Reading through Candy Tymson’s ‘Writing a Media Release’, I learnt that issuing a media release is the most popular method of communicating with the media. But you have to keep in mind that the media, especially in Singapore where there is only The Straits Times, receive hundreds of media release every day. So you have to make sure that your media release is newsworthy, well written, appropriately targeted, and professionally presented.
I also learnt that no matter how well written a media release is, the content needs to be news worthy and relevant to the media for it to be considered. After which, News has to be something that is new, special, unusual, relates and affects a significant number of people, therefore it is the public interest.
Reading about how before you start writing your media release, you need to find the hook or angle that will interest the media. Ask yourself what could be the most interesting and relevant angle to the story.
I learnt that in today’s society, PR professionals communicate directly to the media through e-mail without having to rely less on the media release as a means to pitch a story. While it may be effective and convenient, it can be a whole lot of information to deal with to respond to a small matter that has occurred in the media. Your e-mail will have to join a long queue with everyone who sent their stories by e-mail as well.
What is public relation all about in the very first place? Communication! By relying too much on e-mail, what will happen to all the personal relationships built to last between the PR professional and the journalists? We might all become lazy people who just aren’t bothered to promote media relations anymore.
"Like any communication tool, e-mail needs to be used responsibly and in moderation." (Candy Tymson, 2006)
Last but not least, I learnt that the distribution of a media release should be timed to meet the deadlines of the media that are about to receive it. For example, CLEO magazine is working 3 months ahead of its publication date while the Today paper work within few hours before going in to press.
The Tenth Week.
Chapter 13: Close to home – The Asian heart.
At my very last chapter, I realized that I have learnt so much more about Public Relations through reading and have now found a whole new respect for PR practitioners. Plus, I never thought that I would actually go through the entire book, I have a new found respect for myself as well!
Being able to look at Public Relations in a different light has taught me to keep in mind that the world today has a whole new expectation for PR professionals and that we have to take on a lot more tasks. Being on top of everything, being able to solve problems, keeping your creativity, maintaining good relationships with the media as well as people working with you, not forgetting your audience and key publics. All at once being smart and humble. That’s a PR professional for you.
I find this chapter very interesting because I can relate to it, it talks about focusing on Asian public relations management, and it is a important chapter to read if I seriously consider public relations as my potential career path.
I learnt that if you take the US for example, the ‘united’ portrays an image that they are ‘one’ and that no Asia country will be able to hold the same image to them. And if you were to look at upcoming countries like China or India, there isn’t another country in Asia or in the West who’s able to follow the same image as they portray. And that is why Public Relations are made up of so many different variables to fit to all the countries.
I also learnt that there are a number of important factors at work in Asia that make up the job of PR more complex than it may be in individual Western countries. These factors are Trade, Languages, Government Intent, Stakeholders, and Personal Interaction. I could relate to the personal interaction the most – For PR practitioners in Asia, the primary source of income and employment is the direct client. The clients are ones who directly influence and persuade the stakeholder of most interest today. For example, if a customer came to your restaurant and had a bad experience, they would complain and word-of-mouth travels fast, thus causing the stakeholder to hear about this and they would question your reliability.
“The human channel – discussion and conversations at local level – provides a more valuable opinion-forming mechanism in Asia, compared to the West.” (Hung & Chen, 2004)
The important point is that some countries aspire to professionalism as it is being pursued vigorously in the West, while others are content to meander along, using different public relations models and technologies with little consideration for long-term implications.
At my very last chapter, I realized that I have learnt so much more about Public Relations through reading and have now found a whole new respect for PR practitioners. Plus, I never thought that I would actually go through the entire book, I have a new found respect for myself as well!
Being able to look at Public Relations in a different light has taught me to keep in mind that the world today has a whole new expectation for PR professionals and that we have to take on a lot more tasks. Being on top of everything, being able to solve problems, keeping your creativity, maintaining good relationships with the media as well as people working with you, not forgetting your audience and key publics. All at once being smart and humble. That’s a PR professional for you.
I find this chapter very interesting because I can relate to it, it talks about focusing on Asian public relations management, and it is a important chapter to read if I seriously consider public relations as my potential career path.
I learnt that if you take the US for example, the ‘united’ portrays an image that they are ‘one’ and that no Asia country will be able to hold the same image to them. And if you were to look at upcoming countries like China or India, there isn’t another country in Asia or in the West who’s able to follow the same image as they portray. And that is why Public Relations are made up of so many different variables to fit to all the countries.
I also learnt that there are a number of important factors at work in Asia that make up the job of PR more complex than it may be in individual Western countries. These factors are Trade, Languages, Government Intent, Stakeholders, and Personal Interaction. I could relate to the personal interaction the most – For PR practitioners in Asia, the primary source of income and employment is the direct client. The clients are ones who directly influence and persuade the stakeholder of most interest today. For example, if a customer came to your restaurant and had a bad experience, they would complain and word-of-mouth travels fast, thus causing the stakeholder to hear about this and they would question your reliability.
