Media and Public Relations
Visit this interactive resource. You should briefly review each of the eight primer modules and note any resources or templates you find especially useful. These resources and templates may be helpful as you undertake a public relations campaign at a future date. We will refer back to this primer elsewhere in the course for specific examples supporting subunit topics ahead. For now, it gives a useful overview of the public relations craft and some tools at its disposal. This primer was prepared to help government and business leaders in the former Soviet Union transition from a centralized system to a market system. They were expected to interact with a more free and independent media. The concept of "public and media relations" was new to many of these leaders, so this primer provides a fundamental overview of PR's basic ideas and tools.
Conclusion
And finally...
Many people perceive public relations as quite less than respectable – as clever strategies to convince the public that something wrong is right. Some see public relations professionals as manipulators of the public mind, rather than conveyors of truth.
Of course it is possible to use public relations skills to advance less than noble causes. All too often, we know that bad people and bad causes are advanced through the adept use of public relations. Therefore it is vital that good people with good intentions also master effective public relations skills.
Remember, too, that public relations is a two way street: not only must you present your organization to the public, but you must also present the public back to your organization and colleagues. Help them understand how the public perceives their actions.
The public relations professional is often the conscience of a company or campaign. It's not always a popular spot to be in, but it's an important job. If done well, your PR work should serve both your organization and the news media, and also be a valuable contribution to the greater public good.