Download - CA218 – Public Relations Class 1
CA 218 – PUBLIC RELATIONS
Professor: Amy L Stewart, MA
March 20 Schedule
5:30 p.m.: Introductions and Syllabus Overview
6 p.m.: Chapters 1-3 7 p.m.: Break 7:15p.m.: AP Sylebook Overview 8 p.m.: Upcoming assignments
Backgrounder Fact Sheet AP Stylebook Quiz Interview
Introductions
Name Major What you want to be when you grow up Why you’re taking this class Interesting fact about yourself
Syllabus Overview
Grading Scale Quizzes Mid-term Writing Assignments Portfolio Group Project Extra Credit
Books
“Public Relations Writing: The Essentials of Style and Format”
“The Associated Press Stylebook”
Writing for Public Relations
What is Public Relations - PRSA
1982“Public relations helps an organization and
its publics adapt mutually to each other.”
2012“Public relations is a strategic
communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
What is Public Relations - Bivins
It involves any activity that enhances the reputations of your clients, mediates disputes between various publics and your client, helps achieve mutual understanding among all parties involved in an issues, advocates on behalf of a client or cause, provides guidance and direction, and results in positive and mutual well-being
Book Launch 2.0
Controlled vs. Uncontrolled Information
Press Release NYT Newspaper Article Advertising Public Service Announcement NBC Action News Story Blog Article Interview Annual report Speeches
Ethical and Legal Issues in Public Relations Writing
Ethics
Public Relations Society of AmericaTranslating values into principles of ethical practice,
the Code advises professionals to: Protect and advance the free flow of accurate and
truthful information Foster informed decision making through open
communication Protect confidential and private information Promote healthy and fair competition among
professionals. Avoid conflicts of interest Work to strengthen the public’s trust in the profession
Ethics Continued
Code guidelines, like tactics supporting strategies, zero in on putting value and principles into play for working professionals facing everyday tasks and challenges. Among them, professionals should: Be honest and accurate in all communications Reveal sponsors for represented causes and interests Act in the best interest of clients or employers Disclose financial interests in a client’s organization Safeguard the confidences and privacy rights of clients and employees Follow ethical hiring practices to respect free and open competition Avoid conflicts between personal and professional interests Decline representation of clients requiring actions contrary to the
Code Accurately define what public relations activities can accomplish Report all ethical violations to the appropriate authority
Addressing Practice Challenges
Digging even deeper, BEPS takes on current practice issues and challenges in periodic Professional Standards Advisories (PSA's). Applying the Code to specific scenarios, BEPS has addressed practices including: Pay-for-play journalism Anonymous Internet posting, “flogs” and viral marketing Front groups Disclosure of payment of expert commentators Truth in wartime communications Overstating charges or compensation for work
performed
CASE STUDY: GHOSTWRITING
Serious Speeches Pose a Serious Problem for a Speechwriter What ethical principles of ghostwriting most apply in this case? Most ethical issues relate to promoting truth and avoiding
harm? Which of these principles most applies to this case, and how so?
What specific advice do you end up giving to Marina as far as how to proceed with the communications portion of the campaign, and how do you ethically justify this?
What problems do you see in the future as a possible weakness of this choice? And why do you still feel your decision is the best option, despite this weakness?
What sections of the PRSA code apply to this issue?
PR and The Law
Commercial Speech Allows corporations to state publicly its position on controversial issues
DefamationAny communication that holds a person up to contempt, hatred,
ridicule, or scorn Privacy
“Invasion of privacy” Copyright
Legal protection of intellectual property Registered Trademark
Indicates the user has registered the item with the federal government, allowing maximum legal protection
TrademarksTypically given for the protection of product names, images, or phrases
Planning and Research
Planning
Developing an issue statement Issue Affected publics Timing Strengths and Weaknesses
Case Study: Sporting Kansas City Issue: Name change from Wizards to
Sporting Kansas City
Research
Evaluating Internet Resources Wikipedia New York Times American Heart Association Blog
Analyzing the Target Audience Primary research Secondary research
Interviewing
Determine Interviewee with Research Draft Interview Questions Contact Interviewee to Schedule
Interview Conduct Interview Draft Article Contact Interviewee when the Article is
Published
Writing Objectives
Objectives: The concrete steps that you need to take to reach your goal
Write objectives for the following goals: As the corporate communications manager for your company,
you want employees to attend the annual company picnic next month.
As a concerned parent, you want parents in your school district to support a new school lunch program.
As a volunteer, you want people to donate blood to the Red Cross during summer months.
As a financial planner, you want to increase subscriptions to your newsletter.
As a political candidate, you want to change the negative tone the media has set concerning your environmental record.
Timeline
Project Preliminary Work
Due Dates
Identify Interviewees
Week 1 April 23
Draft Interview Questions
Week 1 April 23
Set-up Interviews
Week 2 April 30
Conduct Interviews
Week 3 May 7
Draft Press Release
Week 4 May 14
Internal Review Process
Week 5 May 21
Distribute Press Release
Week 6 May 28
Client: LEGOLAND Discovery Center Grand Opening at Crown CenterProject: Press Release
Budget
Things to consider when planning a budget How will you bill (per project or per hour)? How much time will it take? What materials will be involved? Will you use an in-house team or outside
contractors? What additional expenses will you incur?
Associated Press Stylebook
Upcoming Assignments
Backgrounder – Due Next Week Factsheet – Due Next Week AP Styleguide Quiz – Open Book Next
Week Interview with a Public Relations
Professional – Due in two weeks
Backgrounder
Information about a person or organization in paragraph format
One page Examples:
Hallmark Cards Livestrong Barack Obama
Fact Sheet
Numbered or bulleted information relevant to the organization and/or event
One page Examples:
Hallmark Cards Southwest Airlines Park University