Public Relations

Since the first written account of public relations-like activities in ancient Greece, PR professionals have been on record as shapers and reshapers of public opinion. This program defines the role of public relations, differentiating it from advertising, and examines the way in which PR operates. In addition, industry professionals discuss the contributions of Ivy Lee and the founder of modern PR, Edward L. Bernays; the role of public relations in America's two world wars; the shamefully successful Lucky Cigarettes campaign to make smoking in public fashionable for women; and the Ad Council and public service announcements. Crisis intervention is examined, as in the well-handled case of the tainted Tylenol scare, and the botched damage control of the Exxon/Valdez disaster. The program does an excellent job of explaining a difficult-to-understand and often-maligned industry. (28 minutes, color