Public Relations
Defination
Webter’s dictionary public relations as “the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person,firm or institution.
Philip leslie elaboreates the idea of goodwill further.He observes that with the help of public elation,institutions and people are able to learn what others think of them.determine what they must do to get the goodwill of others,devise ways to win that good will and carry on programmes designed tio secure good will,thus public relations is a bridge to goodwill.
Public relations is planned,purposeful communication aimed at influencing and persuading significant publics.,”Public relations is an applied social and behavioual science".
Public relations in the past
1)Publicity
2)propaganda
3)advertising
Publicity.
Public relations is not a new subject.although,the term public relations did not appear until the early years of the 20th century,the idea of publics relationships-the interdence of leaders and followers,the need of government to communicate with subjects,or the desire of individuals to infoem,persuade ad learn the relations of people in groups,is old as man himself.
Popoganda
It is described as an art of Influencing,Manipulating,controlling,changing,secu ring the acceptance of opinions,attitude,action or behavior through representation those who may be spoken,written,pictorial.
Or musical formsor involve manipulation of symbols and suggestions.
Advertising
It is paid publicity.A commercial message that offers a product or service for sale.It is controlled and paid For by the initiator.at the rate set by medium used.Advertising may appear in any of the standard Media,such as newspaper,magazine,radio,tv,bill-board or handbill,.Usually the name of the product,its description and price,and the name of the store offering it for sale are give in the advertisement.
Publicity, on the other hand has some other impotant advantages.In the first place,it is fee.More important.it has tremendous reader acceptance.Unlike advertising which telegraphs its commercialism,Publicity is soft sell.
Role of Public relations
1)To harmonize public and government
2)To increase sales
3)To reduce ill felling
4)Leadership
5)
PR- Fact finding and research
6)Public opinions Polls
7)News Research
8)Public Relations and Practitioner
Tools of Public Relations
1)Telling the story
2)Magazines
3)Books
4)Radio
5)Television
6)Films
7)Directmail
8)Telephone
9)Exhibits,Fairs,Open houses
Public relations in Pakistan:
As the main user of public relation in Pakistan is the Government of Pakistan.Also,we,quoted the PID,DGPR AND ISPR as the examples of public relations departments.We also know that every minister is provided a PRO.Throretically public relations process is of two kinds.One,to inform the concerned public about the policies,efficiency and activities of government.And a second ,to inform top management or government of the feelings,reactions and attitudes of concerned people about the government,department or organization.
But we see that every official PRO or public relations departments plays as personal servant role to the minister or the government of time.
One of the main reasons that the public relationing is developing at a low pace is that public relations is confused with advertising.Most multi-national and national enterprises try to pay more and more attention and public relations is mostly neglected.
Another reason which hinders its progress in Pakistan is that most firms are sole proprietorship.Their proprietos want to have complete control over the firms policies and mostly they fellow the decades old policy of presenting what they think best for the public and not foreign products have been favourite with our people.