Public Relations Writing: Principles in Practice

by Treadwell, Donald; Treadwell, Jill B.

• ISBN13: 9780205300150
• ISBN10: 0205300154
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-11-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

This text package includes the most thorough combination of background materials and writing exercises for a public relations writing course. Public Relations Writing emphasizes the integration of macro-level strategic thinking and micro-level understanding of organizational culture, audiences, media use, and the writing strategies and tools needed to produce effective public relations materials. This comprehensive text begins with a discussion of the principles of research, planning, ethics, organizational culture, law, and design the foundations that underlie all public relations writing. Specific writing approaches are then presented. Topics include news and features, writing for print and broadcast, persuasive communications, newsletters and employee communication, annual reports, brochures, direct mail, and the Internet. Other relevant coverage includes a chapter on global communication (including writing for the World Wide Web) and a capstone events chapter that details event planning and writing for exhibits, speeches and collateral materials. The accompanying workbook provides four unique clients for students to apply the concepts in the text to real-life client requirements.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(8)
A note on terminology	4	(1)
Introducing your employers for the course	4	(2)
References and resources	6	(3)
Public relations writing	9	(43)
Defining public relations and public relations writing	9	(13)
Public Relations: A basic definition	10	(10)
Q: ``Who employs PR writers?'' A: ``Where do you want to work?''	20	(2)
Public relations writing style	22	(6)
Style: What is it and how can you master it?	23	(5)
The value of editing: ``get on with it!''	28	(10)
Editing conventions	31	(2)
Writing tools	33	(5)
Putting theory into practice	38	(12)
Know your audience! (Is this starting to sound familiar?)	39	(11)
Writing wrap-up	50	(1)
References and resources	50	(1)
End notes	51	(1)
Research for public relations writing	52	(35)
Research, public relations research and public relations writing research	54	(30)
Researching the environment	55	(8)
Researching your employer's organization	63	(4)
Researching publics	67	(4)
Researching messages	71	(4)
Researching media	75	(2)
Researching effects	77	(2)
Standard research methods and questions	79	(4)
Research philosophies	83	(1)
Writing wrap-up	84	(1)
References and resources	84	(2)
End notes	86	(1)
Planning	87	(22)
The broad organizational or business plan	89	(1)
The public relations plan	90	(9)
Planning tools	99	(8)
Planning as a specific thought process	99	(1)
Planning as scheduling and timing: some specific tools	100	(4)
Writing plans	104	(1)
Summary	105	(2)
Writing wrap-up	107	(1)
References and resources	107	(1)
End notes	108	(1)
Ethics and corporate culture	109	(21)
Ethics	109	(12)
Social and philosophical ethical considerations	110	(8)
Ethics and public relations writing	118	(3)
Organizational culture	121	(6)
How do you learn about your employer's culture?	123	(2)
How does corporate culture affect the public relations writer?	125	(2)
Writing wrap-up	127	(1)
References and resources	128	(1)
End notes	128	(2)
Legal issues and authorities	130	(25)
Working with lawyers	132	(2)
The issues	134	(13)
Copyright ©	135	(1)
Trademarks and servicemarks (TM ® SM)	136	(3)
Web rights	139	(4)
Defamation, libel and slander	143	(1)
Freedom of information, privacy, sunshine laws	143	(2)
What does this mean to the public relations writer?	145	(1)
Financial reporting and insider trading	146	(1)
The agencies	147	(3)
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)	147
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)	146	(2)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)	148	(1)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	149	(1)
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS)	149	(1)
The law, the future and you	150	(2)
Writing wrap-up	152	(1)
References and resources	152	(2)
End notes	154	(1)
Design issues in public relations	155	(34)
PR Banner	155	(3)
Communicating with space	158	(6)
Communicating with type	164	(5)
Communicating with graphics	169	(10)
Communicating with color	179	(5)
Special options	184	(1)
The presentation folder	184	(1)
Production: Working with your printer	185	(2)
Writing wrap-up	187	(1)
References and resources	187	(1)
End notes	188	(1)
From preparation to practice	189	(25)
Writing to your publics: Audience-centered thinking	189	(3)
Audience I: Your employer	190	(1)
Audience II: Your employer's public(s)	191	(1)
Audience III: the mass media	192	(1)
Writing to a purpose	192	(7)
Media decisions	192	(2)
Control of content	194	(1)
Control of timing	194	(1)
Control of distribution	194	(1)
Cost	195	(1)
Credibility	196	(1)
Finding the middle ground	197	(2)
Learning about your employer	199	(13)
