Why I am studying Public Relations:

In the last decade there has been an advancement in technology that really is quite unfathomable. It is important to be aware of all of the ways technology can be employed and use it to the best of your personal ability. There is a vast world of technology that an individual may not be equipped to understanding it in full. That is okay, because we have the opportunity to learn and exercise the use of technology to the best of our ability. Studying the art of communication through public relations has really enhanced my ability to learn about technology and how it has advanced throughout the years. Before social media became the most efficient way to serve the public, traditional outlets consisted of newspapers, television and even the radio. Printed press releases were also a very common tool on how to reach the media. These are very much still adequate sources and can still be used properly today. However, especially being in the PR and marketing world, it is all about efficiency. Nowadays just simply having the opportunity to have an Instagram or Twitter page simply produces publicity itself. Modern communication tools focuses on timeliness in my opinion. But it truly has to in order to keep up with how fast pace the digital world is today. Now there are blogs, websites and even Youtube channels that can instantly display information about a client that a traditional press release could not do. Another aspect to consider is that traditional PR is more one-way communication and modern is two-way. Now, we can instantly receive feedback. Traditional and modern day communication both can get the job done, however now we simply just have an easier way of distributing information because of technology.

PR practitioners, marketing practitioners and media professionals are generally built on mutual goals. They all want the public to be properly informed and increase user engagement. To avoid conflict, it is important to establish a trust with your audience. Writing an honest and ethical pitch to a reporter for example, displays a legitimate interaction and the reporter will gain your trust. If the PR professional writes a pitch that may not be totally honest, however it makes your client appear better than they are, this will result in a lack of trust from everyone involved. Relationships can be completely mutually beneficial if it is done the right way. Remaining honest, ethical and loyal to your company and organization will only help them succeed in the long run. Forming honest, ethical and loyal relationships with stakeholders advocate for a promising future for your company or organization.

Have you ever said something to someone, and they took it the wrong way even though you didn’t mean it the way that person took it? Maybe you were even the person that got offended. We, as humans, use communication as a way to relay a message or type of emotion to another. Granted, it may not be perfect every single time. But that is the beauty of communication and understanding how to utilize it to its best ability. The way we carry out communication is what knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. These are all very important factors to be mindful of while relaying a message. Communication requires being a good listener. It requires forming a connection with the receiver. Making sure that your choice of words and tone of your message will be perceived in a way that is tasteful to the viewer. Having a respectful manner, yet also being able to get your message across is very important. Being able to master this balance is the key to being a powerful communicator. Communication is a very powerful tool that can be used in any way you want it to. However, it is another thing to acknowledge how powerful it truly is.

The concept of news is quite a concept within itself. Generally, what makes information newsworthy is subjective to the reader. However with this being said, there are also some things I’d like to think that the average news reader could automatically define as newsworthy, or not. Regardless of what you are interested in, there are some stories that I believe will automatically attract any reader. Let’s take a look at our news values. News values are often categorized 7 topics being proximity, prominence, emotion, impact, timelines, conflict, or oddity. If the story provokes human interest and emotion, I feel as though it should be considered news; especially something that has happened close to the reader(proximity). Say for example there was (God forbid) a fatal car crash near to where you go to college. I feel as though that is very newsworthy and should be shared with the readers so they are properly informed in honor of the people deceased. Another especially newsworthy value would be oddity. It isn’t everyday you hear about an “Indonesian housewife adopts 250 feral cats”. (This was a news story released about two months ago). I feel as though pop culture should definitely be considered as news. Personally, I enjoy keeping up with pop culture news. I like to hear about whats happening with certain actors, singers, or even people such as Elon Musk. I feel as though this certain kind of news is subjective to the reader’s interest. Since these people have been recognized for their achievements and fame, I feel as though the events that take place in their lives should be considered newsworthy.