Blueprint For Public Relations

OUR social and economic skein, growing steadily more complex and involved, challenges the best in executive understanding and discernment, cer- tainly in sound public-relations thinking and statesmanship. Unless a high degree of respectability and accomplishment is attained by those engaged in public-relations activities, the profession will fail its responsibility and will be des- tined to lose its right to retain its cherished posi- tion among the top professions. PAUL HAASE FROM now on, I think public relations is going to be the No. 1 item in the agenda of every top executive in this country, Bruce Barton declared recently in a letter to Editor Publisher. Barton did not overstate the importance of public relations in the job ahead. This manual on public relations, which also includes the practical application of publicity, has been prepared as a guide and code for those who are or who plan to be en- gaged in publicity and public-relations work. The authors claim little credit for originality. Credit for the principles and development of public relations belongs to the archi- tects. Particular attention has been given to the fundamental principles of publicity, the service phase of public relations. The success of both public relations and publicity depends on the ability of the director to observe sound, established principles and apply the maxims which are the result of the embryonic stage through which the profession has but re- cently passed. This book is a blueprint. The authors express grateful appreciation to George W. Sutton, Jr. for his important suggestions and contributions to Lester Jordan, head of the School of Journalism, Southern Methodist University, for hisinvaluable and painstaking examination and criticism of the manuscript to Allan P. Ames, of Ames Norr, for his cooperation and assistance to Hal S. Lewis, John M. Parsons, and Rex Laney for their many helpful suggestions to Meno Schoen- bach, Fay Griffith, and B. H. Scarpero, who gave a careful reading to the manuscript and assisted in the research and for kind permission to quote from published material to Simon and Schuster, Inc. The Pulse of Democracy, by George Gallup and Saul Forbes Rae D. Appleton- Century Company, Inc. Principles of Publicity, by Glenn C. Quiett and Ralph D. Casey, and Houghton Mifflin Company. DALLAS, TEX., December, 1946. Vlll DWIGHT HILLIS PLACKARD CLIFTON BLACKMON Contents PREFACE vii FOREWORD xi I. THE FOUNDATION ... 1 From Ripple to Wave On the Level Definitions Distin- guishing Definitions Purpose Basic Requirements Publicity Classified News and the Power of the Press The Element of Public Opinion Scope Planning the Organization. II. ORGANIZATION ... ... 31 Functional Divisions of Publicity Mediums the Avenues of Influence. III. THE PROFESSION . . . . . .38 Qualifications and Requirements Strictly Personal Cultivat- ing Publicity Sources IV. PRESS RELATIONS . Professional Associations and Aids. . 59 The Job Background Information The Relation of Pub- licity to the Press Practice The Newspaper Story Rules to be Observed. V. THE NEWSPAPER ........