Strategic PR Planning Flashcards

What is 'environmental scanning' in PR strategic planning?

Answer: Monitoring political, social, economic, and technological trends that may affect the organization

Environmental scanning uses tools like PESTLE analysis to monitor external forces—political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental—that may create opportunities or threats.

The 'third-party endorsement' principle in PR holds that:

Answer: Media coverage is more credible than paid advertising because it comes from an independent source

Because media coverage appears to come from an independent, credible third party rather than the organization itself, audiences perceive it as more trustworthy than advertising.

In PR, 'agenda-setting theory' suggests that:

Answer: Media does not tell people what to think but what to think about

Agenda-setting theory (McCombs and Shaw) proposes that media salience—how much coverage a topic receives—influences how important audiences perceive that issue to be.

What is 'framing' in the context of strategic PR?

Answer: Presenting information in a way that influences how audiences interpret it

Framing theory in PR holds that how information is presented—the words, images, and context chosen—significantly shapes how audiences understand and respond to issues.

What is the purpose of a 'PR evaluation report'?

Answer: Measure whether campaign objectives were achieved and inform future strategy

Evaluation reports measure campaign performance against SMART objectives, providing accountability and insights that improve future PR planning.

Which approach best describes 'relationship management' as a PR strategy?

Answer: Building long-term mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholder groups

Relationship management PR theory (Ledingham and Bruning) posits that the fundamental goal of PR is cultivating long-term, trust-based relationships with stakeholders, not just managing information.