; sponsorship of various activities and events such as concerts, art exhibits, races, and scientific exhibition popular because 1. enhance the reputation and image of the sponsoring company through association 2. they give product brands high visibility among key purchasing publics 3. they provide a focal point for marketing efforts and sales campaigns 4. they generate publicity and media coverage

Dannon yogurt's support of the National Wildlife Federation (giving the NWF 1.5 percent of all profits) is a form of:

corporate philanthropy

Corporate philanthropy can be considered a form of:

corporate social responsibility

• Corporate Social Responsibility (areas of CSR)

corporate social responsibility - charged with improving the reputation and citizenship of employers; 42% of a company's reputation derives from perceived corporate citizenship, sound governance, and quality as a workplace - Environmental relations - Corporate philanthropy - Education - commitments - Employee involvement - Public health commitments - Corporate sponsorship

Depending on their mission and strategy, nonprofits seek donations from large _____________ or foundations or small contributions from ________________.

corporations; individuals

• What is crisis communication (definition), basic strategies, and how do you communicate during a crisis?

crisis communication - puts a great deal of pressure on organizations to respond with accurate, complete info as quickly as possible; how they respond in first 24 hours says a lot about their crisis management basic strategies: 1. attack the accuser 2. denial 3. excuse 4. justification 5. ingratiation - actions are taken to appease publics involved; customers given coupons 6. corrective action 7. full apology

• Crisis response content + crisis responses strategies

crisis response strategies - attack the accuser, denial, excuse, justification, ingratiation, corrective action, full apology

Most communication models have five basic elements: source, encoder, signal, decoder, and

destination

source credibility

do members of the audience perceive the source as knowledgeable and expert on the subject? do they perceive the source as honest and objective or as representing a special interest? this is why orgs use respected outside experts whenever possible

Have a basic understanding of environmental relations, employee relations, investor relations, etc.

environmental relations - corporate concern for the environment and sustainable resources; companies issue annual corporate responsibility reports and work with environmental groups to clean up the environment; can be recognized by being named to the Sustainability Yearbook; forge alliances with various NGOs to preserve the environment employee relations - concentrate on communicating with employees just as vigorously as it concentrates on delivering the corporate story to the outside world; public relations professionals involved in counseling not only what policies should be created but also how they should be implemented and communicated investor relations - another major component of keeping a company's health and wealth is communicating with shareholders and prospective investors; want to combine the disciplines of communication and finance to accurately portray a company's prospects from an investment standpoint; individuals who specialize in investor or financial relations are the highest-paid; must be very comfortable with numbers

An observation technique in an "anthropological" form is known as

ethnography

What are Aristotle's three proofs related to persuasion.

ethos, logos and pathos

"Turf battles" between public relations personnel and human resources managers are relatively non-existent, because the two areas rarely overlap. true or false

false

Greenwashing is considered an effective tool in environmental relations.

false

It is considered permissible and ethical as part of the persuasion process to advocate for something you do not believe in as long as you're being well compensated.

false

The Federal Trade Commission generally does not monitor "green" marketing or "low-carb" ads because of the inherent message of goodwill associated with such terms true or false

false

The Supreme Court has ruled that publishers and broadcasters do not have a constitutionally-protected right of expression, only individuals do.

false

The basic idea behind issues management is reactive analysis.

false

Which best describes an opinion leader?

highly interested in subject matter

A strategy statement refers to

how objectives are met/achieved

• What is image restoration? Is it easier to maintain a good reputation than restore a negative reputation? Does image restoration take up a lot of an organization's resources?

image restoration - reputation repair and recovery is a long-term process, and the fourth phase in the conflict management life cycle is called the recovery phase - strategies 1. make progress recovery visible 2. analyze what went wrong 3. improve governance structure 4. make the CEO and leadership accessible 5. fire employees involved in the problem 6. commit to high corporate citizenship standards 7. carefully review ethics policies 8. hire outside auditors for internal auditors 9. issue an apology from the CEO - strategy that the organization chooses depends a great deal on the situation or on what has already been described as the "it depends" concept - it's easier to maintain a good reputation - image restoration takes up a lot of an org's resources

• What makes a good SMT?

include a relevant angle for the stations in every market you pitch; use an interesting, visually appealing background; get stations involved by sending items that will help them perform and promote the interview; respect producers' wishes when they tell you they will get back to you; localize your SMT; be clear in your pitch; use credible, knowledgeable spokespersons