“The human channel – discussion and conversations at local level – provides a more valuable opinion-forming mechanism in Asia, compared to the West.” (Hung & Chen, 2004)
The important point is that some countries aspire to professionalism as it is being pursued vigorously in the West, while others are content to meander along, using different public relations models and technologies with little consideration for long-term implications.
The Ninth Week.
Chapter 12: The 21st Century Media.
In to my second last chapter readings, I have touched on to the new media of today.
I learnt in this chapter how much importance the Internet is to Public Relations today. Even the academics and practitioners are beginning to recognize the potentially transformative impact of technology on PR and its important contribution to the ability of organizations to be socially responsive.
“The implications for twenty-first century practitioners are all at once far reaching, terrifying and enormously exciting.” (Paine, 2007)
A key point I learnt is that traditional public relations techniques are no longer appropriate in much of public relations practice as they fail to connect with an internet-savvy public. For example, hundreds and thousands of articles on the same topic is easily accessible through Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo, and MSN.
“Everybody is a publisher and everybody is connected to everybody else.” (Holtz, 2002)
The creation of the new media would mean that the communication environment is more complex and more immediate. The publics are more powerful and can form across geographical boundaries. Through blogs, we can write about topics close to our heart at homes and in turn, it could actually be a political issue affecting the perception of a government.
It is their capacity to generate and share information that allows them to challenge organizational information, ensuring greater transparency and accountability on the part of organizations. Publics now expect to be consulted and informed about policies and processes that may affect them.
I learnt that to view the Internet as merely additional PR tactics, or new channels of communications, is to largely misunderstand the impact and function of such technology on the communication profession.
In to my second last chapter readings, I have touched on to the new media of today.
I learnt in this chapter how much importance the Internet is to Public Relations today. Even the academics and practitioners are beginning to recognize the potentially transformative impact of technology on PR and its important contribution to the ability of organizations to be socially responsive.
“The implications for twenty-first century practitioners are all at once far reaching, terrifying and enormously exciting.” (Paine, 2007)
A key point I learnt is that traditional public relations techniques are no longer appropriate in much of public relations practice as they fail to connect with an internet-savvy public. For example, hundreds and thousands of articles on the same topic is easily accessible through Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo, and MSN.
“Everybody is a publisher and everybody is connected to everybody else.” (Holtz, 2002)
The creation of the new media would mean that the communication environment is more complex and more immediate. The publics are more powerful and can form across geographical boundaries. Through blogs, we can write about topics close to our heart at homes and in turn, it could actually be a political issue affecting the perception of a government.
It is their capacity to generate and share information that allows them to challenge organizational information, ensuring greater transparency and accountability on the part of organizations. Publics now expect to be consulted and informed about policies and processes that may affect them.
I learnt that to view the Internet as merely additional PR tactics, or new channels of communications, is to largely misunderstand the impact and function of such technology on the communication profession.
The Eighth Week - Part Two
Chapter 10: A Public Relations Crisis.
In this chapter, I learnt that if issues are not well managed, crises can result for an organization, government, or individual. Crises are unpredictable events that can impact an organization’s viability, credibility, and reputation.
Reading, I find that a crisis is highly uncertain events in which the causes and effects are unknown. A crisis is a major occurrence with potentially negative outcomes that affect the organization, company, or industry.
I find that this is where the PR practitioners step in with skills in issue management. Issue management is a specific management function that seeks to identify potential, emerging, or actual trends, concerns, or issues likely to affect an organization and its key publics. They are identified by the PR professionals and dealt with.
Wait. I am talking about two matters at the moment. Crisis versus Issue. What are they, what’s the difference between the two of them?
An issue arises when there is a gap between what a company does and the key public or audience expectation of the company’s behavior as well as issues generated and public awareness spiked by organization’s who want people to start thinking about the topic and responding to a particular situation. For example, when organizations have their product made in countries such as Africa and India – and the key publics thought all this while that it was made in countries such as Italy and America.
While a crisis example is where the key publics find out that the money they placed in for charity were used to make a gold tap and toilet seat for the management of the organization.
"Organisations engaged in socially responsible practice tend to be more successful at anticipating potential public issues and responding to them before the issue becomes politicised." (Buchholz, 1982)
In this chapter, I learnt that if issues are not well managed, crises can result for an organization, government, or individual. Crises are unpredictable events that can impact an organization’s viability, credibility, and reputation.
Reading, I find that a crisis is highly uncertain events in which the causes and effects are unknown. A crisis is a major occurrence with potentially negative outcomes that affect the organization, company, or industry.
