Sunday, August 26, 2007
Week 7
This week's reading by Johnston and Zawawi had many key points to remember while considering the theme 'media relations'.
1. Their first key item points towards the relationship held between public relations (PR) practioners and the media and how interaction between each can help to convey a message. This may mean regular contact on a regular basis.
2. Media and big business - Australian media is characterised by controlling monopolies. One only has to think of the media magnates Packer (PBL holdings) and Murdock (Fairfax). There is debate about cross-media ownership by one company in the same location. Issues include diversity, representation, plurality, regulation and technological convergence. Media convergence enable message sending to a wide varied audience and can be used to provide live media.
3. Relationship between PR and media can be fostered in the following ways.
Knowing whats newsworthy which can be determined by proximity, prominence and currency, human interest, the unusual and money.
Deadlines. Media outlets run to strict deadlines. This varies for different media styles eg. radio and monthly mags.
Newsroom must understand the role of newroom personal and the hierachal structure. Eg. editior, chief of staff, section editors, sub editiors, reporters and photographers. Get to know the journalists on a personal level to gain a better understanding.
Media styles different media have different requirements which the practitioner should be aware of. The should always consider the medium's particular needs such as supply of information.
Target audience the practitioner should define the audience they wish to target their message to. They should consider aspects that might concern their audience, the type of medium they may use eg. tv, radio and content.
Media release these are brief news items that will convey key messages regarding events, issues and so forth. They usually contain elements of who, what, when, where, why and how as well as newsworthy aspects. Effective media releases will be to the point.
Media kits are used by journalists to make their job easier. They might contain fact sheets, reference guides that list key attributes of an organisation or event; backgrounders, that provide the background of an organisation or event; feature articles, these can be written features or a feature idea may be developed and passed onto a journalist; profiles, comprehensive background on an individual or organisation. Other items may include business cards and media passes.
Media conference allows for a wide dissemination of a story, to give all media access at once, to allow journalists to ask follow-up questions. Members of the conference can be invited through fax, email and the practitioner must also consider the location of the conference. It must be easily accessed and central. Such examples may include hotels and town halls where other requirements such as parking can be met.
The Public relations theory and practice readings presented aspects that make up the relationship structure between public relations and media. This weeks readings outlined strong journalistic techniques and how knowledge of these by PR practitioners help to foster a relationship with their media counterparts, ie. journalists. There is an underlying message of fostering this relationship with less professional techniques such as socialising with each profession's counterparts.
I've briefly checked out the online readings but will discuss these later.
1. Their first key item points towards the relationship held between public relations (PR) practioners and the media and how interaction between each can help to convey a message. This may mean regular contact on a regular basis.
2. Media and big business - Australian media is characterised by controlling monopolies. One only has to think of the media magnates Packer (PBL holdings) and Murdock (Fairfax). There is debate about cross-media ownership by one company in the same location. Issues include diversity, representation, plurality, regulation and technological convergence. Media convergence enable message sending to a wide varied audience and can be used to provide live media.
3. Relationship between PR and media can be fostered in the following ways.
Knowing whats newsworthy which can be determined by proximity, prominence and currency, human interest, the unusual and money.
Deadlines. Media outlets run to strict deadlines. This varies for different media styles eg. radio and monthly mags.
Newsroom must understand the role of newroom personal and the hierachal structure. Eg. editior, chief of staff, section editors, sub editiors, reporters and photographers. Get to know the journalists on a personal level to gain a better understanding.
Media styles different media have different requirements which the practitioner should be aware of. The should always consider the medium's particular needs such as supply of information.
Target audience the practitioner should define the audience they wish to target their message to. They should consider aspects that might concern their audience, the type of medium they may use eg. tv, radio and content.
Media release these are brief news items that will convey key messages regarding events, issues and so forth. They usually contain elements of who, what, when, where, why and how as well as newsworthy aspects. Effective media releases will be to the point.
Media kits are used by journalists to make their job easier. They might contain fact sheets, reference guides that list key attributes of an organisation or event; backgrounders, that provide the background of an organisation or event; feature articles, these can be written features or a feature idea may be developed and passed onto a journalist; profiles, comprehensive background on an individual or organisation. Other items may include business cards and media passes.
Media conference allows for a wide dissemination of a story, to give all media access at once, to allow journalists to ask follow-up questions. Members of the conference can be invited through fax, email and the practitioner must also consider the location of the conference. It must be easily accessed and central. Such examples may include hotels and town halls where other requirements such as parking can be met.
The Public relations theory and practice readings presented aspects that make up the relationship structure between public relations and media. This weeks readings outlined strong journalistic techniques and how knowledge of these by PR practitioners help to foster a relationship with their media counterparts, ie. journalists. There is an underlying message of fostering this relationship with less professional techniques such as socialising with each profession's counterparts.
I've briefly checked out the online readings but will discuss these later.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Week 5
I think the key points to remember from this week's readings were the planning aspects of public relations. Johnston and Zawawi's public relations theory and practice include the following:
1. Organisational Strategy - a series of planned activities that will determine goals and objectives, develop action plans and use various communication tools to implement strategy. Questions such as what business are we in? Why does the business exist? can help to develop the planning phase.
2. Public Relations Strategy - Practitioners should have direct access to the decision-making body, to educate management about the value of strategic PR to ensure their influence in the planning and development of an organisation's objectives such as crisis management and their publics interests.
3. Value of Public Relations - As previously mentioned, it is important for a practitioner to be linked directly to the head of an organisation to effectively promote their strategies within management, their various publics and throughout the organisational structure. Studies show that organisations willing to foster this relationship often enjoy the benefits of good sales economics, fewer crises as well as attracting loyalty from their publics.
