Defining Public Relations

Defining Public Relations
If a pool were taken of several individuals requiring the definition of Public relations chances are the responses would vary significantly. Some may very well understand the concept (s), but unable to communicate it. The author will provide the definition of Public Relations from three different sources and compare and contrast these definitions including a definition of the authors’. In addition the author will explain why there are so many different definitions of Public Relations.
The Authors’ definition of Public Relations is the area of an organization that is responsible for presenting the company or disseminating information about the company to the public in such a way that it endears the public to that company. This area is also responsible for performing damage control should the company be viewed in a negative light. Research shows that Seitel (2004), author of The Practice of Public Relations’ definition is that “It is a planned process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way communication “(p. 3). The author and Seitel share the same view. The bottom line is the get the company and the public to complement each other.
Reviewing the definition by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) pre 21st century, it mirrors the definatation of f Seitel closely. It defines Public Relations as “the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public”. Although Seitel did not include the word “deliberate”, the word “planned” was used in that author’s definition. Seitel and the Public Relations Institute also agreed that the company and the public should share a mutual understanding. However, post 21st century the PIRA has revised its definition to include the fact that the company should “analyze” the attitude of the public to determine how that attitude will impact the...