Kim Leslie’s PR Blog

The first section of the chapter addresses the two largest problems with PR: 1) the public’s negative views concerning PR and 2) an agreed-upon definition of PR does not exist. Guth and Marsh immediately counter the negative criticism of PR by stating that “Public relations fosters mutually beneficial relationships” (p. 3). The authors then explain how the Adolph Coors Company used public relations to counter criticism of the company’s hiring practices. Coors is now “the third largest brewer in the United States” and is recognized for its diverse employees. Next, the chapter addresses the debate over the meaning of PR. While there is no agreed-upon definition of PR, there are five agreed-upon elements of PR. These include PR as a management function, PR involves two-way communication, PR as a planned activity, PR as a research-based social science, and PR as socially responsible. Relationship management, or nurturing relationships between the organization and its publics, is one of the most important roles of PR. In addition, Guth and Marsh emphasize the role PR plays in the free flow of information in a democratic society.

Another important aspect of PR is the models used by PR practitioners. According to Hunt and Grunig, the best model for PR practitioners to follow is the two-way symmetrical model which focuses on two-way communication. Two-way communication resolves conflicts and promotes understanding between organizations and their publics in this model. Next, the authors identify three models of the PR process. The traditional and dynamic models of the PR process do not acknowledge the role of values in PR. According to Guth and Marsh, values play a critical role in communicating with and listening to an organization’s publics. The values-driven public relations model integrates values into each step of the PR process. The end of the chapter reflects the importance of values in PR by stating that a PR practitioner’s actions should reflect the organization’s core values (Guth and Marsh).

Hey ya’ll, my name is Kim Leslie. I’m a Communication Studies major and Journalism minor. I’m hoping to do PR for a major corporation when I graduate and am really excited to be taking this PR course. I hope to move to California or Texas when I graduate, but I do plan on returning to the South at some point. I love writing, running, and tanning at the beach, or by the pool. My dog, Taffie, is a brown miniature poodle, she is so cute! I also absolutely love Clemson and cannot wait for our first home football game!

After reading the first chapter in our textbook by Guth and Marsh and reviewing the websites posted on Blackboard, PR seems to be almost as difficult to define as communication! However, I have created my own definition of PR: A highly misunderstood industry which seeks to sustain  relationships between an organization and its publics by both listening to an organization’s publics and communicating information to those publics in a way that does not compromise the organization’s core values. This definition, of course, is wordy and cannot encompass the full meaning of PR. The task of defining PR and boxing it into a single definition does not seem possible or fitting. After all, the industry is constantly changing with new organizations and technology. In addition, no two PR practitioners or efforts are the same, as PR is tailored to fit each individual organization and the specific publics it serves. In Public Relations: A Values Driven Approach, Guth and Marsh attempt to offer a broader definition of PR. They state that “Public relations is the management of relationships between an organization and its publics” (p. 10).  I agree that this definition makes it easier for many to agree on a definition of PR. However, I disagree with this definition because it shortchanges the PR industry by not encompassing all of the roles the industry plays. Guth and Marsh state that PR plays a critical role in the dissemination of information in a democratic society. A better definition than mine or the authors’ should include this important effect of PR. In sum, the PR industry will continue to exist with or without a definition of itself due to its integral and valuable role in our society.