Chap. 5 – Structural Comparisons Global Public Relations 1

Media Impact Most of what people know about the world comes via mass media Most of what people know about the world comes via mass media Media serve different functions in different cultures Media serve different functions in different cultures Practitioners generally rely on media; need to recognize and account for differences Practitioners generally rely on media; need to recognize and account for differences 2

How to analyze media systems Regulatory environment Regulatory environment Public access to media Public access to media Content Content Purpose/function Purpose/function Financial basis Financial basis Supporting social, political and economic philosophies Supporting social, political and economic philosophies 3

Global Media Conglomerates Diminishing, but not negating national and cultural distinctions Diminishing, but not negating national and cultural distinctions Encompass many media types: books, television, Internet, magazines, radio, newspapers, etc. Encompass many media types: books, television, Internet, magazines, radio, newspapers, etc. Tendency for 1-way news flow Tendency for 1-way news flow See UNESCO’s “New World Information Order” See UNESCO’s “New World Information Order”“New World Information Order”“New World Information Order” 4

Describing Media Audiences Qualitative data Qualitative data Audience gender; ages; percentage of population; education level; income; etc. Audience gender; ages; percentage of population; education level; income; etc. Qualitative data Qualitative data Audience’s environment and how it influences resulting opinion or behavior change Audience’s environment and how it influences resulting opinion or behavior change Preferences for media types (radio, magazines, etc.) Preferences for media types (radio, magazines, etc.) Varying credibility ascribed to media types Varying credibility ascribed to media types 5

Consider Alternative Media Folk media Folk media Street theater, puppets, music, dance Street theater, puppets, music, dance Message/product placement in films and programming Message/product placement in films and programming Social media Social media Including video games Including video games WOM WOM 6

What is news? Different cultures have different approaches Different cultures have different approaches Who are the gatekeepers? What are their criteria? Who are the gatekeepers? What are their criteria? What is the relationship between journalists and public relations practitioners? What is the relationship between journalists and public relations practitioners? 7

Areas for Legal Comparisons Freedom of speech Freedom of speech Censorship Censorship Defamation Defamation Copyrights & trademarks Copyrights & trademarks Access and disclosure Access and disclosure Commercial speech Commercial speech Contracts Contracts Agency law Agency law New media New media 8

Legal vs. Public Relations Counsel In U.S., friction is common between the two disciplines, especially in crisis In U.S., friction is common between the two disciplines, especially in crisis Legal counsel: “No comment” Legal counsel: “No comment” PR counsel: Truthful disclosure PR counsel: Truthful disclosure Does same dynamic exist in other cultures? Does same dynamic exist in other cultures? What does that reveal about underlying values? What does that reveal about underlying values? 9

Public Relations Codes of Ethics PRSA PRSA PRSA IABC IABC IABC Code of Athens Code of Athens Code of Athens Code of Athens 10 Which is most extensive? Most specific? Which is most extensive? Most specific? Which appears to have “teeth”? Which appears to have “teeth”?