global discussion. local perspectives.
For an occupation that depends on freedom of expression to operate, it seems there are many who relish nothing more than imposing rules on the practice – and even the conceptualisation – of public relations. First we have calls for a licence to operate, regulation, accreditation or registration of practitioners. Even if you voluntarily join a professional body, there are codes of practice, guidelines, “best practice” mandates and a host of other prescriptive instructions on...
Guest post by Ira Basen I think the hardest thing for anybody in life, certainly anybody in public relations or among management consultants, is to tell truth to power.” — Chet Burger (2008) Chet Burger spent half a century in public relations speaking truth to power. And his death from cancer last March at the age of 90, represented not just the passing of a true PR pioneer, but the silencing of an important voice...
What makes for a great sound bite from a thought leader or information researcher, gatherer or curator is the ability to distill or crystallize a bigger concept or original observation into a compelling, usually short (and easily remembered) weaving of words. Although it’s true that great sound bites can be (and often are) researched and crafted (can we say “media relations training?”), generally it’s the sound bites that appear to emerge thoughtfully, yet spontaneously—following the...
Guest interview by Toni Muzi Falconi with founder of the fascinating non-profit venture, the Museum of Public Relations (http://www.prmuseum.com) Shelley Spector. 1. Why did you decide to establish the PR museum? I had toyed with the idea for some time, but the impetus to set it up was getting to know Eddie Bernays, who offered his full endorsement and sponsorship of the project. We met in the late eighties when we were both lecturing at...
That seems to be the message from Philip Young who, with David Phillips, is editing a special edition of the online journal, PRism on the topic: Beyond Online Public Relations (to be published early in 2012). Philip claims that “Today ALL PR is Online PR” and is interested in papers that support or challenge the view that it is no longer meaningful to discuss ‘online PR’ (abstracts of up to 500 words to be emailed...
The world’s eyes were on the British Royal Wedding on Friday with a million people on the streets of London, two billion watching live with 24:7 television coverage, tens of thousands engaged through social media or catching up via on demand after the event. This was a world event where the opportunity for public relations was evident at every turn – not least to showcase British pageantry, with a contemporary twist. Perhaps the sight of...
The PRoust Questionnaire provides a quick insight into a public relations practitioner’s interests and point of view, as well as their professional beliefs and values. If you are not familiar with the original 19th-century Proust Questionnaire, please see details at the end of this post. 1. What is your most striking characteristic as a PR practitioner? Passionate, energetic and excellent strategist, excelling in high-stake situations. 2. What is your principal fault as a PR practitioner?...
Guest post by Bob Geller As a veteran of the tech industry – in the PR agency world for the past 14 years and on the industry/client side before that – I have worked with many startups. I am often asked, “When is the right time for a young company to bring an agency on, or otherwise kick PR into high gear?” The answer is not an easy one. While it might seem obvious that...