Journal Review

By: Rulan Suciyanti 

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This paper contain my resume about two journals Remembering the Public in Public Relations Research: From Theoretical to Operational Symmetry by Michael Karlberg  and A critical review of the Four Models of Public Relations and the Excellence Theory in an era of digital communication by Stephen Waddington.

The first journal explained about the critique of Public relations practioners and positing a potentially valuable role for the public relations practitioner in contemporary society. In history analysis of Public Relations reseach we should devided between academic and practice. Because the research about practice explained more about the need of client. Then the academic research assumed to serve broadest public interest.

Instrumental research refers no pragmatic research conducted under the premise that theories are instruments that function as guides to practice, with their validity determined by the efficacy of those practices (Karlberg, 1996, p.265). Instrumental research in public relations can be traced through a wide range of d.sciplines, representing diverse theoretical and methodological traditions. Underlying most instrumental public relations research, however, are a number of common premises that have shaped it across disciplinary boundaries. Research conducted under this premise thus has conceptualized public relations as a commercial management function a means of infiuencing consumer values and behavior, of cultivating markets, of corporate image control, and of corporate issue management. This research has drawn from social and behavioral theories of organization and management, of persuasion and rhetoric, of attitude and behavior change, of advertising and media effects, of public opinion formation, issue cycles, and other areas.

Critical research is concerned with theorizing, or critiquing, the broader social, political, and economic implications of public relations practices. It is concerned vvith the macro-level effects of public relations in contemporary society(Karlberg, 1996, p.265). For instance, critical scholars of rhetoric argue in favor of a dialectic process dialogue, debate, and the clash of ideas as a means for forging consensus and resolving conflict among disparate groups. But they frequently identify public relations practitioners as large-scale polluters of the rhetorical environment, practicing "irresponsible and empty communication" and diminishing overall confidence in, and opportunities for, dialectical processes in society (Heath, 1992a, p. 33). Another critical concern arises from a political economy perspective: Access to information represents genuine costs. Policy actors, therefore, supply information subsidies to news organizations and other institutions to increase the consumption of persuasive messages by reducing their cost.

Elements of a more inclusive, ethical, and community-enhancing approach to public relations are beginning to coalesce around the concept of symmetrical communication. This model was identified accordingly as the press agentry or publicity model of public relations. A second model ofpublic relations emerged at the beginning of the 20th century when, in response to muckraking journalism and fermenting public distrust.

New insights provided by the symmetrical model by reformulating public relations as an ethical and effective force for resolving confiict and enhancing community, J. Grunig and his colleagues have provided a new theoretical framework within which public relations research can be reshaped and redirected.

The symmetrical ideals of holism, interdependence, equality, responsibility, and understanding need to be incorporated not just into the design of these forums, but also into the representational strategies and relational postures that diverse stakeholders and interest groups bring to these forums. These are public relations skills and attitudes, and scholars of symmetrical public relations could make valuable contributions in these areas. Once again, however, special attention needs to be given to ways in which ordinary citizens can overcome the constraints on time and resources that often prevent them from even participating in these forums. Such an expansion and redirection of public relations research will not be easy. It will require the re-evaluation of deeply rooted premises and well-established research traditions, as described in the first half of this article.

The second journal told us about how messages from organizations are conveyed among communities and markets via digital networks.and discuss about excellent theory and 4 models of Public Relations. The first model is publicity or press agent, the second is public relations information model, the third asymmetric persuasion, and the final one the two way symmetrical model has become accepted as a formal definition of best practice for communication in Western markets between an organisation and its audiences.

Critical appraisal of the Excellence Theory isn’t hard to find. A critical review together with responses from members of the original research team would be sufficient material for a paper in its own right.

The moment that a message is recorded in an electronic form it can be transmitted within a network with ease. The interconnected nature of networks means that if a message resonates with an audience it will be shared and passed from network-to-network. The original creator of the message has no control over how a message passes through a network or how it is modified en route. "The Grunig device of having the equivalent of four models of communication between an organisation and its public  has significant limitations. It was conceived in an era of set structures and I think it is showing its age” (Waddington,p.5)

The Four Models of Public Relations and the Excellence Theory aren’t wrong but they are idealistic and as Sheldrake shows are showing their age in an era of Internet-driven network communication, and are insufficient to explain the modern business of public relations. The Four Models of Public Relations and the Excellence Theory were milestone texts in the project to professionalise public relations and shift away from propaganda and persuasion. But the Four Models of Public Relations and the Excellence Theory have signification limitations but then they were both conceived in a presocial web era of well defined organisational structures and modes of communication.

Bibliography

Karlberg, M. (1996). Remembering the Public in Public Relations Research: From Theoretical to Operational Symmetry.Journal of Public Relation Research, 263-278.

Waddington, S. (n.d.). A Critical Review of Four Models of Public Relation and the Excellence Theory in an Era of Digital Communication. CIPR Chartered Practitioner Paper, 1-11.

Heath. R. (1992a).  Critical perspectives on public relaiions. In E. Toth & R- Heath (Eds.), Rhetorical

and critical approaches to public relations (pp- 37-61). Hillsdale. NJ- Lawrence Erlbaum .A.ssociates Inc.