It's Not Just PR : Public Relations in Society

by Coombs, W. Timothy; Holladay, Sherry J.

• ISBN13: 9781405144063
• ISBN10: 1405144068
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-15
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Public relations shapes and spins our news, influencing society's values, knowledge, and perceptions. Despite this, it often goes unnoticed. It's Not Just "PR" takes a balanced approach in assessing its impact, drawing on a diverse range of contemporary examples from global corporations through to the power of PR in the non-profit sector. Investigates a broad range of examples, from Coca-Cola and corporate pharmaceutical companies, to the non-profit sector and reform labour practices in Latin America. Charts new territory by focusing on the effects and influence of public relations, both intended and unintended, in a discipline that has all too often concentrated on skills with little or no reflection on societal impact. Helps reveal why public relations is useful to society and how it has developed a negative public reputation. Includes practical debate about power issues in public relations theory and practice.

Author Biography

W. Timothy Coombs is Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author of Ongoing Crisis Communication, Today’s Public Relations (co-authored with Robert Heath), and Code Red in the Boardroom.

Sherry J. Holladay is Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at Eastern Illinois University. She and Professor Coombs have co-authored three book chapters and six journal articles together.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1
1 Does Society Need Public Relations?	5
Media Use and the Term "PR"	6
Criticisms of Public Relations	8
Popular press attacks on public relations	9
Common themes in critiques of public relations	14
Popular Press Books Describing the Importance of Public Relations	17
Professional and Academic Defense of Public Relations	21
The profession: The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)	21
Academics defend the practice	21
Public Relations and the Marketplace of Ideas	23
Re-focusing Public Relations	24
Conclusion	27
2 Ethical Implications of Public Relations	28
What is Public Communication?	29
Ethical Responsibilities of PR as a Form of Public Communication	30
Ethical Perspectives	31
Professional Associations and Ethics	33
The Boundary-spanning Role of the PR Professional	35
Tensions for PR Practitioners	39
Power Relationships	40
The Power of PR Professionals in the Corporation	43
A Postmodern Perspective on PR	44
Conclusion	48
3 Who Practices Public Relations?	49
Corporate-centric Histories of Public Relations	50
Antagonistic Views of Corporations and Activists	52
Power and Marginalization	53
First Reform Era: Abolitionism and Temperance	62
Public relations aspect	65
Second Reform Era: The Muckrakers	65
Public relations aspect	68
Saul Alinsky: Activism in the 1960's	68
Public relations aspect	70
Internet Activism	70
Public relations aspect	73
Labor Unions and Public Relations	73
Public relations aspect	75
Conclusion	75
4 Public Relations Influences Society	76
Marketplace of Ideas	76
Issues Management: A Framework of Effects on Public Policy	80
EPA bans Alar under pressure	84
AMA's objection to national health insurance	86
Local battles: retailing and health care	89
Shaping Public Behavior	91
Keep America Beautiful	93
Online sexual exploitation	94
Ready.gov: preparing for disasters	96
Germany and social change	97
Nazi anti-Semitic communication	97
Nazi anti-tobacco campaign	98
Mixing Social and Policy Changes: Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and Big Pharm	98
Conclusion	103
5 Global Effects of Public Relations	104
Public Diplomacy: Government Public Relations Goes Global	105
Private Voluntary Organizations: Activism Goes Global	109
Corporations: Increased Demands from a Global Network of Relationships	111
Expectation gap complications	122
Conclusion	125
Where We Have Been	126
References	129
Index	139