Research is the basic groundwork of any public relations program. it involves the gathering and interpretation of

information

Actions taken to appease publics involved, such as free coupons or charitable donations, are referred to as

ingratiation

A "Limitation" to effective persuasion would be:

lack of message penetration

Research in Everett Roger's book, "Diffusion of Innovation," shows that there are five time-factor levels of how people approach innovation. Individuals who are often skeptical and somewhat resistant but bow to peer pressure are the _________ level:

late majority

Major roles of public relations professionals in health organizations are to communicate information about:

medical advances, availability of health services, potential health risks

Unauthorized use of well-known entertainers, athletes, or other public figures in an organization's publicity and advertising materials is known as

misappropriation of personality

• What is strategic conflict management and how does this relate to public relations?

must develop communication strategies and processes to influence the course of conflicts to the benefit of the organization and, when possible, to the benefit of the organization's many constituents; approach to PR is more assertive than most definitions; PR plays a key role in enabling both profit and nonprofit organizations to compete for limited resources and to engage in healthy, honest conflict with others who hold different views of what is best and right for society

• What is important in preparing a news conference?

news conference aka press conference; makes possible quick, widespread dissemination of a person's comments and opinions to a number of reporters at the same time; avoids time-consuming task of presenting information to the news outlets individually and ensures that the intensely competitive newspapers and electronic media hear the news simultaneously important in prep - a. should we hold a news conference or not? b. what hour is best? c. convenient location d. set the date and time e. distribute a media advisory about the upcoming news conference when appropriate f. write a statement for the spokesperson to give at the conference g. try to anticipate questions so that the spokesperson can readily answer difficult queries h. prepare a media kit i. prepare visual materials as necessary j. make advance arrangements for the room k. arrive 30 to 60 minutes early to double-check arrangements

• Have a basic understanding of the following communication tools: news releases (the most widely used document) (including basics as described in lectures), publicity photos, media advisories, fact sheets, pitch letters, newsletters, brochures, annual reports.

news release - traditional news release was a double-spaced document that was distributed to only newspapers and trade publications publicity photos - more people "read" photos than read articles; found that 3 to 4 times as many people notice an average on-column photo as read an avg news story media advisories - media kit; product photos, executive officer's photos, trademark information, industry association link, product brochures and video clips fact sheets - often distributed as part of a media kit or with a news release to give supplemental information about a new product; also a corporate profile pitch letters - way to get attention of media gatekeepers bc they receive thousands of news releases and media kits every week; pitching is a one-way commuication newsletters brochures annual reports

• Know the variety of nonprofit organizations that rely on public relations

nonprofit organization purpose - serve the public interest; do not distribute monies to shareholders or owners membership organizations professional association trade groups labor unions chambers of commerce advocacy groups social service organizations

Once self-interest is involved, opinion is

not easily changed

The acronym MBO stands for management by

objective

• Know all the materials that go into a media kit, and how are media kits used?

often used to combine news releases, publicity photos and even video clips about a particular event, an issue or a new product; gives editors and reporters a variety of info that makes it easier for them to write about the topic traditional media kit contents - basic news release - news feature about the product or service - fact sheet about the product, organization, or event - photos - bios of the spokesperson or chief executives - a basic brochure - contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers and website URLs today's standard: digital media kit contents - product photos - executive officer's photos - trademark information - industry association links - product brochures - video clips showing the capabilities of its product how are they used: - developed as press kits - developed for special events and exhibits

What is public opinion and when/why did the concept of public opinion mature?

opinions on controversial issues that one can express in public without isolating oneself; events influence the formation or self-interest; primary catalyst is public discussion

Understand who are opinion leaders (formal v. informal) and explain their characteristics.

people who are knowledgeable and articulate about specific issues; described as 1. highly interest in a subject or issue 2. better informed on an issue than the average person 3. avid consumers of mass media 4. early adopters of new ideas 5. good organizers who can get other people to take action 5. active in community 6. having a college degree 7. relatively high income 8. regularly reading news and mags 9. active participation in rec activities 10. showing environmental concern by recycling formal opinion leaders - they have positions as elected officials, presidents of companies, or heads of membership groups; journalists ask them for statements aka power leaders informal opinion leaders - those who have clout with peers bc of some special charac, may be role models or opinion leaders who can exert peer pressure on others to go along with something

The media-dependency theory applies to:

people who have no prior info or attitude disposition regarding a subject

• Phases of strategic conflict management

proactive phase - includes activities and though processes that can prevent a conflict from arising or getting out of hand a. environmental scanning - constant reading, listening and watching of current affairs with an eye to the org's interests b. issues tracking - more focused and systematic through processes such as the daily collection of news stories c. issues management - occurs when the org makes behavioral changes or creates strategic plans in ways that address the emerging issue strategic phase - an issue that has become an emerging conflict is identified as needing concerted action by PR professional a. risk comm - dangers or threats to people or organizations are conveyed to forestall personal injury, health problems, and environmental damage b. conflict-positioning - strategies enabling the org to position itself favorably in anticipation of actions such as litigation, boycott, adverse legislation, elections or similar events that will play out in the court of public opinion c. crisis management plan is developed reactive phase - once issue or imminent conflict reaches a critical level of impact on the org, the PR professional must react to events in the external comm environment as they unfold a. crisis communications - include implementation of crisis management plans well as 24/7 efforts to meet the needs of publics such as disaster victims, employees, govt officials and the media b. conflict resolution - techniques are used to bring a heated conflict to a favorable conclusion c. litigation public relations - employs comm strategies and publicity efforts in support of legal actions or trials recovery phase - employing strategies to either bolster or repair its reputation in the eyes of key publics a. reputation management - includes systematic research to learn the state of reputation and then take steps to improve it b. image restoration strategies - can help, provided they include genuine change by the organization

