The Omnipotence and Impotence of Public Relations

As the anti-corruption campaign deepens across China, CCTV has not only seen former leaders taken away, but also anchors have been reported to be taken away. Some time ago, Rui Chenggang, an economic journalist and anchor who had been controversial, was taken away for investigation. As for why Rui Chenggang was taken away and what crime he committed, we believe that as the case investigation and trial proceed, the legal authorities will provide an accurate and fair announcement. However, what followed was a flood of "news" and countless versions of the case circulating on self-media!

The rumor that "Rui Chenggang invested in a PR company and used PR as a pretext to amass wealth" grew stronger, and even public relations, a concept that had already been seriously misled, was again caught in the crossfire. We cannot help but say a few words, hoping to restore the reputation of public relations once more.

A PR company, strictly speaking, is an enterprise engaged in public relations practice. According to the principles of public relations, it provides clients with strategic advice on public relations and assists and represents clients in carrying out public relations work. Therefore, a PR company is not the entirety of public relations.

In Grunig's classic work "Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management," a forerunner of modern public relations theory, the principles of modern public relations are comprehensively and precisely elaborated: 1. Public relations personnel participate in the organization's strategic management. 2. Public relations personnel have certain power in the organization or report directly to senior management. 3. Integrated public relations function. 4. Public relations as a management function independent of other organizational functions. 5. The public relations department is led by a manager rather than a technician. 6. Public relations work adopts a two-way symmetrical model. 7. There is a balanced system for internal communication. 8. Personnel in management roles and those conducting two-way symmetrical PR work need sufficient knowledge background. 9. The roles of public relations work are diverse. 10. Professional ethics and social responsibility. From these ten principles, it is not difficult to see that public relations is not only practice but also an awareness, an awareness that everyone must have in the era of social media.

Regardless of whether Rui Chenggang's investment in the enterprise violated professional norms, just from the "case" described in the rumors, the actions of Rui Chenggang and his related PR company are not genuine public relations behavior. Moreover, they are vastly different from the concept of public relations. No matter which public relations textbook, it will repeatedly emphasize that public relations must be based on the principle of "telling the truth," and the theories and methodologies elaborated are all about how to tell the truth, communicate sincerely with the audience, and aim for "mutual acceptance" as the highest goal of changing opinions. However, the enterprise in the "case" was called a PR company, and as a result, public relations was caught in the crossfire again, becoming "black PR." Just as when cracking down on malicious online hype and the fabrication and dissemination of rumors, public relations was also cloaked in black.

Public relations in China started late, encountered many setbacks during its growth, and the environment for its development has deteriorated. True public relations has gradually faded from people's sight... Misunderstanding and misinterpretation have become the mainstream in people's minds.

In fact, public relations is not omnipotent. Public relations is by no means a panacea, nor can it cure all ills. When it is detached from society, politics, law, economy, and even the humanistic environment, public relations becomes nothing. However, because public relations is a discipline and practice related to communication management, in the era of social media, people's communication has become increasingly complex and frequent, and the forms and environment of media have become more socialized. Thus, the concept of public relations has become increasingly important, and its methodologies have gained more attention. Therefore, without public relations, it is absolutely impossible.

Public relations has been around for over a hundred years since its formal birth, and it has been ninety years since the publication of the first recognized foundational work of public relations, "Crystallizing Public Opinion." Public relations has penetrated every aspect of society. In everyone's life, misinterpreting and misunderstanding public relations is a manifestation of ignoring it. And ignoring public relations is almost equivalent to letting communication lose management, letting "image" lose management, and letting opinions lose reasonable communication and progress!

Public relations is not omnipotent, but without public relations, it is absolutely impossible!

Let public relations return to its true nature!