Public relations involves managing communication between an organization and the public to protect and build the organization's reputation. PR practitioners are responsible for maintaining positive perceptions of their clients and addressing crises when issues damage the client's image. For example, the documentary "Blackfish" negatively portrayed SeaWorld's treatment of orcas, and the PR team now aims to combat those views. While related to advertising and marketing, PR focuses on promoting favorable ideas about clients rather than direct sales. With an average salary of $100,000, PR is a growing career field well-suited for those interested in communication.

1. ShelbyIngram
SpeechWriting
04/09/2015
COM390
Good evening,andwelcome!I’mShelby,andI’mhere totalk to youaboutPublicRelations.So,
whatis PublicRelations?A Google searchwill tellyouit’s“the practice of managingthe spreadof
informationbetweenanindividual oranorganizationandthe public.”There’smore toitthan just
managingthe spreadof information,though.Publicrelationsprofessionalsare inthe businessof
communication,andcommunicationisanessential partof anypersonor groupor organization,
especiallythose inthe publiceye.PRpractitionersare responsible formanagingthe reputationof their
clients,andpositiveimpressionsandperceptionsare vital tothe successof any entity.So,Public
Relationsisextremelyimportant!A lotof people linkPRtoAdvertisingandMarketing, andthey’re not
wrong-theyhave theirdistinctions, butthere iscertainlyoverlapbetweenall three fields.Atmost
universities,the PRmajorispart of the Communicationdepartment,while AdvertisingandMarketing
are typicallyfoundinthe collegeof business.Anotherwaytotell themapartismoney.Advertisingand
marketingeffortsare typicallyaimedatsellingaproductor service.Salesequal successinthismodel.
WithPublicRelations,the goal isto“sell”ideas;usuallythe ideathatyourclientissociallyresponsible,
ethical,and“good.”Sometimes,PRfirmsare hiredtogenerate afavorable image of theirclientwhere
no opinionexists;thatis,noone reallyknowsorcares verymuchabout the client.Othertimes,PRfirms
are taskedwithmanagingcrisiscommunications.Whensomethinggoeswrongandthe publicisviewing
the clientunfavorably,itisthe PRprofessionals’jobtoredirectthe public’sattentiontotheirclient’s
more favorable attributes.Take,forexample,the PRdisasterthatisSeaWorld.Manyof youmay have
seenthe documentary“Blackfish,”whichtoldthe sad tale of Tilikumthe orca.Tilikumwastakenfrom
hismotherwhenhe wasyoungand was passedaroundfromtheme parkto theme parkuntil SeaWorld

2. boughthim.Asa resultof beingincaptivitysince he wasyoung,forcedtotrainand performandkeptin
maddeninglysmall tanks,Tilikumhasahistoryof randomaggression.Sofar,he haskilledthree of his
trainers.The BlackfishfilmexposedSeaWorldfortheirmistreatmentandmismanagementof their
captive orcas,and ticketsaleshave declinedeversince.The documentaryledmany,manypeopleto
viewSeaWorldverynegatively,anditisthe jobof theirPublicRelationsteamtocombatthose
unfavorable views.SeaWorld’smostrecentPRcampaigneffortwasa TwitterQ&A session,butit
backfired.Twitterusersjumpedonthe opportunitytoattackSeaWorldanditspractices,inquestion
format.For example,“WhydoyouLIE about[blank]”followedbythe hashtag#AskSeaWorld.
SeaWorld’sissue isone eventhe mostskilledPRfirmwouldhave difficultyfixing.Thisis anextreme
example,though.Itismore commonfor PR practitionerstobe incharge of proactive campaignsinstead
of reactive ones.Theirjobismore oftentofosterfavorable perceptionsthantocombatnegative ones.
PublicRelationsisagrowingcareersegment,withaveragesalaries nearing$100,000.
Nowisa greattime to explore aPRdegree!Ourprogram here at UNA is an excellentone,full of
passionate teachersandPRpros . Here to tell youmore aboutthe CommunicationdepartmentandPR
majoris Dr. BethGarfrerick,recentPRCA Educator of the Year awardrecipient!Dr.G…