ADPR3850 Public Relations Fall exam 2

__________ forms the foundation of PR writing, enabling professionals to create messages that are relevant, accurate, and compelling.

Research

Helps in understanding the audience, key messages, and current trends, ensuring that communication is targeted and effective.

The Role of Research in PR Writing

Provides credibility by backing claims with facts and addressing audience needs or concerns

The Role of Research in PR Writing

Norms of Effective Writing

clarity, brevity, engagement, accuracy, tone, structure

Writing must be clear and free from jargon, using language easily understood by the target audience.

Clarity (Norms of Effective Writing)

Keep it concise; every word should serve a purpose.

(Norms of Effective Writing)
Brevity

Appeal to the audience's emotions and interests to maintain attention.

(Norms of Effective Writing)
Engagement

Accuracy: Messages must be factually correct, with attention to detail.

(Norms of Effective Writing)
Accuracy

Adapt tone according to the medium (formal for news releases, conversational for blogs).

(Norms of Effective Writing)
Tone

Information should flow logically, often using structures like the inverted pyramid for news writing.

(Norms of Effective Writing)
Structure

PR practitioners repeat and reinforce key messages across multiple channels to overcome noise and distractions.

Multipronged Approach

Encourage feedback, ensuring the audience's perspectives are heard and addressed.

Two-Way Symmetrical Communication

Messages must be tailored to the audience's interests, values, and needs.

Targeting

Lasswell's model of communication emphasizes the "5 Ws and H" (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How).
This model helps PR professionals structure clear and comprehensive messages.

Harold Lasswell

Harold Lasswell:

______________ model of communication emphasizes the "5 Ws and H" (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How).

Harold Lasswell:

This model helps PR professionals structure clear and comprehensive messages.

5 Ws and H

Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

Wilbur Schramm:

___________________ expanded on communication theory, emphasizing feedback and the importance of understanding the audience's perspective.
His model highlights how effective communication is a two-way process, important in PR for interaction and engagement.

Schramm expanded on communication theory, emphasizing feedback and the importance of understanding the audience's perspective.

Wilbur Schramm

His model highlights how effective communication is a two-way process, important in PR for interaction and engagement.

Wilbur Schramm

Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:

simple, unexpected, concrete, credible,emotional, storytelling

Focus on the core idea.

Simple:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Capture attention by breaking expectations.

Unexpected:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Use clear, tangible examples.

Concrete:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Support claims with data, experts, or testimonials.

Credible:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Appeal to emotions to create a connection.

Emotional:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Use narrative to make the message memorable and engaging.

Storytelling:
(Elements of Chip and Dan Heath's SUCCESs Principles:)

Curse of Knowledge:

A cognitive bias where experts assume others have the same level of understanding.

PR writers must

avoid using jargon or making assumptions about what the audience knows.

Solution for curse of knowledge

Empathize with the audience, use conversational language, and show drafts to non-experts for feedback.

AP Style:

A standardized writing format used for news releases and journalistic writing.

AP Style

Ensures consistency, professionalism, and easier editing by media outlets.

AP Style Key rules:

Avoid unnecessary capitalization, use numerals for numbers 10 and above, and follow strict punctuation guidelines.

Pitching:

Concise, targeted communication that highlights the relevance of a story to a specific journalist or outlet.

News Releases:

Structured using the inverted pyramid, starting with the most important information (5Ws and H).

Photo Ops:

Organizing opportunities for media to capture images that complement the story or event.

Use an engaging subject line that highlights the news angle.
Keep emails personalized, concise, and relevant to the recipient's audience.
Provide contact information and additional resources like URLs or images.

Media Relations via Email:

(t/f)Use an engaging subject line that highlights the news angle.

t

(t/f) Keep emails personalized, concise, and relevant to the recipient's audience.

t

(t/f)Provide contact information and additional resources like URLs or images.

t

Offers a personal and authentic voice to connect with readers. Posts are longer, include calls to action, and engage with comments.

Blogging

Short, frequent updates (e.g., Twitter) that offer quick insights, links, or promotions to maintain continuous audience engagement.

Microblogging

Good SEO writing

ensures the content is found by target audiences searching for related topics online

(SEO):

Search Engine Optimization

what do Search Engine Optimizations do

Craft content using relevant keywords, meta tags, and headlines to enhance online visibility.

A one-page reference document that provides concise information.

Fact Sheet:

Uses a 5Ws and H structure and is often attached to news releases.

Fact Sheet:

Ends with a summary to provide an overview of the topic or announcement.

Fact Sheet:

5Ws and H structure

who, what, when, where, why, and how

A supplementary document that provides deeper context or history behind the news release or event.

Backgrounder

It offers background information that helps journalists develop a broader, well-rounded story

Backgrounder

A short, persuasive letter aimed at specific media professionals.

Pitch Letter:

Highlights the relevance of a story and proposes why it is newsworthy.

Pitch Letter:

Often accompanied by a news release or additional materials for context.

