Public Relations Functions Level 100 Lecture Notes PDF

PUBLIC RELATIONS FUNCTIONS LEVEL 100 Lecturers: Angela Ayimbire Obed Afari Kumi May, 2024  QUOTE FOR THE WEEK “If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If not you’ll find an e...

PUBLIC RELATIONS FUNCTIONS LEVEL 100 Lecturers: Angela Ayimbire Obed Afari Kumi May, 2024  QUOTE FOR THE WEEK “If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If not you’ll find an excuse.” - Jen Sincero  RECAP THE CONCEPT OF PUBLICS CLASSIFICATION OF PUBLICS CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION  TABLE OF CONTENT MEDIA RELATIONS WHAT IS THE MEDIA? TYPES OF MEDIA HOW THE MEDIA WORKS MEDIA PERSONNEL  INTRODUCTION Media is the plural form of the word “medium” and it describes the various ways through which we communicate in society. The media is a powerful driving force in modern society. It is not just a source of information for the general public, but also a potential vehicle for educating the public. The media also carries advertisers’ messages and serves as a vital link between the seller of a product or service and the consumer.  WHAT IS THE MEDIA? The media is best defined by the roles they play in society. They educate, inform, and entertain through news, features and analysis in the press. They also produce documentaries, dramas, current affairs programs, public service announcements, magazine programs, and other forms of programming for print, radio, and television. The media is a conduit through which voices, perspectives, and lives are brought into the public sphere. The media also plays a critical role in facilitating social change and shaping public opinion and attitudes. It brings to the fore issues that are often ignored and marginalized voices.  WHAT IS THE MEDIA? The media, through its reporting, can put a spotlight on critical developments that impact negatively and positively on people’s lives (E.g. Galamsey) The media’s agenda-setting function often influences debate, thinking, and priorities within society. Research and data have shown how the media reinforces stereotypes, especially on issues of gender, religion, and culture. Within modern democracies, the media serves as a watchdog. It monitors the performance and conduct of governments, to ensure that they adhere to the promises and expectations of those who put them into power. Consequently, this role is often the source of conflict between the media, the state, and its institutions  TYPES OF MEDIA The media can be broadly divided into three (3) types: Print media Broadcast media Digital media  PRINT MEDIA Print media refers to traditional forms of mass communication, such as newspapers, magazines, and journals, that are published in printed form and distributed physically. Newspapers Magazines Journals Brochure  BROADCAST MEDIA Media such as radio and television reach target audiences using airwaves as the transmission medium.  DIGITAL MEDIA These contents are organized and distributed on digital platforms. Digital refers to technology that processes, stores, and transmits information using digits or binary code, represented by the numbers 0 and 1. Internet (Interconnected Network) Social Media Computers  HOW DOES THE MEDIA WORK The media performs its functions based on the guiding media principles of fairness, accuracy, diversity, and balanced representation. However, its performance depends on some indicators/factors as identified below: 1. Political and legal environment in any country: Political interferences can polarize and significantly confuse the way the media functions (E.g. Democratic vs Autocratic system) Where the legal framework is conducive, there is a proliferation of media organizations and products as well as a plurality of voices and access to information. In cases where the legal framework is stifling, there is a lack of diversity of media as well as bias and blatant political interference.  HOW DOES THE MEDIA WORK 2. Media Ownership: Generally, there are private and state media organizations. In the majority, media organizations operate based on the imperatives of their owners. For privately owned media, they are often guided by commercial and market considerations. In Africa, state-owned media is prevalent and the state dictates the functions and operations of media organizations. However, public media is often guided by the interests of viewers and listeners who sometimes pay licenses to access their services.  HOW DOES THE MEDIA WORK 3. Interest groups An interest group is composed of groups or individuals who want to communicate their stance on issues to the public. They include “think tanks“: organizations (usually with a particular agenda) that generate studies and other research designed to influence public policy. E.g. IMANI Centre for Policy and Education. Often some representatives from these organizations are on news discussion shows. Sometimes they provide "experts" who can serve as "sources" of news. They use the media to focus public attention, create public awareness, persuade, and often try to influence legislation, as well as public opinion and behavior. Reporters (both in print and broadcast) rely extensively on these "experts" who can explain issues.  MEDIA PERSONNEL In dealing with the media, there are some key people to be mindful of. They include: 1. Journalists/Reporters Journalists are the ‘hunters and gatherers’ of news. They also make decisions about which stories to cover. It is critical to identify which journalists cover your type of activities and develop a relationship with them. Send them background information, keep them updated on developments in your organization, and share your calendar with them.  MEDIA PERSONNEL 2. Sub-Editors They are very important individuals because they determine the ‘end- product’. They edit stories for structure, factual correctness, and length. They ensure that the story is written according to style guidelines. They also write headlines and captions for photographs. Because they often work on very strict deadlines, sometimes their decisions may be detrimental to the stories they publish about your organization.  MEDIA PERSONNEL 3. Editors These are often designated based on the roles they play (Editor-in- Chief, Assignment, News, Features, Special Projects, Business, Financial, Obituaries, etc.) This group of people are also known as the gate-keepers because they decide on what is published and what prominence it gets. They also guide journalists on the sources they would like to see in the story. Seek their audience and make your work known to them. They should be the target for media advocacy to ensure that they include on their agenda, coverage of your issues.  MEDIA PERSONNEL 4. Media Managers They formulate and implement policy and they are also responsible for administration and human resources management. Decisions on what the media organization covers, by whom, and with what resources are often made by media managers. For example, if your research shows that violence against women is escalating due to lack of coverage or stereotyped coverage, you should target this group to formulate policies that could help address this issue. Like other organizations, media organizations want to be seen as good role models in the coverage of certain issues; consequently, they are open to ideas.  MEDIA PERSONNEL 5. Owners and Governance structures (Board of Directors) They ensure that the organization operates within the framework of its statutes and mission but they are not involved in the day-to-day running of the organization. They generally cannot influence the work of editorial staff. They need to understand your issues to help them in making policy recommendations to managers.  CONCLUSION In this lecture, we considered what the media is and the types of media we have. We continued by looking at some major factors that influence the activities of the media, and finally, we identified some media personnel and the roles they perform. THANK YOU