Index

Chapter 1 – The Public Relations profession: an introduction

1.1.   Differences between Public Relations and  advertising

1.2.   Differences between Public Relations and  journalism

1.3.   What exactly do Public Relations professionals do?

1.4.   Definition of Public Relations

1.5.   Who can use Public Relations?

Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 1 References

Chapter 1 Synopsis

PR professionals are sometimes mistaken for journalists or advertising professionals, but each one engages in specific activities which makes them different.

Journalists and PR professionals have more in common. However, there must be a strictly professional relationship between the two and for ethical and credibility reasons, a marked separation between what each one does, so that they represent themselves positively in the current climate of public mistrust with regard to media.

PR professionals have many specific ways of helping organizations communicate sucessfully with all of their audiences.

One of the challenges of PR is to find a globally accepted definition so that the profession be understood completely in all sectors, identified as an executive-level post within organizations and recognized in communications as the proper way to directly reach diverse audiences.

Given the flexibility of PR, organizations of all shapes and sizes can get the most out of PR. However, it’s always advisable to use professionals to reach goals with greater efficacy.