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PUBLIC RELATIONS & LAW:How To Stay Out Of Trouble

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Fundamentals of Public Relations ­MCM 401
VU
Lesson 37
PUBLIC RELATIONS & LAW
Overview
With the increased awareness of ones rights and the democratic principles and practices in place it is
important to know the legal implications in the use of public relations plans and strategies. The students will
also be acquainted with important methods to stay out of trouble. We will also explain various
repercussions and implications of libel, slander and defamation. We will also discuss regarding public
relations role in legal matters.
As Samuel Johnson opined
"The law is the last result of human wisdom acting upon human experience for the benefit of public."
Francis Maitland Balfour said
" Law: a mousetrap easy to enter, but not easy to get out of."
Liabilities Of Practicing PR
1. Normal legal exposure, like encountered by any other person.
2. Work oriented legal exposure such as found in the course of normal PR or publicity activities.
3. Extraneous legal exposure including everything from testifying as an expert witness to getting sports
event tickets for a client, to lobbying without registering as a lobbyist or reporting income and expenses
from such activities.
Legal Problems: Civil & Criminal
According to Morton Simons
5 situations where PR practitioner may be subjected to legal implications.
1. Participates in the illegal action.
2. Counsels, guides & directs the policy behind it.
3. Takes a large personal part in it.
4. Sets up a propaganda agency to fight enemies of it.
5. Cooperates to further it.
How To Stay Out Of Trouble
Best way to stay out of trouble is to maintain good relationship with the attorney of the organization...!
5 ways can be helpful
1.
Recognize your individual responsibility for your action.
2.
Know your business.
3.
Ignore the vague lines between advertising & PR, because the law often does.
4.
Decide how far you are willing to go to run a risk of jail ,fine, a cease or desist order or a corrective
order.
5.
"Know your enemy" specially which Government agency is likely to go after you.
5 Good Points For PR Persons
1.
Be careful about headlines & pictures.
2.
Carefully select every word, even the smallest one.
3.
Use numbers where essential or important.
4.
Be aware about the ingredients behind the product.
5.
Only repeat a slogan where necessary.
Defamation: Libel & Slander
2 Kinds of Libel: Civil & Criminal
Libel: "written or otherwise published defamation"
Slander: "spoken defamation".
Civil Libel: this is non criminal ­ such as malicious publication tending to tarnish the reputation of a living
person... Injuring his repute.
Criminal Libel: breach of peace or treason --- involves inciting to riot or some other form of violence
against the government.
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Fundamentals of Public Relations ­MCM 401
VU
Defense Against Libel Basically Three (3)
1.
Truth: substantial proof that is admissible in court.
2.
Privilege: a fair and true report of a public, official or judicial proceeding.
3.
Fair Comment: statements made in an honest belief that they are true.
Rights of Privacy
Rights of privacy apply only to people, and not to organizations..
4 types of violations
1. Intrusion into solitude.
2. Portraying someone in a false light.
3. Public disclosure of private information.
4. Appropriation. Using a person's name or likeness for commercial purposes without person's consent. In
fact it is the privacy violation that causes most PR problems.
Contracts & Consents
Normally PR practitioner should not get involved in contracts etc.
Should know about at least 5 such forms:
1.
Model Release. When models are required for some campaign etc.
2.
Employee Contract. Basically job related contracts.
3.
Photo Agreement. Rights to release and use pictures for particular events.
4.
Work For Hire. To hire personnel for some project etc.
5.
Printing Contract. Contracts for getting some printing jobs to be carried out by printer etc.
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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY:Definitions Of Public Relations
  2. HOW DOES PR WORK?:OVERVIEW, Formulation of policy
  3. PUBLIC RELATIONS DISTINGUISHED:Size of a PR Department.
  4. PUBLICS OF PR:Expanded Publics, Few Examples Of Publics
  5. PLANNING PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMMES:Print Media, Electronic Media
  6. MEDIAS OF PR:Media for External Publics, Principles of Good Press Relations
  7. PRESS RELATIONS IN PR:What is News, Secrets Of Good News Release.
  8. CREATED PRIVATE MEDIA:Private Media, New Forms of House Journals
  9. SPECIAL USES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS:Crisis Management, Skills Of PR
  10. BUDGETING IN PR:Labour, Office Overheads, PR & Photographs
  11. PUBLIC RELATIONS PROBLEMS:Defining PR problems, C’s of PR explained
  12. METHODS OF COMMUNICATION:Psychology of Public Relations
  13. PR IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS:Techniques of Trade Association PR
  14. PR IN LABOUR UNIONS & RELIGIOUS GROUPS:Community Public Relations
  15. PR IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS & IN MEDIA CHANNALS
  16. USING ADVERTISING FOR P R COMMUNICATION:Role Of PR
  17. ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN MARKETING:How To Educate The Market
  18. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CORPORATE STRUCTURE:Corporate Identity Essentials
  19. E-PR & ITS TOOLS:Immediate Points To Consider, Using Email As PR Tool
  20. SPONSORSHIP—AN IMPORTANT PR TOOL:PR & Communication Audit
  21. HOUSE JOURNALS:Possible Publics Of House Journals, Exhibitions & PR
  22. CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN PR:Plan Of Action Adopted, Interview at your place
  23. ADVERTISING IN PR:Broad Objectives Of Advertising, Direct Advertising.
  24. INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS:Media Used, Within Store Contacts
  25. PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANCY:Disadvantages, Mass Communication
  26. PUBLIC RELATION’S ROLE IN MARKET EDUCATION:Kinds Of Markets
  27. MODERN DAY VALUES OF PR:Ethics Of Public Relations
  28. CHOICE OF MEDIA FOR PR COMPAIGN:Communication Channels & Media
  29. PR TECHNIQUES:Tactics & Techniques
  30. DESIGNING PR COMPAIGNS:Definitive Mission statement, Reputation.
  31. PUBLIC OPINION:Identifying Priority Publics, If Goal Is Attitude Change
  32. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND RESEARCH:Planning Phase Of Research
  33. PR AND RESEARCH:Unobtrusive Measures, Questionnaires For Survey
  34. PROBLEMS SOLVING STRATEGIES:Communicate results
  35. PERSUASION & COMMUNICATION THEORIES:Message Orientation
  36. COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS & THEORIES:Research and Persuasion
  37. PUBLIC RELATIONS & LAW:How To Stay Out Of Trouble
  38. PUBLIC RELATIONS & CASE STUDIES:Case Analysis, Images Of Public Relations
  39. PR AND PRINTING PROCESSES:Fundamentals Of Printing
  40. PUBLIC SPEAKING -- A PR TOOL:Key Benefits, How To Prepare
  41. PR -- COPING WITH UNEXPECTED:Some Possible PR Ideas
  42. DREAMS & REALITIES OF PR:Who Takes Charge Of Identity?
  43. CHANGING INTO OVERDRIVE:How International Is PR?
  44. GETTING ON WITH PR:Where does PR fit in the structure?
  45. FUNDAMENTALS OF A SUCCESSFUL NEWSLETTER:RESEARCH, WRITING