COMM411: Public Relations

Read this insightful analysis of the beginnings, evolution, and current state of the public relations industry. Note the roles played by public relations innovators Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays, both former journalists who applied their communication skills to shaping public opinion through the news media on behalf of their clients. Also, notice how PR practitioners have sought to evolve from more than just a "mouthpiece" to participating in high-level decision-making, such as in the case of the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill.