Nick Rees
nr972810@ohio.edu
As a journalism student squarely focused on magazine writing as a future career, my experience with the term "public relations," or PR, is limited.
nr972810@ohio.edu
As a journalism student squarely focused on magazine writing as a future career, my experience with the term "public relations," or PR, is limited.
PR is a field responsible for shaping or fixing an individual or
company’s public image. That image helps the public in its decision whether to
trust the person or not. These are the shapers of our opinions. Their work
creates the image we as the public gobble up without question.
It's not the term that tends to confuse, but how these
professionals actually handle their business that leaves some wondering. Do
these individuals wear the white hat of morality and goodness or are they
willing to bend the rules to get the job done?
WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS?
Being a modern man with a social media obsession, I turn to
cultural references to
understand confusing concepts. When confronting the idea
of PR or public relations, I immediately looked to the ABC show
"Scandal."
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| Courtesy of Huffington Post |
For those without background knowledge of the characters or plot
of this fantastic show, it revolves around a political fixer, Olivia Pope, and
her team of skilled associates. The show, set in Washington, D.C., focuses on Pope’s
work to help power players with everything to lose save themselves from ruin.
Her skills come in the form of setting the perfect angle or possibly making
another person involved in the situation look worse. In a nutshell, Olivia Pope fixes the entire situation and saves the individual’s public image.
Most people don’t realize that this character is based upon a true
D.C. fixer dealing in everything PR. This Washington Post article highlights Judy
Smith’s career and similarities to the character and her admirable work in
public relations.
WHAT WHITE HAT?
Now we need to discuss the true intentions of a PR person. Does he or she actually wear the white hat? Or does he or she have flexible morals?
When shaping an individual’s public image, there must be some form of
ethical code in place. The PR expert must have lines that he or she won't cross. Is lying
acceptable if the blame can be shifted away? One must ask themselves how far he is willing to go.
The public needs and wants reassurance that a person or company
under fire is actually reliable and trustworthy. Public relations experts focus
on gaining that credibility and restoring the trust of the public.
Nowadays the truth has become a figment of many imaginative minds.
Some individuals might not have the moral or ethical codes to significantly
stretch the truth, but that doesn’t mean others do not. An individual’s image
might not always reflect the truth, especially when he is willing to do anything
to protect it.
PR DISASTERS IN THE NEWS
When talking about public relations and the ability to better
someone’s public image, it’s crucial to present the opposing side of the
argument. Several cases in the last year were
PR disasters on a level that has
marked them as extreme situations.
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| Courtesy of MetroCooking Houston |
The public images of Paula Deen, Lance Armstrong and Abercrombie
& Fitch are examples of tarnished reputations. This article highlights the
failures of each to recuperate his or her image. These disasters occurred
because of statements that were made without thought and then not properly
handled.
Although PR experts don’t always wear the white hat of justice or
fairness, these people certainly come in handy in a crisis.
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