Two Visions of Communication in Public Relations

Robert W. Gehl

Two points from Carey

  • “Communication is a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed.”
  • How we think of communication shapes what we do

Two PR Models of Communication

  • Bernays/Fleischman "engineering" approach
  • Larissa and James Grunig "two-way" approach
Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman

Bernays and Fleischman

  • Two PR founders
  • Fleischman only recently is getting credit – she was lost to history for many years
  • "Engineering approach"

Recall Doris Fleischman's speech last week. Was it a ritual view or a transmission view of communication? Why or why not?

The cover of Vogue magazine, September 15, 1934

Transmission Thinking

  • Coordinate production
  • Coordinate messaging
  • Control of space through communication
  • Dictate to women the current fashion
Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman

Edward Bernays

The new media "provide open doors to the public mind. Any one of us through these media may influence the attitudes and actions of our fellow citizens."

Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman

Edward Bernays

The engineering approach is "action based only on thorough knowledge of the situation and on the application of scientific principles" to produce results.

Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman

Edward Bernays

The PR person “may intensify already existing favorable attitudes; he [sic] may induce those holding favorable attitudes to take constructive action; he may convert disbelievers; he may disrupt certain antagonistic points of view.”

Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman

Edward Bernays

"To influence the public, the engineer of consent works with and through group leaders and opinion molders on every level."

These ideas are still common

  • “Communicate effectively to different audiences in a variety of formats (oral, visual, textual) using a range of communication and media practices, technologies and platforms.” - Source
  • Less benign: propagandists also want to get their messages out!
The cover of the book All The Worst Humans

The idea is to win 50+1% of news coverage about the client.

Larissa and James Grunig

Grunig and Grunig

  • Larissa Grunig and James Grunig
  • PR should not view the world as a thing to manipulate through messaging
  • Dialog or two-way approach
Larissa and James Grunig

James Grunig

PR “should be ethical in that it helps organizations build caring – even loving – relationships with other individuals and groups they affect in a society or the world.” (with White, 38)

Larissa and James Grunig

James Grunig

“We believe that excellent public relations departments adopt the more realistic view that public relations is a symmetrical process of compromise and negotiation and not a war for power. In the long run, the symmetrical view is more effective: Organizations get more of what they want when they give up some of what they want.” (Grunig and White, 1992, p. 39)

Larissa and James Grunig

James Grunig

“An organization that uses the two-way symmetrical model... uses research and dialogue to manage conflict, improve understanding, and build relationships with publics. With the symmetrical model, both the organization and publics can be persuaded; both also may change their behavior.” (Grunig and White, 1992, p. 39)

Is the Grunig and Grunig dialog view a ritual view or a transmission view of communication?

My answer is: neither?

  • Ritual is about communion, being together.
  • Transmission is about information transfer and control.

My answer is: neither?

  • “An organization that uses the two-way symmetrical model... uses research and dialogue to manage conflict, improve understanding, and build relationships with publics. With the symmetrical model, both the organization and publics can be persuaded; both also may change their behavior.” (Grunig and White, 1992, p. 39)
  • This sounds like something else.

Have we read any theories of communication that the two-way model does fit?

the cover of James W Carey's book Communication as Culture

“Communication is a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed.”

the cover of James W Carey's book Communication as Culture

Recall James W. Carey's argument: how we view communication shapes how we act.

Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischman
The cover of the book All The Worst Humans
Larissa and James Grunig