4. Vision and Mission Statements - these will define what you are doing and the direction you are heading. The vision statement will usually determine future direction. The mission statement closes the gap between an unsatisfactory present and an ideal future. PR mission statements are developed from these.
5. Key Performance Indicators - (KPI's) indicators that are used to measure progress towards achieving their mission, such as percentages from a financial point of view. However, this is not always effective in measuring the intangible aspects of business.
6. Strategic Planning - Johnston and Zawawi's 10 point plan.
-executive summary
-vision and mission
-background and situation analysis
-define strategy
-define publics
-define main message
-select tactics and communication methods
-implementation and scheduling
-monitoring and evaluation
-budget.
This week's readings allowed me to understand the importance of the term 'strategy' within the realms of public relations. While an organisation may develop its direction according to its business needs, the readings indicate that the practitioner not only aligns their values to that of the business, but will also anticipate its future needs by formulating strategies and developing policies. These are most effective when backed by top management.
1. Organisational Strategy - a series of planned activities that will determine goals and objectives, develop action plans and use various communication tools to implement strategy. Questions such as what business are we in? Why does the business exist? can help to develop the planning phase.
2. Public Relations Strategy - Practitioners should have direct access to the decision-making body, to educate management about the value of strategic PR to ensure their influence in the planning and development of an organisation's objectives such as crisis management and their publics interests.
3. Value of Public Relations - As previously mentioned, it is important for a practitioner to be linked directly to the head of an organisation to effectively promote their strategies within management, their various publics and throughout the organisational structure. Studies show that organisations willing to foster this relationship often enjoy the benefits of good sales economics, fewer crises as well as attracting loyalty from their publics.
4. Vision and Mission Statements - these will define what you are doing and the direction you are heading. The vision statement will usually determine future direction. The mission statement closes the gap between an unsatisfactory present and an ideal future. PR mission statements are developed from these.
5. Key Performance Indicators - (KPI's) indicators that are used to measure progress towards achieving their mission, such as percentages from a financial point of view. However, this is not always effective in measuring the intangible aspects of business.
6. Strategic Planning - Johnston and Zawawi's 10 point plan.
-executive summary
-vision and mission
-background and situation analysis
-define strategy
-define publics
-define main message
-select tactics and communication methods
-implementation and scheduling
-monitoring and evaluation
-budget.
This week's readings allowed me to understand the importance of the term 'strategy' within the realms of public relations. While an organisation may develop its direction according to its business needs, the readings indicate that the practitioner not only aligns their values to that of the business, but will also anticipate its future needs by formulating strategies and developing policies. These are most effective when backed by top management.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Commentary on Annika's blog
Hi Annika
I haven't yet read week 5 readings as you have done so firstly, good on you for being in front. I had imagined that the legal environment when considering public relations would have something to do with how PR works in legal confines. Just when you think you have this PR thing worked out, along comes the legal eagle with all their rules and restrictions. Does this impact upon the role of the practitioner? Probably not, I imagine that this would only act to inhibit the role of the practitioner. However, I am sure that legal requirements always lurk in the back of the dark recesses of one's mind and only come to the fore when an obvious dilemma is being faced.
Great Blog!
I haven't yet read week 5 readings as you have done so firstly, good on you for being in front. I had imagined that the legal environment when considering public relations would have something to do with how PR works in legal confines. Just when you think you have this PR thing worked out, along comes the legal eagle with all their rules and restrictions. Does this impact upon the role of the practitioner? Probably not, I imagine that this would only act to inhibit the role of the practitioner. However, I am sure that legal requirements always lurk in the back of the dark recesses of one's mind and only come to the fore when an obvious dilemma is being faced.
Great Blog!
Week 4
I think the key points to remember from the Gray's chapter entitled 'internal communications' in the new Australian and New Zealand public relations manual,
1. illustrates an in-depth view of the workings of internal communications within large organisations.
2. in large, communicators should prescribe to their organisation's values to effectively communicate these to employees within the organisation structure in order to change behaviour within the environment. There will be an objective for a change of behaviour that is usually to achieve economics of sales.
3. There are many tools that the communicator may use transfer information within the organisation to enable change. These include the traditional media formats of newsletters and magazines, digital media such an email, intranet, sms live television. Research shows that the most effective form of communication that impacts upon employee behaviour is the face to face contact with company executives.
4. Communicators must remember that communication is a tailored process and it must meet the needs of the organisation. However one communication process for a particular organisation may not be appropriate for another.
This weeks readings made me think of the necessary strategies a communicator must utilise in order to communicate effectively within an organisation. Change is better effected when communication lines are open between executive, management, supervisors and front line employees. Success can be measured by the rate of participation from employees that are aligned to an organisation's set values. On the other hand, if the communication process does not enable open communication between front line employees and management through various means, but especially face to face, morale is usually found to be low.
1. illustrates an in-depth view of the workings of internal communications within large organisations.
2. in large, communicators should prescribe to their organisation's values to effectively communicate these to employees within the organisation structure in order to change behaviour within the environment. There will be an objective for a change of behaviour that is usually to achieve economics of sales.
3. There are many tools that the communicator may use transfer information within the organisation to enable change. These include the traditional media formats of newsletters and magazines, digital media such an email, intranet, sms live television. Research shows that the most effective form of communication that impacts upon employee behaviour is the face to face contact with company executives.
4. Communicators must remember that communication is a tailored process and it must meet the needs of the organisation. However one communication process for a particular organisation may not be appropriate for another.
This weeks readings made me think of the necessary strategies a communicator must utilise in order to communicate effectively within an organisation. Change is better effected when communication lines are open between executive, management, supervisors and front line employees. Success can be measured by the rate of participation from employees that are aligned to an organisation's set values. On the other hand, if the communication process does not enable open communication between front line employees and management through various means, but especially face to face, morale is usually found to be low.
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