Letters	200	(1)
Memos	201	(1)
E-mail	202	(3)
Reports (other than annual reports)	205	(3)
Fact sheets and backgrounders	208	(3)
Boilerplate descriptions	211	(1)
The bio (biography)	212	(1)
Writing wrap-up	212	(1)
References and resources	213	(1)
Newswriting for the mass media	214	(62)
Using the media effectively: More than making the six o'clock news	216	(1)
Where to place the release: Specific media selection	217	(1)
Writing and placing news releases	218	(4)
Newswriting for the press:	222	(16)
Newswriting for the press: Content	222	(6)
Newswriting for the press: Style	228	(1)
Newswriting for the press: Formatting	229	(3)
Newswriting for the press: Structure	232	(6)
Newswriting for broadcast media	238	(11)
Newswriting for broadcast: Content	240	(1)
Newswriting for broadcast: Style	241	(4)
Newswriting for broadcast: Formatting	245	(4)
Newswriting in a crisis: When the news isn't good	249	(12)
What is a crisis?	250	(2)
Think ahead	252	(1)
Crisis strategy: Planning and execution	253	(6)
Follow-up and evaluation	259	(2)
Distributing your release: How to get the word out	261	(6)
Distributing releases to the press	261	(2)
Distributing releases to the broadcast media	263	(4)
Why are You writing the release, or producing the video? (and the tools to help you avoid it)	267	(6)
The ``pitch letter''	268	(1)
The ``media alert'' or ``advisory''	268	(2)
Supporting the media	270	(3)
Success! Measuring the results	273	(1)
Writing wrap-up	273	(2)
References and resources	275	(1)
End notes	275	(1)
Writing for media under your control	276	(60)
Using controlled media for ``news''	277	(2)
Feature writing	279	(14)
What is a feature?	280	(1)
Feature subjects	281	(3)
Feature style	284	(1)
Feature structure	284	(1)
Feature techniques	285	(8)
Scriptwriting: Writing for sound and visuals	293	(8)
Scriptwriting: Content	294	(1)
Scriptwriting: Approach	294	(4)
Scriptwriting: Style	298	(1)
From DTP to DTV	299	(2)
Newsletters	301	(16)
Newsletter content	307	(5)
Newsletter production	312	(3)
Distributing newsletters	315	(1)
Web letters	316	(1)
Evaluation	317	(1)
Annual reports	317	(17)
Annual report content	320	(8)
Graphics in annual reports	328	(2)
Annual reports in a ``bad year''	330	(1)
Managing the annual report process	331	(1)
The annual report to employees	331	(2)
The annual report, multimedia and the Internet	333	(1)
Writing wrap-up	334	(1)
References and resources	334	(1)
End notes	334	(2)
Writing to persuade	336	(63)
Centuries of persuasion	338	(2)
Public relations writing in context	340	(2)
Simplifying persuasion theory	342	(15)
Theories of information processing	342	(6)
Theories of message and source	348	(9)
Bringing it all together	357	(1)
From theory into practice	358	(38)
Image communications	359	(3)
Advocacy messages	362	(6)
Public service announcements - the PSA	368	(5)
Direct mail	373	(9)
Brochures	382	(7)
Catalogs and price lists	389	(1)
Proposals and grants	390	(6)
Writing wrap-up	396	(1)
References and resources	397	(1)
End notes	397	(2)
Writing for the global audience	399	(54)
Intercultural communication	399	(11)
What does having an intercultural audience mean?	400	(2)
Issues in writing for intercultural audiences	402	(6)
Facilitating intercultural communication	408	(1)
Culture and public relations practices	409	(1)
Writing for the World Wide Web	410	(4)
What makes the Internet different and how does it affect communication thinking?	410	(4)
Public relations on the Web	414	(7)
The Web audience	415	(6)
The Web as a public relations medium	421	(27)
Writing for the Web	424	(11)
Writing for the media revisited	435	(3)
Web site design	438	(4)
HTML, the language of the Web	442	(1)
Publicizing the web site	443	(2)
Research and evaluation	445	(3)
Writing wrap-up	448	(1)
References and resources	448	(3)
End notes	451	(2)
Special events	453	(30)
Celebrations, grand openings and annual meetings	454	(12)
Invitations	454	(2)
Speechwriting	456	(10)
Information kits: Media, sales, educational and public	466	(3)
Industry conferences, exhibitions, conventions and trade fairs	469	(12)
Why attend an exhibition or trade fair?	469	(2)
The theme	471	(1)
Pre-exhibition publicity	472	(2)
During-exhibition publicity	474	(1)
Booths and displays	474	(6)
Evaluation and follow-up	480	(1)
Writing wrap-up	481	(1)
References and resources	481	(1)
End notes	482	(1)
Appendix A: Research methods for public relations writing	483	(7)
Question formats	483	(3)
Survey methods	486	(2)
Sampling	488	(2)
End notes	489	(1)
Appendix B: Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Public Relations	490	(2)
Appendix C: Some thoughts on laws and regulations	492	(2)
Appendix D: Printing issues	494	(3)
Appendix E: Grammar, usage and punctuation	497	(1)
Choosing the correct word	497	(3)
Choosing the right word or phrase	500	(1)
Spelling: some hints for managing the problem	501	(2)
Parallel structure	503	(1)
Politically correct, gender neutral language	504	(2)
Punctuation for sense and effect	506	(2)
The authors' pet peeves	508	(1)
References and resources	509	(1)
End notes	509