Objectives are usually stated in terms of

program outcomes

What is propaganda and compare it to persuasion?

propaganda - any organized effort to persuade large numbers of people about the truth of an idea, the value of a product or the appropriateness of an attitude; both directional and emotional persuasion- reasoning with someone using logic, you can provide information or demonstrate by example

• Have an understanding of public affairs, government relations, and lobbying

public affairs - public info crucial if citizens are to make intelligent judgments about policies and the activities of their elected reps - major source of media hostility: reporters are heavily dependent on news subsidies - preventive public relations saves money; ex. campaign to show the real cost of teen pregnancy government relations - closely related to lobbying, specialized component of corp communication; the actions of governmental bodies at the local, state and federal levels have a major impact on how businesses operate; gather info, disseminate management views, cooperate with government on products of mutual benefit and motivate employees to participate in the political process lobbying - represent the interests of virtually the entire spectrum of US business, educational, religious, local national and international pursuits pitfalls of lobbying- deep public suspicion exists about former legislators and officials who capitalize on their connections and charge large fees for doing what is commonly described as "influence peddling"

two-step flow theory

public opinion is formed by the views of people who have taken the time to sift info, evaluate it and form an opinion that they express to others

Which is not an element of the issues management approach?

react to surprises

Of the five factors presented in "Diffusion of Innovation" that influence a person's evaluation of a product or idea, which factor emphasizes the degree to which an innovation is perceived as better than the idea it replaces.

relative advantage

• What are reputation management and its three foundations?

reputation management - reputation is the track record of an organization in the public's mind; is owned by the public and is created and destroyed by everything the org does; reputation audits can be used to assess and monitor an organization's reputation three foundations - economic performance, social responsiveness, and the ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders

What is risk communication (definition), what are the guiding concepts of risk communication, and what are the basic approaches to communicating risk?

risk communication - informs the public of risks such as those surrounding food products, chemical spills, radioactive waste disposal basic approaches - begin early and initiate a dialogue with publics that might be affected, actively solicit and identify people's concerns, recognize the public as a legitimate partner in the process, address issues of concern, anticipate and prepare for hostility, understand the needs of the news media; always be honest, even when it hurts

cognitive dissonance

says that people will not believe a message contrary to their predispositions unless the communicator can introduce information that causes them to question their beliefs; make the public aware that the circumstances have changed, make people concerned for an issue or product

The use of existing information in books, articles, and electronic databases is known as

secondary research

Discuss the basic aspects of public opinion as it relates to public relations: self-interest, passive v. active, event sensitivity and elusiveness.

self-interest- only form public opinion if this is the case, will not remain around for a long time if this is not the case, opinion not easily changed once interested in self passive vs active - most people are passive and only a few are active, most people are apathetic, public opinion may really be the views of a small number of highly vocal people event sensitivity - highly sensitive to events that have an impact on the public at large or a particular segment of the public; events of an unusual magnitude like 9/11 elusiveness - ???

The first major component of the planning process in public relations is a

situation analysis

five communication elements

source, encoder, signal, decoder, and destination

A budget usually is divided into two categories, which are

staff time and out-of-pocket expenses

cultivation theory

states that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid. Heavy viewers are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome, the belief that the world is a far worse and dangerous place then it actually is.

The specific, sequential activities that put strategies into operations and help achieve stated objective are known as

tactics

The concept where an audience actively pursues messages that can fulfill individual needs is known as

uses and gratification

media dependency theory

when people have no prior info or attitude disposition regarding a subject, the mass media play a role in telling people what to think; media are dependent on PR to put a spin on this

• Define and know the differences between passive, assertive and aggressive communication styles. Which is the preferred course of action for a public relations practitioner?

• Passiveness: anxiety driven, taken advantage of, avoids confrontation, intimated • Aggressiveness: Intimidation, control, fighting, manipulation, no regard for others personal feelings, anger-driven, lose respect and trust • Assertiveness (More effective and appropriate): Focus on specific issues and problems, recognizes issues and problems, doesn't violate others rights, open and tolerant, attack issues and not persons