Public Relations in a Democratic Society

PR’s most significant impact on our democracy may be its involvement in the political process, especially when organizations hire public relations specialists to favorably shape or reshape a candidate’s image. As with military propaganda (see also “Converging Media Case Study: Military PR in the Digital Age” on pages 412–413), the history of modern public relations goes hand in hand with political campaigns. In fact, Edward Bernays, who literally wrote the book on propaganda in 1928, is believed to have staged the first presidential publicity stunt: a pancake breakfast for Calvin Coolidge with vaudevillian performers.

The need to handle a candidate’s image has become increasingly important, as technology has allowed images of the candidates to be broadcast into America’s living rooms. In 1952, President Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first presidential candidate to hire a marketing agency to produce his “Eisenhower Answers America” television commercials, whereas President John F. Kennedy set the bar for future presidential candidates with his ease and charisma on-screen.8

By the end of the twentieth century, no president or major presidential candidate could exist without an immense PR effort. Sometimes things go well; other times, they don’t. For example, in the 2008 presidential contest, Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s team was headed by David Axelrod, founder of Chicago-based political and media consulting firm AKPD Message and Media, who smoothly guided Obama to the White House. By contrast, Republican nominee John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, went through numerous campaign and PR strategists in their more tumultuous bid for the Oval Office.

Political public relations efforts don’t end after an election, however. PR is in play when candidates take office, govern, or participate in or react to political movements—like the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street. Just as many journalism outlets cover the news in permanent twenty-four-hour cycles, so must PR agencies stay involved with political, social, and media processes.

As discussed earlier in the chapter, the role of public relations efforts and lobbying is about more than presidential candidates and other politicians. From railroad companies looking for money from federal, state, and local governments to the explosion in the lobbying profession (see Figure 12.2), outside groups wanting to influence the government’s actions have an enormous and not always easy-to-understand impact on how our democracy functions.

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Though public relations often provides political information and story ideas, the PR profession bears only part of the responsibility for “spun” news; after all, it is the job of a PR agency to get favorable news coverage for the individual or group it represents. PR professionals to some extent police their own ranks for unethical or irresponsible practices, but the news media should also monitor the public relations industry, as they do other government and business activities. Journalism also needs to be more conscious of how its own practices play into the hands of spin strategies. As a positive example of change on this front, many major newspapers and TV networks now offer regular assessments of the facts and falsehoods contained in political advertising. This media vigilance should be on behalf of citizens, who are entitled to robust, well-rounded debates on important social and political issues.

Like advertising and other forms of commercial speech, PR campaigns that result in free media exposure raise a number of questions regarding democracy and the expression of ideas. Large companies and PR agencies, like well-financed politicians, have money to invest in figuring out how to obtain favorable publicity. The question is not how to prevent that but how to ensure that other voices—those less well financed and less commercial—also receive an adequate hearing. To that end, journalists need to become less willing conduits in the distribution of publicity. PR agencies, for their part, need to show clients that participating as responsible citizens in the democratic process can serve them well and enhance their image. But in the end, all citizens bear the responsibility of understanding that the public relations industry surrounds us, regardless of what issues or sides we favor. It is a part of the media experience and, as such, part of our daily lives. Therefore, media literacy must also include awareness and knowledge of PR, and all of the ways it can affect us.

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