Book Notes Monday December 7 2015 5 37 PM Ancient beginning of PR Reach back to civilizations of Babylonia Greece and Rome Used to persuasion to promote the authority of governments and religions Often said that the Rosetta Stone was basically a publicity release touting the pharaoh s accomplishments Organizers of the Olympic Games used promotional techniques to enhance the perception of athletes as heroes Julius Caesar had ambitions to become emperor of the Roman Empire Organized elaborate parades whenever he returned from winning a battle to burnish his image as a outstanding commander and leader Once a consul had clerks make records of senatorial and other public proceeding and post them on walls throughout the city acta diurnal daily doings were among the world s first newspapers Development of PR in the 19th century Golden age of the press agent publicist who works for recognition of an organization or individual Age of hype in which organizations employed media and various tactics to promote individuals causes products and services John Burke made Bill s Wild West Show a household phrase throughout the US Played on the gullibility of the public and its desire to be entertained Advertisements and press releases were exaggerated to the point of being outright lies Press agents would drop tickets on the desk of a newspaper editor along with the announcements Generous publicity generally followed on the heels of these gifts and the journalists and their families flocked to the free entertainment with little regard for the ethical considerations that largely prohibits such practices today During the 19th century publicity and promotion were used to populate the western US Brochures and pamphlets stretched the truth about whatever to the free entertainment with little regard for the ethical considerations that largely prohibits such practices today During the 19th century publicity and promotion were used to populate the western US Brochures and pamphlets stretched the truth about whatever state it was promoting American railroads used extensive public relations and press agentry to attract settlers and expand their operations Mutual Life Insurance Company hired a journalist to write news releases designed to stave off criticism and improve its image In 1889 Westinghouse Corporation established what is thought to be the first in house publicity department In 1897 the term public relations was first used by the Association of American Railroads in a company listing Politics Amos Kendall became an intimate member of President Andrew Jackson s Kitchen Cabinet Could be considered the first press secretary Sampled public opinion on issues advised Jackson and skillfully interpreted the president s rough hewn ideas Modern age of Public Relations The booming economy after WWII produced rapid growth in all areas of public relations Companies opened public relations departments or expanded existing ones Government staffs increased in size as did the PR staffs of nonprofits TV emerged in the early 1950s as a national medium and as a new challenge for public relations professionals As physical and psychological separation from their publics grew American business and industry turned increasingly to public relations specialists for audience analysis strategic planning issues management and even the creation of supportive environments for the selling of products and services Mass media also became more complex and sophisticated and demand for specialists in media relations grew in tandem Major trends in public relations Transparency An ever broadening social media toolbox Increased emphasis on evaluation Managing the 24 7 news cycle New directions in mass media Outsourcing to public relations firms The importance of lifelong learning An ever broadening social media toolbox Increased emphasis on evaluation Managing the 24 7 news cycle New directions in mass media Outsourcing to public relations firms The importance of lifelong learning Pioneers in public relations Ivy Ledbetter Lee When he opened his public relations firm he issued a declaration of principles that signaled a new practice model public information His emphasis was on the dissemination of truthful accurate information Rockefeller case Hired in the wake of a vicious strike breaking activities known as the Ludlow Massacre at the Colorado Fuel and Iron company mine Used a muscular approach to public relations a careful strategy and broad array of tactics Made Rockefeller go and physically visit the area in order to establish contact and work on deals to improve safety that would make every one happier Four important contributions Advancing the concept that business and industry should align themselves with the public interest Dealing with top executives and carrying out no program unless it has the active support of management Maintaining open communication with the news media Emphasizing the necessity of humanizing business and bringing its public relations down to the community level of employees customers and neighbors Edward L Bernays Father of modern public relations Nephew of Sigmund Freud Conceptualized a model of public relations that emphasized social science research and behavioral psychology to formulate campaigns and messages to change people s perceptions and encourage certain behaviors Listening to the audience but the sole purpose of gathering feedback was to formulate a better persuasive message Thought about the big idea on how to motivate people Bacon industry wanted to promote its product Bernays came up with the idea of having doctors across the country endorse a hearty breakfast no explicit mention was made of bacon Bacon and Eggs feedback was to formulate a better persuasive message Thought about the big idea on how to motivate people Bacon industry wanted to promote its product Bernays came up with the idea of having doctors across the country endorse a hearty breakfast no explicit mention was made of bacon Bacon and Eggs Models of public relations Press agentry publicity Entails one way communication primarily through the mass media to distribute information that may be exaggerated distorted or even incomplete to hype a cause product or service Its purpose is advocacy little or no research is required PT Barnum was noted historical figure during his model s heyday Sports theater music and film think of the classic Hollywood publicist are the main fields in which this model is employed today Public