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Practitioners of Public Relations: Roles Salaries & Trends

Dr. Linda M. Perry

  • Activities
    • Writing & editing
    • Media relations & placement
    • Research
    • Management
    • Counseling
    • Special events
    • Public speaking
    • Production: publications, audio, video & new media
    • Training
    • Liaison (contact)

  • Specialties
    • Promotions, publicity, press agentry
    • Publications
    • Internal relations
    • External/Community relations
    • Media relations
    • Public affairs/government relations
      • Lobbying
    • Issues management (high paid)
    • Investor relations (high paid)
    • Donor relations/development/fundraising

  • Requirements
    • Skills: writing, publishing, public speaking, new media production;
    • Knowledge: media, management process, business, finance, business of organization;
    • Abilities: problem solving, decision-making, social skills, handling people, assuming responsibility, instilling confidence, listening;
    • Qualities: stability, common sense, drive, enthusiasm, wide range of interests, intellectual curiosity, tolerance for frustration; style.

  • Four Models of Public Relations
    • 1. press agentry/publicity model—15%
      • propaganda; one-way. Sports, theatre, product promotion. P.T. Barnum.
    • 2. public information model—50%
      • Journalistic model: dissemination of accurate information for unknown (general) public; one-way.
      • Government, nonprofit associations, business. Ivy Lee.
    • 3. two-way asymmetric model--20%
      • persuasion--communicating only acceptable characteristics of organization;
      • using social science theory and research about attitudes and behaviors to persuade publics.
      • Conducting evaluative research--measure communication effectiveness, objectives.
      • Competitive business; agencies.
      • Edward L. Bernays.
    • 4. two-way symmetrical model—15%
      • Mediates between organization and publics with goal of mutual understanding.
      • Uses social science theory and methods, theories of communication, rather than persuasion, for planning and evaluation.
      • Research for understanding, rather than just changing attitudes.
      • Adaptive.
      • Conducts formative research
        • for counseling management on public reaction to policies; how policies can serve public interest.
        • Helps create specific communication objectives.
      • Regulated business; agencies.
      • Professional leaders Scott Cutlip, James Grunig, Arthur Paige.

TOP

  • Two basic roles in PR
    • 1. Communication technician. Starting role. Writing and editing. Communication & journalism skills
    • 2. Communication manager: Plan & manage PR program, counsel management; make communication policy decisions. Use research, evaluation.
      • A. Expert prescriber: Identifies, develops & implements programs to solve problems.
      • B. Communication facilitator: Liaisons, interpreters, mediators.
        • Maintains two-way communication.
        • Boundary spanners, link with publics.
        • Focus on communication, rather than issues, management, policies, actions of organizations.
      • C. Problem-solving process facilitator: Helps others in organization solve their PR problems.
        • Work with other managers or clients to scan for, define and solve problems; plan & implement appropriate PR programs.
        • Diagnose, plan, implement, evaluate.
        • Guide other managers and the organization through problem-solving process.
        • Share in policy-making, planning. Part of management team.
  • Salaries
    • Top 100 Paying Jobs in Singapore (annual)
    • (1. Specialised surgeon $369,060)
    • (7. Creative director, advertising $156,000)
    • 32. Advertising & PR manager $90,396
    • (51. Editor, newspaper & periodicals $76,428)
    • (57. Editor, video, TV & radio $67,896)
    • (59. Ad copywriter $67,200)
    • (100. Electronics engineer $55,380)
  • Source: http://www.salary.sg/2008/best-paying-jobs-in-singapore-2008/

  • Employment abroad (UK)

  • Median salary for PR manager (US)
    • $123,456

  • Salary range for PR managers (US)
    • From: $90,504 (= S$122,416)
    • $123,456 (= S$166,986) (median)
    • To: $173,352 (= S$234,476)

  • Education levels for PR managers (US)
    • 62% have bachelor's degree
    • 32% have master's degree

  • Salaries by company size (US)
    • 24% in companies with 25-100 employees; $113,500 median
    • 19.6% in companies with 100-500 employees; $122,600 median

TOP

  • PR Trends
    • CEOs putting others in charge of PR
      • Practitioners are experts in communication but don’t know field of their organization
      • May worsen as emphasis on professionalism increases
    • Diversity growing in importance
      • Especially as international PR grows
      • Vital to employee relations
    • Growing pressure for greater accountability
      • Evidence demanded of accomplishment of goals set by management.
    • Media relations growing in importance, especially to international PR (and in Singapore):
      • Media ownership and control differ across cultures, affecting what can be published
      • Culturally based misunderstandings likely.
      • Access to media differ across cultures (illiteracy, electrification).
      • Media outreach differ across cultures (electrification, transportation).
    • Increased encroachment on PR function
      • Lawyers, marketing and advertising
    • Increased use of Internet & other new media
      • promotion,
      • monitoring publics and issues,
      • research,
      • responses to crises
      • Improving relationships with publics
    • Growing government use globally of PR
      • Democratization of countries
      • Expectations of citizens
      • Realistic ability of government to meet demand
      • Response to government actions: feedback.
    • Increased environmental concerns
      • Must listen to public, ahead of law
      • Ethically control own destiny, ahead of law
      • Corporate social responsibility
    • PR profession’s focus will be on credibility, accountability and responsibility:
      • Credibility focused on realities & perceptions of behavior;
      • Accountability demands quantitative evidence of the effectiveness, contributions of PR
      • Responsibility requires professional standards, a code of ethics, knowledge of management, increased professionalism

  • Communication Management at NUS

    First Semester

    • NM2219 Principles of Communication Management
    • NM2220 Introduction to Media Writing

Second Semester

  • NM3219 Writing for Communication Management (Prerequisites: NM2219, NM2220)
  • NM 3220 Research for Communication Management (Prerequisites: NM2219, NM2102)

Third Semester

  • NM 3217 Publication Graphics and Design (Prerequisite: NM2219, NM2220)

Honours Semester

  • NM5208 Managing Communication Campaigns (Prerequisites: NM3219, NM3220)

  • CNM Orientation for new students
    • Tuesday, Aug. 19 at noon, CNM Playroom
    • Thursday, Aug. 21 at 2:30p, CNM Playroom
    • Email lperry@nus.edu.sg for copy of brochure

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