Public Relations Writing: The Essentials of Style and Format

Description

This text equips students with the essential skills for developing and writing public relations materials, covering all areas of public relations writing--including news releases, backgrounders, newsletter and magazine articles, brochures, print advertising copy, and broadcast scripts. Coverage of recent technological changes, including the growth of digital and social media (blogging, Twitter, etc.) gives students an understanding of how technology impacts the public relations industry. In the constantly changing world of public relations, the text continues to stress the need for public relations professionals to communicate more effectively to all audiences. In addition, it covers basic planning, media relations, media placement and distribution, and law and ethics. Title Contents CHAPTER 1 Writing for Public Relations WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS? WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING? Uncontrolled Information Controlled Information TOOLS OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITER THE PROCESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING KEY TERMS CHAPTER 2 Ethical and Legal Issues in Public Relations Writing ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF PERSUASION Logic Fallacies Other Tactics Unethical Language Use Ethics and Ghostwriting What the Public Relations Society of America Has to Say THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING Defamation Privacy Copyright Copyright and the Internet Users’ Risks—The Bottom Line Trademarks KEY TERMS CHAPTER 3 Planning and Research DEVELOPING AN ISSUE STATEMENT RESEARCHING THE TOPIC Evaluating Internet Resources ANALYZING THE TARGET AUDIENCE Conducting Target Audience Research AUDIENCE DEFINITION WORKSHEET Anticipating Audience Expectations SETTING OBJECTIVES EVALUATION TIMELINE BUDGETING Constructing a Basic Budget Do You Need a Contract? KEY TERMS CHAPTER 4 Choosing the Right Message and Medium THE PROCESS OF PERSUASION ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL Things to Note about the Elaboration Likelihood Model Practical Advice for the Persuader PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES Compliance Strategies Argument Strategies CHOOSING THE APPROPRIATE MEDIUM OR MEDIA Advantages and Disadvantages of Media Selections NEGOTIATING MEDIA BUYS Evaluating Your Media Buys LEARNING TO ADAPT KEY TERMS CHAPTER 5 Media Relations and Placement WHAT IS NEWS? WORKING WITH THE MEDIA Get to Know Journalists’ Jobs Get to Know Journalists as People Guidelines for Dealing with the Media Guidelines for Interviews Guidelines for Correcting Errors MEDIA PLACEMENT Deciding Where to Place Your Message Getting Your Message to the Media Fitting Your Information to Your Outlet PRESS KITS Cooperation Is the Key KEY TERMS CHAPTER 6 News Releases and Backgrounders WHAT IS A NEWS RELEASE? WRITING A NEWS RELEASE The Lead Quotations and Attributions Local Interest NEWS RELEASE FORMAT Timing and Dating Releases Datelines Exclusives and Specials TYPES OF NEWS RELEASES Product Releases Event Announcements Personnel Releases Tips/Hints Releases WRITING NEWS RELEASES FOR BROADCAST PITCH LETTERS AND MEDIA ADVISORIES Pitch Letters Media Advisories BACKGROUNDERS FACT SHEETS KEY TERMS CHAPTER 7 Design, Printing, and Desktop Publishing DESIGN: WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT MIGHT BE GREEK TO YOU DESIGNING PUBLIC RELATIONS MATERIALS PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN Balance Proportion Sequence and Emphasis Unity Grids Alignment Type and Typefaces WORKING WITH PROFESSIONAL PRINTERS Printing Processes Paper Choice Ink Choice Binding Swipe Files Computer Layout Preparation for Printing Print Order Preparation A WORD ON DESKTOP PUBLISHING PRINT SCHEDULING AND BUDGETING Scheduling Budgeting KEY TERMS CHAPTER 8 Controlled Publications NEWSLETTERS Types of Newsletters Why a Newsletter? Content Objectives Scheduling and Budgeting Articles Story Ideas Researching Stories Design Considerations Style Sheets MAGAZINES Content and Format Types of Articles TRADE JOURNALS FEATURE WRITING FOR NEWSLETTERS AND MAGAZINES Feature Style Writing the Feature Story Common Types of Features EDITORIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DISPLAY COPY Writing Headlines Writing Subheads and Crossheads Writing Captions Writing Pull Quotes EDITING YOUR ARTICLES EVALUATION Methods of Evaluation Evaluating Your Production Schedule BROCHURES Planning Your Brochure Fitting It All Together OTHER INFORMATION PIECES Flyers Posters Booklets and Hybrids ANNUAL REPORTS Audiences Contents Writing for Annual Reports The Nonprofit Annual Report KEY TERMS CHAPTER 9 Television and Radio REACHING BROADCAST AUDIENCES Video News Releases Radio and Television Tapes and Actualities Interviews and Talk Shows Corporate Advertising and Public Service Announcements WRITING FOR TELEVISION Basic Concepts Writing for the Eye Television Scripts WRITING FOR RADIO Types of Radio Announcements How to Get Your Public Service Announcements on the Air KEY TERMS CHAPTER 10 Speeches and Presentations TYPES OF SPEECHES MODES OF DELIVERY PREPARATION AND WRITING Specifying Your Purpose Analyzing Your Audience Organizing Your Speech Supporting Your Ideas DELIVERY THE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER SESSION PRESENTATION MATERIALS Preparing Audiovisual Materials Scripting for Audiovisuals KEY TERMS CHAPTER 11 Writing for Web and Social Media THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE A Quick Word about Writing for Web Sites OK, Let’s Get on with Web 2.0 BLOGS AND BLOGGING What to Blog About Writing Blog Posts How to Write Comments on Blogs Micro-Blogging and Twitter How to Write Twitter Posts THE EVOLUTION OF THE PRESS RELEASE Standard Release Format Search Engine Optimized Releases Social Media Release How to Write a Social Media Release CREATING AN ONLINE NEWSROOM What to Include in Your Online Newsroom Online Newsrooms to Study KEY TERMS Glossary Index