1.1: Defining Public Relations
- Page ID
- 227998
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(The following Chapter section was remixed from 2.1: Defining Public Relations, which is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Anonymous.)
Public relations is more than writing press releases or promoting an organization, it is the strategic management of relationships between an organization and the many groups connected to it. To understand what public relations professionals do, we must start with the foundations: what PR looks like in different sectors, how the field is professionally defined, and how practitioners identify the groups they communicate with.
Public relations operates across a wide range of settings. Corporate PR involves in-house teams that manage day-to-day communication with employees, investors, and customers. Agencies provide specialized consulting, often working on campaigns, crisis support, or major organizational initiatives. Nonprofit PR focuses on advocacy, mission storytelling, and donor engagement. Government and public affairs concentrate on policy communication, community engagement, and constituent relationships. Even though each setting has distinct goals, all share the same central purpose: creating effective, ethical communication between an organization and the people who influence its success.
The most widely cited academic definition of public relations comes from Grunig and Hunt (1984): "Public relations is “the management of communication between an organization and its publics.”
This definition matters because it frames PR as a management discipline, not simply a communication tactic. It distinguishes PR from journalism (which informs) and marketing (which sells). PR practitioners use communication to help organizations understand their environment, build meaningful relationships, and make informed decisions.
The Component Parts of Grunig and Hunt’s Model
Management
Management includes researching issues, advising leadership, planning strategies, and evaluating outcomes. PR practitioners analyze publics, anticipate problems, and help shape decisions before communication ever goes out.
Communication
Communication in PR is two-way. It requires listening, relationship-building, and understanding how different groups interpret messages. Effective PR occurs when communication creates shared understanding—not just visibility.
Organization
An organization may be a corporation, nonprofit, school, agency, or government entity. The PR role is to help that organization maintain relationships with the groups who can affect its goals, reputation, or ability to operate.
Publics
Publics are groups connected by a shared issue or concern. Publics often form independently, without any input from an organization. A public becomes active when people mobilize around an issue they care about.
Publics, Stakeholders, and Audiences: Understanding the Differences
Understanding who an organization communicates with is fundamental to PR strategy.
Publics
Publics share a common issue and may self-organize. They can influence an organization even if the organization does not choose them.
Examples:
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Neighbors opposing a development project
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Students demanding policy changes
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Fans lobbying for a new team mascot
Stakeholders
Stakeholders have a formal or vested interest in the organization—financial, legal, professional, or operational.
Examples:
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Employees, investors, suppliers
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University faculty, alumni, donors
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Nonprofit board members or funders
Stakeholders can become publics if they mobilize around an issue.
Audiences
Audiences are groups an organization intentionally chooses to reach with communication.
Examples:
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Teens targeted in a Nike ad
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Prospective students receiving recruitment materials
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TikTok users who see a Coca-Cola ad
Audiences are defined by communication, not by issues or stakes.
How They Overlap
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A public becomes an audience when an organization targets them with messages.
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A stakeholder becomes a public when they mobilize around an issue.
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An audience is not always a public, since advertising often reaches people with no shared concerns.
Knowing whether a group is a public, stakeholder, or audience shapes how PR professionals approach research, messaging, timing, and evaluation.
Connecting These Concepts to Practice
Public relations differs from journalism and marketing because PR practitioners must think about relationship management, long-term reputation, and how stakeholders and publics may respond to organizational decisions. This is why PR varies across sectors:
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Corporate PR protects reputation and aligns internal and external communication.
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Agency PR develops campaigns, manages crises, and supports multiple clients.
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Nonprofit PR motivates action, engages donors, and builds community support.
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Government/public affairs supports transparency, emergency communication, and policy understanding.
Understanding publics/stakeholders/audiences is the foundation for all of this work.
In examining the text on public relations, it's clear that the field encompasses a broad range of activities and responsibilities, from managing communication and conducting research to strategizing interactions between organizations and their diverse publics. Reflecting on J. Grunig and Hunt’s definition of public relations as “the management of communication between an organization and its publics,” consider the following questions:
- PR as Management vs. Journalism/Marketing: Grunig and Hunt emphasize that public relations is distinct from journalism and marketing because it is fundamentally a management discipline. How does this distinction influence the strategies and goals of public relations compared to those of journalism and marketing? In what ways does the role of a public relations professional differ in practice from that of a journalist or a marketer?
- Evolution and Perception: The text mentions the challenge of defining public relations due to its evolving nature and the frequent misconceptions about its purpose. How has the fragmentation of media and the rise of multiple message sources impacted the practice and perception of public relations? What are some common misconceptions about public relations that you have encountered, and how do they contrast with the professional reality?
- Corporate vs. Agency vs. Nonprofit vs. Government PR: Given the different contexts in which public relations operates (corporate, agency, nonprofit, and government), how do the goals and practices of public relations differ across these sectors? Use specific examples to illustrate how public relations strategies might vary depending on whether one is working within a corporation, a consulting agency, a nonprofit organization, or a government entity.
- Publics vs. Audiences vs. Stakeholders: According to the text, publics differ from audiences and stakeholders in significant ways. How can understanding these differences enhance the effectiveness of a public relations strategy? Provide examples of how a public relations professional might tailor their approach based on whether they are addressing a public, an audience, or stakeholders.
Discuss these questions with reference to real-world examples, and consider how the concepts presented in the text can be applied to contemporary public relations challenges.
1. James Grunig and Todd Hunt, Managing Public Relations (New York: Rinehart and Winston, 1984), 4.