1. CA 218 – PUBLIC
RELATIONS
Professor: Amy L Stewart, MA

2. March 27 Schedule
 5:30 p.m.: AP Style Quiz
 6 p.m.: Chapter 4
 7 p.m.: Break
 7:15p.m.: Chapter 5
 8 p.m.: Upcoming assignments
 Interview

3. Choosing the Right Message and
Medium

4. (Cognitive)Dissonance Theory
People tend to seek only messages that are
consonant with their attitudes; they do not
seek out dissonant messages.
Four rings of defense
 Selective exposure
 Selective attention
 Selective perception
 Selective retention

5. Example of Cognitive
Dissonance
 Consider someone who buys an expensive car but
discovers that it is not comfortable on long drives.
 Dissonance exists between their beliefs that they
have bought a good car and that a good car should
be comfortable.
 Dissonance could be eliminated by deciding that it
does not matter since the car is mainly used for
short trips (reducing the importance of the dissonant
belief) or focusing on the cars strengths such as
safety, appearance, handling (thereby adding more
consonant beliefs).
 The dissonance could also be eliminated by getting
rid of the car, but this behavior is a lot harder to
achieve than changing beliefs.

6. Understanding Cognitive
Dissonance
 List two things that you have cognitive dissonance
about—that is, things you don’t wish to know anything
about—and explain why.
 These things could be anything at all—horror
movies, toothpaste commercials, a type of music, a
political candidate, someone else’s problems, the state of
the ozone layer, etc.
1. What is the most common technique you use to
avoid information about these things?
2. If you were trying to reach someone like yourself
with information on these things, what approach
would you try?

7. Elaboration Likelihood Model
Persuasive messages are transmitted and received through two
different routes:
•The Central Route – Used by people who think about messages
extensively before becoming persuaded
•The Peripheral Route – Used by those who are unable or unwilling
to spend time thinking about a message.

8. Things to Note about ELM
 Personally relevant issues are more likely to
be processed on the central route; issues with
little relevance take the peripheral route
 Certain individuals have a need for cognitive
clarity, regardless of the issue; these people
will work through many of the ideas and
arguments they hear and will generally use the
central route.
 Distraction disrupts elaboration
 Repetition may increase the possibility of
elaboration.

9. Practical Advice for the
Persuader
 If listeners are motivated and able to elaborate
a message, rely on factual arguments
 Weak arguments can backfire
 If listeners are unwilling to elaborate a
message you should favor the peripheral route
with packaging rather than content
 When using the peripheral route remember
that the effects will probably be fragile

10. Persuasive Strategies
 Identification
 Suggestion of Action
 Familiarity and Trust
 Clarity

11. Compliance Strategies
 Persuasive strategies designed to gain
agreement through techniques of persuasion
based not on reasoned argument but on some
other method of enticement.
 Sanction strategies – use rewards and
punishments controlled by either audience
members themselves or as a result of the
situation.
 Appeal strategies – call upon the audience to help
or come to the aid of the communicator or a third
party.
 Command Strategies – Direct
requests, Explanation, Hints

12. Argument Strategies
 Persuasive strategies designed to oppose
another point of view and to persuade
 Reasoned Argument – logical argument
 MotivatedSequence
 Imagined Q&A
 Message aimed at attitude change
Appeal – Using emotion techniques to
 Emotional
persuade an audience
 Symbols,emotive language and entertainment
 Dear Sophie Video

13. Kristy W

14. Choosing the Appropriate Medium
or Media
 Determine Target Audience
 Timing
 Budget
 Which medium reaches the broadest segment of
your target audience at the lowest cost?
 Which medium has the highest credibility and
what does it cost?
 Which medium will deliver your message within
the time constraints necessary for it to be
effective?
 Should a single medium be used or a combination
of complementary media?

15. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Media Selections
 Newspapers
 Magazines
 Radio
 Television
 Direct Mail
 Outdoor
 The Internet

16. Negotiating Media Buys
 Negotiate rates
 Negotiate positioning
 Negotiate additional opportunities
 Negotiate added value

17. Examples of Media Pricing
 Kansas City Star
 Glamour Magazine
 Facebook

18. Choosing the Right Medium
1. Who are your target audiences here in order of
priority? Why them? Why in that order?
2. What would you like to say to them? Would you be
informative? Persuasive? Combination?
3. In what form do you think they would be most likely
to ―listen‖ to what you have to say? That is to say, do
you think they’re basically newspaper readers? TV
watchers? Telephone chatters?
4. What medium, or combination of media, would you
use to get your message out to your targets? Why
these media?
5. Are there any media you wouldn’t use? Why
wouldn’t you?

19. Media Relations and
Placement

20. What is news?
 Consequence
 Interest
 Timeliness
 Proximity
 Prominence

21. Working with the Media
 Get to know journalists’ jobs
 Get to know journalists as people
Carolyn Long –
Julius Karash – KC
KCTV5
Business Journal

22. Guidelines for Dealing with the
Media
 Always be honest
 Establish ground rules early on your
relationship
 Always answer a reporter’s phone calls
 Give media people what they want, not what
you want
 Don’t bombard journalists
 Don’t assume reporters are out to get you
 Don’t try to intimidate reporters
 Don’t plead your case or follow up on stories

23. Guidelines for Interviews
 Keep everything on the record
 Provide background
 Know the topic
 Anticipate touchy questions
 Answer questions that are already a matter of public
record
 Be completely honest
 Answer questions directly
 If you don’t know the answer say so
 Keep it cordial, no matter what happens
 Look professional
 Offer help later if needed, and give it

24. Guidelines for Correcting Errors
 Always be as diplomatic as possible
 Contact the reporter immediately
 Remain calm and courteous
 If the story has already been run, ask for a
correction
 Ask if there’s anything you can do in the future
to prevent this sort of thing from happening
again

25. Judging Newsworthiness
 Which of the following happenings would most likely
be considered newsworthy by your local newspaper?
Explain why or why not. If it’s not already, how could
you make each happening more newsworthy?
1. Your company’s annual picnic (date and place, etc.)
2. The promotion of your company’s vice president of
engineering to senior vice president of research and
development.
3. The death of one of your company’s longtime
employees.
4. Your company’s quarterly earnings statement.
5. The wedding of your corporate CEO.
6. The latest information on your company’s newest
product.

26. Media Directories
 Bacon’s PR and Media Information Systems
 Editor & Publisher
 Standard Rate and Data Services

27. Media Lists

28. Getting your Message to the
Media
 Broadcast Cover Letter
 Press Kits
 NASA - The Final Flight of Discovery
 PPG Aerospace
 What items might you include in a press kit for an
announcement of a new product?

29. Upcoming Assignments
 Interview
 Determine interviewee and alternate
 Draft 5-10 interview questions
 Contact interviewee and set-up time for interview
 Conduct a 15-20 minute interview
 Write 2 page summary of interview. Include
quotes.
 Read through Chapter 6