^1. In the broadest sense, PR includes such activities as policymaking, press agentry, spin doctoring, promotion, (public affairs), publicity and paid advertisement.

. Let’s look at these major activities separately.

^2. Policy Making. A PR practitioner is responsible for developing a public relations policy to represent the corporation or agency to the public and for conducting research to provide adequate feedback from the public to the institution. Usually a PR practitioner works closely with the top-level management.

^3. Press Agentry. Public relations had its origins in the press agentry, and today some people still think these terms are synonym. Press agentry consists of planning and staging events that will attract favorable attention to an institution, person, idea or product. Although early press agents sometimes used fraud and deception to achieve their goals, today’s practitioners are more honest and responsible.

^4. Spin Doctoring. This activity has become rather prevalent in the recent years. The term “spin doctoring” doesn’t apply to disc jockeys or people in the medical field. This relatively new term is used to describe people who are able to place a favorable spin on media coverage for companies or political causes.

^5. Promotion. Promotional activities involve generating support or endorsements for a client. Clients range from churches to political candidates and a variety of social causes, such as the “Save the Whales” movement. Promotional activities often involve fund-raising campaigns.

⁶. Publicity. Publicity involves placing news and information in the mass media. People who work in this field are skilled in writing in a news format. In government agencies they often carry the title of public information officer.

^7. Advertising. Occasionally PR practitioners need to use paid advertising. For example, they may decide to start an ad campaign to correct an unfavorable image. Public relations personnel who don’t have experience in advertising usually call a professional assistance. However, many PR agencies today have expanded their operations to include advertising as well.

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Упражнение 2. Найдите синонимы:

Упражнение 3. Подберите наиболее удачный эквивалент для выделенных слов:

1. All these activities play a major role in shaping the contents of the mass media and disseminating cultural information.

a. chief                   b. adult                  c. military

2. Press agentry consists of planning and staging events that will attract favorable attention to an institution, person, idea or product and placing positive news items in the media about the client.

a. adverse   b. promising           c. positive

3. Promotional activities involve generating endorsement for a client.

a. approval b. duration             c. benefit

Упражнение 4 Заполните пропуски следующими словами, наиболее подходящими по смыслу:

(a)spin doctoring, (b)designed, (c)activities, (d)message, (e)good will, (f)content, (g)media

Public relations, like advertising, is a …(1) business …(2) to promote and maintain good will for clients. PR is dependent on the mass …(3) to promote this …(4), and the media are dependent on PR practitioners for much of their …(5). Public relations now involves a variety of …(6), including policy making, legitimate press agentry, …(7), promotion, publicity campaigns and paid advertising.

Упражнение 5 Дайте ответы на следующие вопросы:

1. What part does a PR practitioner play in determining the policy of a corporation?

2. Where does PR originate from?

3. What is press agentry?

4. What is spin doctoring?

5. What activity does promotion involve?

6. What activity involves placing news and information in the mass media?

7. Is it true that many PR agencies include advertising?

8. Of the 6 activities of public relations (listed in the text), which one sounds the most interesting as a career specialty for you?

Упражнение 6. Прочитайте текст, определите, какие утверждения соответствуют его содержанию:

Case study

1. Exxon Valdes is bottled mineral water.

2. The public criticized Exxon Shipping Company

3. This case is the example of bad crisis management.

In 1989, when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez was grounded in Alaska, spilling (разлив) nearly 11 million gallons of oil in Prince William Sound¹ the public turned on² this large oil firm, boycotting its gasoline³ and conjuring up images of a major polluter whenever the name Exxon was encountered. Exxon at first denied (отрицать) responsibility for the oil spill and was slow to begin cleanup operations. As one public relations practitioner put it: «Exxon should have had the president of the company on the shore cleaning the rocks within 24 hours.”

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Примечания

1. Prince William Sound - пролив Принца Вильяма

2. to turn on smb.- ополчиться на к-л

3. gasoline  (gas)– бензин (ам.)