Ethical Propaganda?

This is the second essay of my CRT assignment for my CIPR Diploma, graded a Distinction. The first essay on PR and the Blogosphere is also available on my blog.

“Propaganda is not neutral, it aims to further the aims of the propagandist.” (Wright, 1991).

Discuss this definition of propaganda in the light of “ethical propaganda” campaigns, such as public safety or public health campaigns in your country.

There is a great deal of uncertainty when it comes to propaganda: Some PR practitioners will recoil at the suggestion that they are propagandists. Other public relations experts will argue that propaganda is an integral part of public relations practise. So who is right and why is there such confusion over propaganda? “One of the few things that can be said with any certainty about propaganda is that there is little consensus concerning what it is, how it is used, who uses it, how it can be assessed and whether it is effective or not” (Elkes, 2001). This paper examines the meaning of propaganda, the characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of communication, the techniques employed by propagandists and the theory that is applied to these techniques. It also aims to consider more recent uses of propaganda for health campaigns and considers whether propaganda can be ethical.

PR and the ‘Blogosphere’

Today I found out the results of my CIPR Diploma CRT (Critical Reasoning Test) and was delighted to find out I passed with a distinction.

I was a bit hesitant to post my assignment on my blog before receiving the results for fear that it wasn’t any good but now I can share my work without worrying so much. I am sure that there are many people who have an opinion on the role of PR in the blogosphere and may disagree with some of the viewpoints in my assignment so feel free to share…

There is an increasing number of individuals and organisations entering the “blogosphere”, where reputations are played with by almost everyone, from anonymous mischief makers to the openly concerned. Your CEO has heard that her name has been mentioned in an anonymous blog and she wants to retaliate.

Before you advise her as to what is best to do, write yourself a reflective paper about public relations and the “blogosphere”.

The 21st century has seen the development of many new communications tools on the internet, and a massive rise in the number of people publishing content online. Web applications such as blogs, wikis and social networking sites have become increasingly popular, and faster broadband connections have made access to these tools more widely available. These advances in digital technology, and the new audiences they bring present fresh challenges for public relations and prompt us to reconsider more traditional theories of public relations as well as assessing the challenges and opportunities that these tools present. This paper is designed to reflect on some of these existing theories and their application to the blogosphere, consider possible applications of the tool in PR, and analyse case studies demonstrating good and bad practice. In order to give a broad consideration of PR and the blogosphere, it may not be possible for a thorough analysis of all aspects of theory relating to blogging, but the flowing discussion should provide greater understanding of the blogosphere and it’s relevance to public relations.

My recent discoveries

These musicians aren’t necessarily ‘new’ but they are new to me so thought I would share.

Hope you enjoy…

I’m Yours by Jason Mraz

Another Day by Jamie Lidell

The Quest by Bryn Christopher

The University of Thick?

Scallywagga on Facebook

Reminds us all that what we put online is in the real world not just the virtual world!

Twitter in Plain English

So Twitter has been around for a while and I signed up to it over a year ago, not really understanding how or why to use it. A year on and I returned to my Twitter account as I heard more and more people talking about it.

A video introduction to Twitter from CommonCraft…

This is a very basic introduction to Twitter, and emphasises Twitter as a tool for keeping up with ‘family, friends and co-workers’ but it doesn’t tell us how we can use it to make new contacts, find out new information and other possible applications such as organisational twittering.

The best way to work out how to use Twitter is to start using it yourself. I’ve started using it to follow people in the Birmingham area with an interest in social media, web2.0, higher education, music – all the things that are relevant and interest me. I think your experience of Twitter depends a lot on the people you are following and how much you are prepared to interact. I have found my Twitter community very friendly and responsive and that is what keeps me going back to it. If you are experimenting with Twitter, I suggest you use Summize.com to search for things that interest you – for me it was ‘Birmingham’, ‘Warwick’, ‘University’, ‘PR’ etc. Then look at who they are following and you will soon develop your network. Any other suggestions on how to improve your Twitter network? How many people should you follow etc??

Commoncraft have produced a load of videos on different aspects of social media, social networking, podcasting, blogging etc. Think this one on social bookmarking is pretty useful – can think of many professional and educational uses of social bookmarking.

Good busy

Another busy few days ahead but busy is good.

Tomorrow I am off to London for a CIPR Education and Skills Sector Group conference, New Challenges, New Opportunities The Role of New Media in Crisis Communications. I am expecting it to be a good day. It has been organised by a former colleague and Director of Pickle Jar Communications and she has managed to secure the Director of Web Communications from Virginia Tech University in America – i’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the tragedy there last year. It will be really interesting to hear from their point to view how they handled it – i don’t think a University can ever be fully prepared for something like that to happen so it will be reassuring to see what lessons they learnt.

On Saturday I am in Nottingham for the sixth session of my CIPR Diploma. At the moment we are working towards for our second assignment – the Planning Assignment. We haven’t been given the assignment yet but basically we will be expected to develop a communications plan and rationale at just over 5000 words. Aapparently this is often a crisis communications situation so i’m hoping tomorrows conference will also be good preparation. The deadline is Friday 1st August so I exepct I will be knuckling down in July (but partying hard on the weekend of 1st August!).

After my course on Saturday I am then travelling across to Keele University for their Homecoming Reunion. I graduated from Keele in 2003 and don’t think I have been back there since maybe 2004 so I am excited and sentimental about returning. I spent three brilliant years there with brilliant friends and I am really looking forward to walking around the campus and remembering the good times spent sat out on the lawns of Keele Hall, drinking in Lindsay Bar and partying in the Union.

Then Sunday I will be coming home to sleep.