The four-part documentary series The Century of the Self captures the rise of one of the definitive industries of the 20th century, namely, Public Relations (PR). The term Public Relations is somewhat of a euphemism, for far from maintaining healthy relations with consumers the industry actually acts against their interests. It is true that the…
Tag: PR
What is litigation public relations, and what are its pro and cons?
Litigation public relations (LPR) are the set of communication activities that a company undertakes during the process of a litigation. The core objective of litigation public relations is to reduce damage to the image of the company; and this objective is usually achieved through skilful handling of media and a positive portrayal of the company’s…
How can Public Relations communications theory help us understand the role of new media
The Public Relations industry, which is an offshoot of the traditional advertising industry, turned into a dominant business institution through the course of the twentieth century. The two countries that pioneered this industry are the United States and the United Kingdom. In the case of the former, Edward Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, is…
Problems in ethics codes of TV, Radio and Newspapers
The common framework of journalistic ethics that is being adopted by radio, television and newspaper associations is a fair and balanced one. Having said so, adhering to such guidelines are not without challenges. The rest of this essay will try to demonstrate why these ethical guidelines are difficult to implement in a media atmosphere dominated…