Week 3

WEEK 3

I think the key points to remember from this week’s readings were that, put simply, there are many different theories that relate to public relations, and although none are either right or wrong, each can be applied in a different way to different situations.

The readings made me think more about PR practice/theory in that some theories which I am familiar with from CMNS1110 (Intro to Communication) relate to PR in ways in which I hadn’t considered. I had not linked Communication theories such as Semiotics and Agenda Setting to PR practice before now, but now I understand the broad range of theories which can relate to PR.

A quote from the Gower reading which I found to be interesting was “values implied by the model are collaboration, negotiation and compromise”. This was relating to the two way symmetrical model. I think this is an accurate description, and it made me think more about how equal communication from an organization and its publics would indeed promote collaboration and negotiation, but especially compromise. I agree that this model would be favourable to the other three of Grunig and Hunt’s models.

Gower also brought up the point of PR differences in different cultural situations. This is also something I hadn’t really considered (the difference in PR in different countries, naïve I know…) but I now see the obvious difference in publics and culture would produce a different result.

I think the main thing I have gained from this week’s readings was that although there are many theories, both specific for public relations and borrowed theories from other disciplines, that an individual PR practitioner must decide what is relevant to a specific situation, having experience with the benefits and criticisms of most or all of these models.