Pitch Letter:

"Soft news" pieces that are not time-sensitive, allowing for creative storytelling and more in-depth exploration of a topic.

News Features

Opinion pieces that offer expert analysis or commentary on current issues. They must be well-argued, credible, and of journalistic quality.

Op-Eds

Uses narrative elements (characters, setting, plot) to tell an engaging and descriptive story.

PR Feature Story

Usually 1,000-2,000 words, appealing to reader interests while subtly promoting the client's goals.

PR Feature Story

Speeches must follow a structured approach:

Tell the audience what you will say.
Deliver the core message.
Recap the main points for reinforcement.

(t/f) Knowing the audience and purpose of the speech is not crucial to tailoring the message effectively

(f)

(t/f) Knowing the audience and purpose of the speech is crucial to tailoring the message effectively

t

Three Essential Elements of Narrative:

Characters:
Setting:

Focus on relatable or compelling figures.

Characters: (Three Essential Elements of Narrative)

Provide context that draws the audience into the story.

Setting(Three Essential Elements of Narrative)

Create a clear, engaging progression with a strong beginning, middle, and end.

Plot: (Three Essential Elements of Narrative)

Media Kit:

Often available in both physical and digital formats for press events.
A collection of materials that journalists can use to cover a client or event. It includes:
hard news release, soft feature release, fact sheet, background article, bio sheet, photo op sheet, photos

Timely, factual information.

Hard News Release:(Media Kit)

Creative, evergreen content.

Soft Feature Release: (Media Kit)

Bullet-point summary of key information.

Fact Sheet: (Media Kit)

Provides context and deeper insight into the story.

Background Article: (Media Kit)

Details about key organizational figures.

Bio Sheet: (Media Kit)

Suggestions for capturing relevant images.

Photo Opportunity Sheet: (Media Kit)

Visual aids that accompany the release.

Photographs: (Media Kit)

Definition: Discontinuing cable subscriptions in favor of internet-based providers like Netflix, Hulu, and Roku.

Cord Cutting

Expected to accelerate due to rising costs of basic cable and changing viewing habits.

Trend: (Cord Cutting)

As more people cut cords, digital news consumption increases, often at the expense of traditional media outlets.

Impact on News: (Cord Cutting)

Audience Growth: Data from Pew indicates an increase in the total audience and time spent on digital news platforms.

Data from Pew indicates an increase in the total audience and time spent on digital news platforms.

Shift from Traditional Media:

Time spent on digital platforms is growing at the expense of traditional media or physical print publications.

Influence of Digital

Platforms: Social media influencers and bloggers play a significant role in extending stories and creating social buzz.

Social Media Influence (According to Pew Research Center)

Audience Growth
Shift from Traditional Media.
Influence of Digital Platforms

The U.S. population is shifting from Baby Boomers to Millennials.

Demographic Shift:

Generational Differences in the Media Industry Significance:

Baby Boomers drove the media's business model for the past 20-30 years, and the shift to Millennials affects how media outlets operate and cater to audiences.

The U.S. population is shifting from Baby Boomers to Millennials.

Demographic Shift

Strategic Function:
Differing Goals:

Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations

Media relations should be a strategic, not merely tactical, part of PR.

Strategic Function: (Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations)

Media relations goals vary by organization; some may not want coverage or may prefer specific outlets.

Differing Goals: (Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations)

Understanding the needs and expectations of both reporters and PR professionals is essential.

Relationship is Key: (Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations)

Journalists are stakeholders, not just tools to reach other stakeholders.

Not a Means to an End: (Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations)

It's the strategic use of tools that define success, not the tools themselves.

Tools Don't Define Media Relations: (Dustin Supa's Points About Media Relations)

Articles not based on sound research, facts, or data.

Fake News Definition:

The rise of fake news creates challenges for media relations and public trust in journalism.

Fake News Impact:

Outreach by PR professionals to reporters to propose a story idea for news coverage.

Pitching Definition:

A good pitch should be short, relevant to the publication, accurate, intriguing, and complete—like an "elevator pitch."

Pitching Key Elements:

: A term coined by Kurt Lewin in 1947, referring to the person who controls access to the media (e.g., editor or producer).

Gatekeeper
Definition

Gatekeepers decide which stories or news items are published, aired, or posted.

Gatekeeper Role:

It's important to appeal to gatekeepers to get a positive response and have stories featured.

Gatekeeper Strategy:

Spokespersons play a critical role in crisis situations, but research suggests they often hurt businesses more than help.

Spokesperson
Crisis Role:

Spokespeople can be seen as untrustworthy, especially in crises, leading to negative perceptions of the company.

Spokesperson Challenges:

In crises, sticking to factual, non-narrative responses is often more effective than storytelling or spinning narratives.

Spokesperson Best Practice:

Bloggers and social media influencers cannot be overlooked in media relations as they create social buzz and extend the reach of a story.

Bloggers Influence: