COMM 310, Advanced Writing, Public Relations

COMM 310, Advanced Writing, Public Relations

Lecture synopsis one
Public relations practitioners nearly always spend much of their time writing a variety of materials, from press releases to billboards. The difference between public relations and advertising generally is:

advertising is paid for;
advertising is under control of the advertiser;
advertising targets a specific product or service.

Public relations material sent to the media normally are not paid for, so under the control of the media, and not the supplier. Normally they hope to enhance good will of the public toward the organization, and are not designed to sell a specific product. Of course, promotional material published by the organization itself is paid for and under its control, but normally not designed to promote a specific product. Distinction between the two sometimes blurs.

Public relations may be many things, from the kind of car the CEO drives, to the kind of logo on company stationery. But publicity, as part of public relations, emphasizes communication to a large public by using pictures, sometimes, or words most often. Public relations practices have evolved into four basic styles.

The oldest, employing a "press agent" dates from the 19^th century. The agent's role was to shield company directors from media prying, to tell as little as possible, and to lie or half-lie when convenient. This "stonewall" model evolved into a public relations effort emphasizing truth, ethical communication, and openness, but still communication flowed one way: from source, to message, to medium, to public. The two-way model developed more recently not only emphasizes messages to the public, but also relies on research to assess the public’s attitudes about the organization, and to see how a message affected those attitudes. Most recently the "synchronous" model emphasizes a dialogue between the company and the public, the company adjusting itself, if necessary, to conform to expectations of the public. The public relations officer in this arrangement serves as intermediary.

All methods still are in use today, depending on the traditions, expectations, and even courage of an organization.

Lecture synopsis two
We all try to persuade people in our professional and personal lives, but when we need to persuade a large number, we usually have to rely on words in written form. Persuasion is not easy, however. Research shows that barriers include:

People seek out opinions they agree with, and avoid or distort arguments they don’t agree with.
People will not be persuaded unless they are open to the source itself.
Persuasion is most effective if presented early, before opinions are formed through the grapevine, or when listeners are young.
Persuasion is most effective if presented before people hold strong opinions on a topic.
Opinions attached to emotions are difficult to change.

Implications of this in writing persuasive messages:

Conclusions should be explicitly stated.
Hyperbole is not effective.
Approaches need to be changed regularly to avoid losing effectiveness.
Messages should be aimed at new groups, and not to those already converted.
Credibility is crucial. Lying destroys credibility.
One-sided arguments are less effective.
Endorsement by a group offers a persuasive ally.
Opinion leaders also can be persuasive allies.

Persuasion often takes time; the American Cancer Society worked more than three decades before its anti-smoking campaign became successful.

Lecture synopsis three
Press releases represent the basic tool public relations practitioners use to inform the public through the media. PR professionals like press releases because they can write directly for the media without the filter of a reporter’s interview, because they have time to compose a good argument, and because they can control timing of the news.

Media also like press releases, because they have facts they need at hand, in an easy-to-read form, and because they can file and organize releases to schedule coverage or future stories.

Public relations officers write press releases to announce a wide variety of news, good and bad, and often to give written material accompanying a press conference.

The lead (first sentence or two) is most important part of a press release, as it is written in standard news style. Of course, this includes the 5Ws and H, although all of them need not be crammed into one lead sentence.

Releases should include a contact with e-mail and phone number at the top, a date, letterhead of organization, "For Immediate Release" and a dateline (city and state). Including direct quotes helps encourage editors and news directors to use the material. Photos also enhance the possibility of a release being published, although it’s more difficult to include professional-format videos for television use.

An"embargoed" release includes a specific release date, and perhaps release time. Editors and news directors are asked not to publish or broadcast the news before that.

Even is a release isn't used, or is rewritten, it still can serve its purpose of getting information to the public, and reminding the media that you are available.

Lecture synopsis four
Many of us find writing to be hard work, perhaps because we were taught to emphasize mechanics, and to write as punishment. Researchers seem to think our "left brain" is in charge of the logical and mechanical side of writing, while our "right brain" handles the imaginative and intuitive side. We need both for good writing, but it's usually better to begin with the right brain functions, and then revise with the left.

To help get in touch with that imaginative side, some people try "clustering" or the "idea web." The idea is to brainstorm a way to begin writing, as you might do in a meeting. To get in touch with your intuitive right brain, you try to do a sort of personal brainstorm.

Try writing on a blank sheet of paper a key concept of the topic you wish to write about. Circle it. Now quickly jot down related topic words or phrases as they come to you, and connect them to the key word. Avoid using your "left-brain editor." Keep doing this for a few minutes until you feel a starting point or theme emerge. Then begin writing.

Lecture synopsis five
Public relations professionals often use two direct ways of getting information to the media. Most common is the press conference. Arrange a press conference if you have a fairly important announcement to make, such as a new CEO, company profits/losses, a new fund-raising campaign, a protest, a new product or, of course, a crisis.

Invite media to meet between about 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., to accommodate deadlines. Pass out a written press release or press packet. Read your statement. Have on hand senior company or institution officers to answer questions. Find a quiet space to assist broadcast journalists. Don't be discouraged if no one comes, or nothing is printed/broadcast: it's still helpful to establish rapport through press conferences.

An alternative is a letter to the editor or op-ed piece. The letter should be short, and signed by a senior officer in your company. An op-ed piece offers a form to make your point in a longer and more thoughtfully-written way, but publishing or broadcast standards usually are tougher. You can also call a radio call-in show, but keep in mind these programs usually emphasize entertainment, not information, and an experienced moderator may use your message for ridicule or self-aggrandisement. If you feel harassed, say, "thanks for your time," and hang up.

Lecture synopsis six
Direct mail offers a way for public relations practitioners to get a message directly to a public, without relying on an intermediate gatekeeper. While the method does have its detractors, it is cost-effective for many organizations to mail material. A good response to direct mail is about 2 to 3 percent, that is, two or three responses out of every 100 mailed out. Address lists are bought from organizations or magazines.

Direct mail letters may include judgments (calling something good or bad), unlike standard press releases. They include a strong opening sentence, several point of entry, and a call to action. Direct mail letters may be up to several pages long, and include appeals to emotions, photos, even small things of value to help encourage a response. Letters may be mailed with a Business Reply Card (BRC) or brochure, but a brochure should not be mailed without a letter.

Lecture synopsis seven
Writing for broadcast differs from writing for print: we write for the ear, not the eye. That means sentences must be kept particularly short and simple. So too the length of the entire Public Service Announcement (PSA) public relations writers usually prepare for radio or television: 30 seconds is about the maximum. That's only about eight typewritten sentences.

Some writers like to check their copy using Irving Fang's "Easy Listening Formula," or another readability formula. ELF asks writers to count syllables: a one-syllable word counts 0; two syllable, 1, etc. More than 20 in one sentence is too long for broadcast.

Try to emphasize only one or two points in your PSA, so that listeners will remember them. Try reading the copy to yourself to check for length and style. If you want to be traditional, write your PSA in all capital letters.

Lecture synopsis eight
The web offers writers a new and challenging way to offer information in an non-linear invironment. This means that readers may gather material from a variety of sources, using links and photos, instead of progressing through a written or spoken presentation from beginning to end. A broadcaster or writer in a traditional medium decides the order of information presentation. A writer for the web allows the reader to choose his or her own order.

Included in this emphasis are more photos, and links to other sites. A reader may choose links to find out more, and return to the original web site, or not, depending on where his or her interest wanders. Things to keep in mind when writing for the web include:

Lecture synopsis nine
An interview is a negotiation between a media professional, the "reporter," and a subject, the "source." Often those who are interviewed are surprised to find their comments used in a way they hadn't anticipated, although the goals of the reporter and the source do not usually coincide. Areporter usually interviews several sources for a story, and sometimes relies on a source to provide a theme or "hook" for the story. Techniques used by reporters to gather information from sources include the "rambling" style, the "redundant question" style, the "stress" style, the "preposerous statement" style, and the "question denial" style. Public relations practitioners who may be interviewed need to realize the point of a media interview, and prepare for these styles of questioning.

Lecture synopsis ten
Public relations practitioners often will be asked to supply photos or illustrations. Sometimes it's possible to hire a freelance photographer, or for a mugshot, use a professional studio. Other times, PR people themselves provide the images. Standard quality for professional use demands photos taken with an adjustable 35 mm camera or equivalent--"point and shoot" cameras usually do not provide images of acceptable quality. To assess quality in photos for professional use, the public relations person needs to evaluate the work:

Normally public relations people work with actual prints, later scanned by printers or publications, but some media people are now accepting photos by e-mail or on a disk. Color has become the standard, although a photo may end up being printed in cheaper black and white.

Lecture synopsis eleven
Public relations practitioners often are asked to write speeches for a CEO or director. Keys to writing a good speech include:

Try to write your speech using expressions and words your client might use. Submit a draft to the person before writing the final version.

Lecture synopsis twelve
Public relations people try to write concisely, to craft stories that will be read and used by editors. Common problems worth avoiding include:

Lecture synopsis thirteen
Public relations people planning to announce a new program, division, product line or campaign may include a media kit at the news conference. Media kits usually contain the news release, technical backgound papers, history, photographs. Some public relations people also offer a web site for media to download material in press-ready form. Broadcast media appreciate videotapes, if you can produce professional-quality ones.

Alternatives to a news conference include previews, press parties, junkets, or media tours. Some are controversial, but if done discreetly offer opportunities to increase goodwill and get your word out to media too far away to attend your press conferences.