Chapter 12 questioning the media

1. What do you think of when you hear the term public relations? What images come to mind? Where did these impressions come from?



When I hear the term public relations,I often times think of the government or celebrities. I think of the government because the government controls everything within a country and even what is and isnt allowed to appear in some form of advertising. I think of celebrities because they are one of the main focuses of the entertainment and television business. Pretty much anything they do will be heard about later on the news. Its like the news and television evolves around them. I developed these impressions through the years as i got older and more mature.



2. What might a college or university do to improve public relations with homeowners on the edge of a campus who have to deal with noisy student parties and a shortage of parking spaces?



A college or university could offer some alternatives to the homeowners on the edge of campus such as letting them know in advance when a party is going to be near their house. They could also just tell the fratnerity that they cant have parties but even so often because of the complaints by the neighbors. The university could also provide the homeowners with designated parking spots for them only to keep them happy by doing something like putting up signs by these spots and painting the parking spots saying its the homeowners parking only, and towing is enforced.



3. What steps can reporters and editors take to monitor PR agents who manipulate the news media?


Reporters and editors can monitor PR agents for manipulating the news media by checking the resources that the story is composed from. If the article's resources are all from a liberal or all from a conservative site or politican then they can request an opinion or fact from the opposing side. They can also read the article and monitor for anything that may be based on personal opinion. An unbiased article should consist of all points of view, not just the side the person may have taken.