I find that this is where the PR practitioners step in with skills in issue management. Issue management is a specific management function that seeks to identify potential, emerging, or actual trends, concerns, or issues likely to affect an organization and its key publics. They are identified by the PR professionals and dealt with.
Wait. I am talking about two matters at the moment. Crisis versus Issue. What are they, what’s the difference between the two of them?
An issue arises when there is a gap between what a company does and the key public or audience expectation of the company’s behavior as well as issues generated and public awareness spiked by organization’s who want people to start thinking about the topic and responding to a particular situation. For example, when organizations have their product made in countries such as Africa and India – and the key publics thought all this while that it was made in countries such as Italy and America.
While a crisis example is where the key publics find out that the money they placed in for charity were used to make a gold tap and toilet seat for the management of the organization.
"Organisations engaged in socially responsible practice tend to be more successful at anticipating potential public issues and responding to them before the issue becomes politicised." (Buchholz, 1982)
The Eighth Week.
Chapter 8: Reputation – Again?
Coming to chapter 8, I realize that the reading has very much repeated from previous chapters. Or maybe it tries to get a little more depth from the previous chapter.
I have previously read about the reputation of the organization being very vital and that it was the PR practitioner’s job to keep it in well perspective.
Although I have read about reputation in the previous chapter, and that I find a lot of the information repeated, I find that this chapter takes a different view. Previously, the book took on the role of being the PR practitioner. But now, it is taking on the role of the organization. Let’s see what we can learn from this.
‘Stakeholder’ is a widely used term by PR professionals. I learnt that while stakeholder management is often linked to the notion of corporate social performance, there is considerable disagreement about the extent to which corporations should go in satisfying expectations of their various stakeholders. But if companies paid attention to their stakeholders, they would be more successful financially.
While the reputation if your organization matters a whole lot to your stakeholders, they will decide whether or not to rely on you, place trust in you, finance in you, or even work for you.
The stakeholders consist of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, governments, and communities. So it goes to show that a stakeholder does not have to be a person who pumps in money and resources in to the company only. They are both your internal and external guests. They are not your chess pieces; how you treat them will in turn come back to you.
“High-calibre corporate public relations executives are greatly valued and in short supply.” (Murray & White, 2005)
Coming to chapter 8, I realize that the reading has very much repeated from previous chapters. Or maybe it tries to get a little more depth from the previous chapter.
I have previously read about the reputation of the organization being very vital and that it was the PR practitioner’s job to keep it in well perspective.
Although I have read about reputation in the previous chapter, and that I find a lot of the information repeated, I find that this chapter takes a different view. Previously, the book took on the role of being the PR practitioner. But now, it is taking on the role of the organization. Let’s see what we can learn from this.
‘Stakeholder’ is a widely used term by PR professionals. I learnt that while stakeholder management is often linked to the notion of corporate social performance, there is considerable disagreement about the extent to which corporations should go in satisfying expectations of their various stakeholders. But if companies paid attention to their stakeholders, they would be more successful financially.
While the reputation if your organization matters a whole lot to your stakeholders, they will decide whether or not to rely on you, place trust in you, finance in you, or even work for you.
The stakeholders consist of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, governments, and communities. So it goes to show that a stakeholder does not have to be a person who pumps in money and resources in to the company only. They are both your internal and external guests. They are not your chess pieces; how you treat them will in turn come back to you.
“High-calibre corporate public relations executives are greatly valued and in short supply.” (Murray & White, 2005)
The Seventh Week.
Chapter 7: How do Public Relations fit in to the organization?
In this chapter, I learnt that it is important to practice the public relations method of being socially responsible all the time. For example, while you save electricity at home, you do not seem to do so at work. How do you foster this good habit at work, how do you solve this problem?
“The model theory for the practice of PR is all who attempt to solve problems, make recommendations and predict the future, need theories, models, and as a starting point, concepts.” (Skyttner, 2001)
I found that one of the methods practitioners used is by a constant monitoring one foot in the organization, and one outside – media, audience, publics. It is through this method that providing information to the environment about the media comes back and brings information about the environment back to the organizational decision makers. For example, if we were to release a new idea of product from an IT store, we could come back with information about whether people were responding well to the product, and that would lead to decisions on whether the market was ready for this new product.
I learnt that an excellent PR program must operate at organization, department, and program levels. The PR program must know to cater to all the different culture and needs at the different departments.
I remember Ms Tanya talking to us about the organizations today and how they want their PR practitioners to be jack-of-all-trades. That is why the Communication department and the Marketing department are often associated with one another. But I found a different view to that statement.
“For the most part, public relations academics believe that the public relations dept should be separate from the marketing function.” (Grunig, 1992)
“It should coordinate all forms of communication to maximize organizational goals. Nowadays, the public relations marketing mix is becoming more common but the specific contributions of public relations must still be recognized and supported.” (van Riel, 2007)
This goes to show that while organizations believe that a PR practitioner should be capable of a lot of tasks and responsibilities, the role of the PR professional must still be recognized and appreciated.
