There are
many misconceptions about what Public Relations really is. Many people who do not a good grasp of public relations see it as a propaganda. That is the manipulation
of people’s minds by charlatans to make them believe things that are not real.
People with this type of image of public relations, see the profession as
distasteful and its practitioners, evil. Another group have a wrong impression
about public relations as they see it as mere publicity-that is getting
information into newspapers and magazines, or on radio, television or social
media.
Some it as a means of gaining free media coverage by hosting journalists
and giving them free meals and other gifts. Or, PR as events management such as
birthday, naming, wedding parties, funeral ceremonies, product launch, product
promotion etc. In addition to the above, another erroneous belief about public
relations is that some see it as press agency-that is unusual news stunts which
the media cannot afford not to publish. To a great number of people, PR is
lobby- that is a deliberate and sustained contacts with government agencies in
order to gain favourable policies and laws or nip in the bud the unfavourable
ones.
Yet, another
group of people see public relations as a tall, handsome young man or beautiful
young lady, neatly dressed and well spoken with a brief case, representing
their company. Others regard public relations as a profession where the
practitioners are orators and persuasive personalities; people with sugar
coated tongues who can impress their listeners tremendously and win them to
their side of argument. Some see public relations as media hype or publicity
given to important person (s). To some persons, PR is all about preparing and
presenting hampers to customers during Christmas. To others, it is simply
interfacing with a company’s publics!
However, with
these plethora of what public relations is not, we cannot deny the fact that
there is an iota of truth about PR in all these misconceptions. It is true that
PR influences people, it uses publicity, press agency and lobbying to sway
government policies and laws to their favour while some PR practitioners are
indeed personable and amiable with many friends around them.
Look out for
what public relations is on my next post on this series of public relations as
a profession.
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