Journal Review - Annisa A.

Journal Review
by: Annisa Arifiana - 135120207121009

This writing is my review from two journal. That are “A Critical Review of Public Relations and The Excellent Theory in an era of Digital Communication” by Stephen Waddington and “Remembering The Public in Public Relations Research: From Theoritical to Operational Symmetry” by Michael Karlberg.

The journal of Waddington is talk about four model of public relations and the excellence theory from Grunig and Hunt in 1984. The first model is press agent or publicity, second is public information model, third is two way asymmatrical, and the last is two-way symmetrical model. Waddington explain it from the type and the characteristics. Then from the four model  develop into excellence theory as a result of a research programme commissioned by the Research Foundation the International Association of Bussiness Communicators (IABC).

In this journal we find short history about excellence theory and a chronological summary from 1996 which Karlberg in that time concerned the excellence theory with consumers as a primary audience, then develop by any scholars as a critics.

In now era, such the writer in the journal said, in this new era, in an era digital network communication, it is very easy today for organizations to engage with their audience via social network such as Facebook, Twitter, Path, Instagram, and etc. But this potential of era digital network not used properly. Such as the case study made by Philips and Young, where engagement in dialoge is limited because it’s not possible for an organization to monitor all the mention of it alone let alone interact in a meaningful way.

In this journal, the writer tried to tell the readers that the theory is not really work in this new era. Its require theory to flexible, to fit with the culture around I think, because theory is not static, it is continue with data and more analysis.

This journal is fun to read because in this journal, the writer insert table, diagram, images, as a parable that help us to understand more easily and some study case.

Next Journal, the jornal of Karlberg, he thinks that historical analysis of public relations research must distinguish between academic and practitioner. In that articel the writer explore the relationship between academic research and the wider public interest. Within academic tradition, instrumental and critical research needed to be distinguish. If instrumental research has premise that theories are just an instruments that function as guide to practice, and if critical research is concern in theorizing or critiquing, represent a range of disciplinary perspective, concern about broader social, political, and economic implications of the practice.

In this article, the writer explain detailed about critical concern of public relations derives from some perspective such from the ethical, the economic and community in the era of mass communication.

The writer also tried to reconciling practice of public relations with the critical concerns with the concept of symmetrical communication. In this model public engage in dialogue, 2 way communication, for the purpose of mutual understanding between communicator and communicant. This model provides evidence from research that this 2 way model is the most ethical and effective in meeting organizational goals.

In that journal, we can find several question and explanation about symmetrical research agenda. From all the explanation, in the end, the writer suggest the re-evaluation of deeply rooted premise to forms new interdiciplinary collaboration and finding creative and effective strategies. The concept that has been built by Grunig and his colleagues has been well developed and the momentum just have to carried through to the research agenda itself.

From both journal, if I make a conclusion, the two journal discussed same topic, about public relations. The journal of Karlberg is talk about one of an element in the jorunal of Waddington which is talk about symmetrical theory that it is used in excellence theory. I think this both journal is good for the reader, to further more information and knowledge about how criticsm of excellence theory and the symmetrical as the model of excellence theory can be practice in a new era.

from: youtube.com

References:

Karlberg, M. (1996). Remembering the public in public relations research: From theoretical to operational symmetry. Journal of public relation research, 8(4), 263-278.

Waddington, S. (n.d.). A critical review of the four models of public relations and the excellence theory in an era of digital communication. CIPR Chartered Practitioner Paper, 1-11.