1. The history of public relations is closely related to the history of social,
political and economic affairs. If you were adding to the brief history of
public relations found in this chapter, what events would you add? Search the
Web for "history timelines" of the country or issue of your choice,
or go directly to sites such as the Smithsonian Institute’s History of the
U.S. timeline at http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmah/timeline.htm* or the Environmental
History timeline at http://www.radford.edu/~wkovarik/hist1/timeline.new.html.*
Choose one event and justify its inclusion in your expanded history.
Weekly Update Archives
2. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 11. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click Weekly Update Archives. On the next screen, under the topic of Target Marketing, read 09-10-01, "Product Placement and the Bulgari Book." Will this incident be studied as an historical event in future media classes? Why or why not?
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
Industry
Web Excursion
3. Imagine if you were to become an independent PR counselor. Find a product or service that needs a public relations solution. This "product" could be a consumer product, your school, even one of your friends. Search the Web for "Public Relations Services" or go directly to PR Newswire at www.prnewswire.com and access the "services" hyperlink. Which of these services would you take advantage of for your product or service?
Media World CD-ROM Excursion
4. View track 6.3, Issues: Serve the Client or Public? This track explains how PR agencies straddle the line between public service and private profit. PR is a client-driven business—does that affect their concern for public service? Explain how PR firms such as Ogilvie attempt to avoid ethical dilemmas.
PowerWeb Articles
5. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 11. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click PowerWeb Articles. On the next screen, under the topic of Political Coverage, read the article, "The Media and Politics: It’s More Than the News." After reading this article, develop answers to these questions: Is public relations changing the democratic process? If so, are these changes good or bad?
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
Controversies
Web Excursion
6. Search the Web for "current public relations issues" by searching for that key term, or other terms such as "public relations accountability," or "public relations ethics" or go directly to the Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch at www.prwatch.org. Choose one issue that you find important, and prepare a brief report on it.
Media World CD-ROM Excursion
7. View track 19, Why is the United States Viewed So Poorly in the Arab World? (from NBC News Archive). Has the United States fallen too far behind in the propaganda war? America is trying to get its message out to hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Is it possible to improve a company’s or nation’s image without actually changing or improving the company or nation?
PowerWeb Articles
8. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 11. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click PowerWeb Articles. On the next screen, under the topic of Gatekeeping, read the article, "The Pentagon is Fighting—and Winning—the Public Relations War." Using information from this article, Chapter 11, and recent news events, argue for or against the claim implied in this title: Is the Pentagon really winning the public relations war?
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
