| Editor Heath (communication, U. of Houston) has marshalled 450 contributions from a long list of academics and practitioners on a wide range of topics relevant to the theory, ethics, practice, and history of the profession (which suffers these days from negative spin in the media and a distrustful public). Entries address such topics as advertising, focus groups, gatekeepers, infomercials, coalition building, propaganda, press kits, sandbagging, and zones of meaning. The entries are signed and include references. Access to material is via a comprehensive index as well as a Reader's Guide that arranges entries according to themes including crisis communication, cyberspace global public relations, jargon, and theories, among others. The appendices section is rich, including codes of ethics for the American and the international professional associations, milestones in the profession's history, several examples of annual reports, educational institutions, and a dictionary of public relations measurement. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) |
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| Some may view public relations as the manipulation of public opinion, while others see it as the conduit for successful communication between organizations and their clients. Regardless of one's opinion, the Encyclopedia of Public Relations provides the facts, opinions, and data for a thoughtful analysis of the profession. According to the editor, "this work intends to provide an honest but positively biased treatment of public relations." And so it does. Nearly 500 articles cover topics in the fields of communication, advertising, marketing, and politics. Articles are arranged alphabetically, each is signed, and many come with a bibliography and see also references. The primary focus is on public relations in the U.S.; however, some entries highlight the practice of public relations abroad. Terminology (Logo, Market share, Press kit) and theories and models (Game theory, Health belief model) get substantial attention. Also treated are individuals (Roger Ailes, P. T. Barnum); organizations (Federal Communications Commission, PR Newswire); and historical aspects (Exxon and the Valdez crisis, Railroad industry in the 19th century). Illustrations consist of a few black-and-white photographs and tables. Several appendixes offer additional content, among them "The Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics," "Milestones in the History of Public Relations," and "Public Relations Online Resources." The "Reader's Guide" that precedes the entries groups entry headings under recurring public relations themes such as Ethics, Jargon, and management. The Encyclopedia of Public Relations will complement titles such as The Encyclopedia of Communication and Information (Macmillan, 2001). Recommended for academic and large public libraries. ((Reviewed April 15, 2005)) Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews. |
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| Sage's set covers theories, practitioner profiles, practices in foreign countries, market research and polling techniques, jargon, history, and numerous other concepts. It is intended primarily for academic readers and secondarily for public relations professionals. Approximately 80 percent of the contributors are from academic institutions; the remainder are PR professionals. Many entries deal with theories and models in communications, marketing, advertising, and journalism. Others focus on tactics and strategies in public relations, and still others center on historical events and practitioner profiles (e.g., Roger Ailes, P. T. Barnum). Many entries provide brief lists of further readings. The appendix includes useful material such as two sets of association codes of ethics, milestones in the history of public relations, a dictionary of measurement terms, and lists of Public Relations Society of America local chapters, online resources, and 245 college and university undergraduate programs. At present the only encyclopedia on public relations, it provides excellent coverage of both theory and practice of an often misunderstood profession. Summing Up: Recommended. Academic libraries. Copyright 2005 American Library Association. |
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| With nearly 450 entries, it covers all aspects of PR (e.g., history, jargon, and ethics), not only in the United States but across the globe. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. |
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