Personal Relations: Issues of Definition and Distinction

What is Public relations? Johanna Fawkes 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11110 11 12 13 14 15 16 11117 11118 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 11150 5111 This chapter introduces several definitions of public relations in an attempt to clarify the parameters of the discipline. Distinctions are made between public relations and the fields of marketing and advertising. The evolution of public relations is recounted to give context to the profession. Four models of public relations communication are explained, with historical and current examples. Most students – and, indeed, practitioners – are familiar with the problem of trying to explain what they are studying or how they are earning their living: ‘Public relations? Is that working with people? You know, like an air hostess, shop assistant?’ ‘No, more problem solving, really. And working with the media.’ ‘Oh yes, all those parties.’ ‘Well . . .’ Somewhere along the line words like ‘spin doctors’ are likely to crop up, replacing the more traditional ‘gin-and-tonic’ shorthand for PR. And, of course, everyone has heard of Max Clifford. But, how to explain that he doesn’t call himself a PR practitioner but a publicist – especially if the distinction isn’t all that clear to the speaker? This chapter aims to cover the issues of definition and distinction of PR from related activities, but a word of warning. These will not solve the dilemma of trying to ‘explain’ public relations in a phrase. The fact remains that it is a complex and hybrid subject; it draws on theories and practices from many different fields, such as management, media, communication and psychology. These links will be explored more fully in this book. Readers are more likely to have an understanding of the subject and an ability to evolve their own definitions when they have reached the end