The document discusses the elevation of public relations in the context of fake news, emphasizing the importance of trust and relationships over mere content. It outlines seven megatrends affecting news and PR, including the rising business value of reputation and the impact of empowered audiences on communication. The author advocates for a transformation in PR to focus on ethical practices, collaboration, and data-driven strategies to combat misinformation and strengthen organizational trust.

1. @DanTisch #WPRF2018
#ElevatePR
The elevation of public relations in the age of fake news
Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS
Oslo, Norway, 23 April 2018
Copyright Daniel P. Tisch, 2018

2. On the program today
#FakeNews:
The contagion
The seven
megatrends
changing
news & PR
The implications:
PR’s possible
future
The dialogue
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

8. Why does fake news flourish?
Here’s a clue.
“I feel like, it’s all just propaganda, you know what I mean,
it’s hard for me to believe anything the media tells me,” said
Nathaniel Trumper, who cast a vote for Mr. [Greg] Gianforte
at a polling station in Helena [Montana].
- Reuters, May 26, 2017
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

9. The seven megatrends
changing news … and PR
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

10. #1: The rising business value of reputation
10
The value of the most reputable companies drops less in a crisis, they are more profitable, and they grow more quickly
RepTrak™ is a registered trademark of Reputation Institute. Copyright © 2013 Reputation Institute. All rights reserved.
Source: Reputation Institute. Based on daily stock values for Top 10 companies in US RepTrak™ Pulse rankings & S&P 500 Index values.
All Index Values show a percentage change from January 1, 2006.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2013
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
S&P Index Top 10 Most Highly Reputed Companies
Index of Most Reputable Companies
S&P 500
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

11. Question: Which type of crisis
had the largest impact on the
share price on day one?
BEHAVIOUR
(more than 50% drop)
The cost of a crisis
Types of
crisesInformation Behaviour
Corporate
Operation
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (2012). Knowing the risks, protecting your business: Crisis management. Accessed online:
http://www.freshfields.com/uploadedFiles/SiteWide/News_Room/Insight/Campaigns/Crisis_management/Knowing the risks
interactive.pdf.PDF.
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

13. #2: The empowered audience

14. Content is…

15. Graphic credit: Frank Delmelle
#3

16. #4: Many speak
Few listen

17. #5: Disintermediation, fake news &
the decline of journalism

18. #6: A gap in opportunity – and trust
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

19. Why does fake news thrive?
High stakes
Low trust
Empowered audiences
Diminished journalism
Too much content
Too little listening

20. #7: AI comes to news – and PR
Largest PR firm in the world: 5,850 employees
Revenue per employee: $146,153
Facebook employees: 25,105
Facebook’s revenue per employee: $1,619,319
[Alastair McCapra (CIPR, UK)]

22. The implications for PR

23. PR’s future: Relationships > content
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

25. The CEO’s pain point isn’t content.
The CEO’s pain point is trust –
earned through relationships.

26. Trust = values + actions
Marketing can convey values, but it can’t build trust.
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

27. Brands that take stands:
Values frame choices

28. Content is king?
Actually, relationships are royalty.

29. The C-suite is open to PR…
Source: Global Communications
Report, 2016.
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

30. Perceivedbottom-lineimpact…but getting there means different thinking
Need to do: Others do it
Nobody does it Nice to do: We do it
Need to do: We do it
Seen as core competence of PR
Crisis communications
Media
relations
Public affairs
Risk management
Employer branding
Reputation/stakeholder management
Major
announcements
Social media
CEO vision
Marketing PR
Corporate reporting
@DanTisch #WPRF2018
Diversity, equity & inclusion

31. “We must seek to become not leaders of
PR in organizations, but leaders of
organizations who come from PR.
To convince the CEO, we must first
convince ourselves.”
-- Guy Versailles, Montreal
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

32. PR must transform organizational listening

33. PR must transform organizational listening
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

34. When you have listening, relationships & trust,
risks get smaller, and opportunities larger.
The most innovative organizations
COLLABORATE
3x as often than the least
innovative ones
PwC, 2014

35. PR must lead collaboration
Communication
Stakeholder
& gov’t
relations
HR
Reg.
affairs
Legal
Public
affairs
Operations
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

36. PR must be driven by data & insight
@DanTisch #WPRF2018
As technology gives us more data about our
publics’ behaviour, PR must be there to act on it.
Kevin McCann

37. PR will have better strategists, better analysts
(but fewer technicians)
Align
communication
with purpose &
values
Identify &
address comms
problems
proactively
Conduct
research to
underpin
communication
Communication
across full range
of platforms
Facilitate
relationships,
build trust
Build/enhance
reputation
Provide
contextual
intelligence
Be a trusted
advisor
Offer
organizational
leadership
Ethics in line
with societal
expectations
Professional
learning: self &
others
@DanTisch #WPRF2018
Source: Global Alliance, The Global Capabilities Project

38. Marketing becomes more like PR
Source: Global
Communication
Report, 2017
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

39. Marketing becomes more like PR
@DanTisch #WPRF2018
Source: Global
Communication
Report, 2017

40. Public relations
is the new
marketing.

41. But marketing
should not
lead PR.

42. Elevation
means
evolution
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

44. ‘We’ll let you know if we need PR this year.’

45. Some organizations think:
“We’ll worry about PR
when we have an announcement…
or a crisis.”

46. But the smart ones think:
“We need a strategy to strengthen
the relationships that drive our
economic success.”

47. ‘Cause we’re in a battle.
And the stakes are high.

48. Because organizations need public relationships.
Because communication builds empathy,
understanding, respect and trust.
Because the world needs people who practise
communication with ethics and standards.
Because communication is a business imperative –
and a social good.
@DanTisch #WPRF2018

49. The treatment for #fakenews?
Ethical, professional PR.
@DanTisch #WRPF2018

50. Thank you!
@DanTisch
@ArgylePR
#WPRF2018