In this chapter, I learnt that it is important to practice the public relations method of being socially responsible all the time. For example, while you save electricity at home, you do not seem to do so at work. How do you foster this good habit at work, how do you solve this problem?
“The model theory for the practice of PR is all who attempt to solve problems, make recommendations and predict the future, need theories, models, and as a starting point, concepts.” (Skyttner, 2001)
I found that one of the methods practitioners used is by a constant monitoring one foot in the organization, and one outside – media, audience, publics. It is through this method that providing information to the environment about the media comes back and brings information about the environment back to the organizational decision makers. For example, if we were to release a new idea of product from an IT store, we could come back with information about whether people were responding well to the product, and that would lead to decisions on whether the market was ready for this new product.
I learnt that an excellent PR program must operate at organization, department, and program levels. The PR program must know to cater to all the different culture and needs at the different departments.
I remember Ms Tanya talking to us about the organizations today and how they want their PR practitioners to be jack-of-all-trades. That is why the Communication department and the Marketing department are often associated with one another. But I found a different view to that statement.
“For the most part, public relations academics believe that the public relations dept should be separate from the marketing function.” (Grunig, 1992)
“It should coordinate all forms of communication to maximize organizational goals. Nowadays, the public relations marketing mix is becoming more common but the specific contributions of public relations must still be recognized and supported.” (van Riel, 2007)
This goes to show that while organizations believe that a PR practitioner should be capable of a lot of tasks and responsibilities, the role of the PR professional must still be recognized and appreciated.
The Sixth Week.
Chapter 9: Public Relations Strategy/Plan?
I see that this chapter focuses on strategizing, your target audience, setting objectives, and evaluation. Public Relations practitioners choose strategies and tactics that they believe will achieve intentional representation and intended meaning.
“Being able to adopt a strategic approach is an important skill because it links the PR programs and thinking back what is important for the organization.” (Melanie James, 2009)
This chapter would help doing our Public Relations plan for Organizing Chaos Daily (OCD) to a huge extent!
Just as OCD tries to raise awareness to the public that organizing is a essential part of your life, practitioners need to understand what happens in the contested space where public relations operates so they can design activities and campaigns to best achieve their intended outcomes.
I learnt in this chapter that strategy is central to the role and function of public relations. The strategic contribution of PR practitioners develops problem-solving strategies for the entire organization by working with other departments and coordinating problem-solving activities.
For example, the sales department can work with the PR department to come up with solutions to guest complains by giving them more benefits by staying with them at their hotel.
I would not think that if a you did not have any working experience in a organization with a PR department, would you understand to a certain extent how the PR department works to keep the image of the organization. Like what I read where PR works best when it is a integral part of the development of any organizational activity and focused on supporting the achievement of organizational goals. By playing the devil’s advocate role or place themselves in the shoes of the organization’s publics to try and anticipate and alert the organizations to possible repercussions of decisions, policies and actions, will the PR practitioners bring real value to the organization, especially in terms of the way it is perceived by its publics.
“Reputation and relationship management are built on strategies adopted at all levels within organizations, especially through the communication programs implemented by public relations practitioners.” (Melanie James, 2009)
I see that this chapter focuses on strategizing, your target audience, setting objectives, and evaluation. Public Relations practitioners choose strategies and tactics that they believe will achieve intentional representation and intended meaning.
“Being able to adopt a strategic approach is an important skill because it links the PR programs and thinking back what is important for the organization.” (Melanie James, 2009)
This chapter would help doing our Public Relations plan for Organizing Chaos Daily (OCD) to a huge extent!
Just as OCD tries to raise awareness to the public that organizing is a essential part of your life, practitioners need to understand what happens in the contested space where public relations operates so they can design activities and campaigns to best achieve their intended outcomes.
I learnt in this chapter that strategy is central to the role and function of public relations. The strategic contribution of PR practitioners develops problem-solving strategies for the entire organization by working with other departments and coordinating problem-solving activities.
For example, the sales department can work with the PR department to come up with solutions to guest complains by giving them more benefits by staying with them at their hotel.
I would not think that if a you did not have any working experience in a organization with a PR department, would you understand to a certain extent how the PR department works to keep the image of the organization. Like what I read where PR works best when it is a integral part of the development of any organizational activity and focused on supporting the achievement of organizational goals. By playing the devil’s advocate role or place themselves in the shoes of the organization’s publics to try and anticipate and alert the organizations to possible repercussions of decisions, policies and actions, will the PR practitioners bring real value to the organization, especially in terms of the way it is perceived by its publics.
“Reputation and relationship management are built on strategies adopted at all levels within organizations, especially through the communication programs implemented by public relations practitioners.” (Melanie James, 2009)
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