Week 5: Engaging with the media

There are a few useful communication theories which PR practitioners should apply to their work with the media. Communication is defined as the production and exchange of information and meaning by use of signs and symbols which involves encoding and sending messages, receiving and decoding them, and synthesizing information and meaning. Communication permeates all levels of human experience and it is central to understanding human behavior (referenceanswers,2009)

There are many communication theories for instance:

1. Two Step Flow, by Lazarfeld (1955), states that an organization beams a message to the mass media which will then deliver it to a great mass of people for their response. With regards to Public Relations, this theory asserts that information from the media is transmitted in 2 prominent stages : Firstly, from radio and print to opinion leaders. Opinion leaders will then add in / pass on their own interpretations in addition to the actual media content. ‘Personal influence’ refer to the process intervening between both, the media’s direct message and the viewer’s ultimate reaction to that message. Opinion leaders are influential in getting people to believe in them and change their attitudes and behaviors. And secondly, message is transmitted from the opinions leaders to the less active sections of society. The two-step flow theory has helped to improve my understanding of how the mass media influence decision making
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2. Agenda-Setting Theory, by McCombs, M., & Shaw, D.L. (1972), states that the media, usually the news media channel, ain't always successful at telling us what to think however, they are successful at telling us what to think about. I agree with this theory as a powerful influence of the media, as it has the ability to tell us what issues are important. Linking back to public relations, agenda-setting is to create public awareness and concern of salient issues by the news media. Two basis assumptions underlie most research on this theory. Firstly, the press and the media does not reflect reality. They filter the information they receive and shape it. Secondly, the media concentration on a few selected issues and subjects leads the audience to perceive those concentrated issues as more important than the others. I think that agenda-setting theory seems quite appropriate to help me to understand the pervasive role of the media.


3. Framing Theory, by Tversky & Khaneman (1981), states that either the media or organizations decide where people think about. It is the shaping of views and discussions through selective choice of facts, themes and works. In addition, the sender makes the selection. With regards to public relations, Public Relations Practitioners has a huge influence in 'framing' how the media will discuss a certain product, or development. Hence, framing creates the context in which the discussion occurs. For instance, a good case study would be the company Apple Computer, making a come back to the IT market with the introduction of iMac Computers. From this, I understand that the media draws the public attention to certain selected topics and then decides where people think about. Framing, is the way in which the news is written, the frame in which the news is being presented, is being selected and put up by journalists. Frames are abstract notions which serve to organize or structure certain social meanings. It influences the perception of the news. I feel that this form of agenda-setting not only tells what to think about, but also how to think about it. In conclusion, the basis of this theory is that media focuses attention on certain events or issues within a field of meaning. Framing is important as it can have a big influence for the media to inject certain messages to the public - magic bullet theory.

After doing some research, I came across this interesting theory: Expectancy Value Theory - This theory has nothing to do with the theories which PR practitioners will apply to their engagements with the media instead, it serves as a motivation for PR personnels.

Expectancy Value Theory, by Martein Fishbein (1970), states that it focuses on the complex nature of attitudes, which highlights social influence, both attitude & its' changes in particular. behaviour is a function of the expectancies and the value of the goal toward which one person has and is working towards. This predicts that, when more than one behavior is possible, the behavior chosen will be the one with the largest combination of expected success and value. The behaviors people perform in response to their beliefs and values are undertaken to achieve some end. Relating to public relations practitioners, I think that this model proposes that the overall tendency to achieve in a particular situation depends upon two obvious motives - 1) To be successful, 2) To avoid failure. This model is very much for the well-being of each pr personnel themselves. This mathematical model predicts that goals that require moderate effort to achieve will have the greatest value for persons highly motivated for success.

I think theories acts as an important guideline and understanding them will be useful as theory helps to make me understand how individuals construct meaning and how these meanings are affected by different factors. :)