31Oct 2022 by Amaya Whitaker

Journalism and PR 

Informational
Public relations and journalism complement and need one another in the world of communications. The goal of journalists, when working with public relations practitioners, is to make sure the “story” is interesting to their target audience. Building strong relationships with public relations professionals is key. On the other hand, public relations professionals’ goal when working with journalists is to help both their clients and journalists secure a story and try to communicate that story through someone else. Nonetheless, it can be tricky to work with professionals in these two industries. One of the hardest parts of working with public relations professionals is to differentiate between a newsworthy story and a story with no substance. When pitching a story to a journalist, public relations professionals need to ask themselves if the…
Read More
27Oct 2022 by Amaya Whitaker

3 Traditions and 4 Trends in Public Relations

Informational
In today’s day and age, public relations is complex. Traditions and trends clash in ways that one could not imagine. There are rules of thumb and constants in public relations that are being challenged by the trends of Generation Z. It’s important to understand that nowadays, traditions aren’t being ignored but they’re evolving based on trends that are circulating throughout society today.   There are three traditions that have remained constant in public relations. For one, storytelling has remained at the center of this field. The way we tell stories has changed but not the fact we have a story to tell. Nowadays, it’s about digital and visuals, so it’s important to adapt.  Another tradition is the fact that data and knowledge are the keys to success. Understanding why something may…
Read More
18Oct 2022 by Amaya Whitaker

3 Things to Expect from Working in Entertainment PR

Informational, PRSSA, Tips & Tricks
September 28, 2022 From a PR agency to the circus, the aquarium or TV screens across the nation, entertainment PR can take you anywhere. A large portion of PR professionals in the entertainment industry did not start working in that specific industry. Entertainment PR is a multifaceted field where you can meet great people and create great events. For some this field of PR comes after a long process of elimination where other PR pathways didn’t work out for them based on their passions, goals and skills.  Some areas that entertainment PR covers include movie premieres, events, social media, internal and external communication, sporting events, storytelling and television work.  Ever wondered what to expect from working in entertainment PR? Here are three things you may not know play a major…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Kamryn Lacy

Barcelona Principles? What is that?

Informational, Tips & Tricks
When I first heard about the Barcelona Principles, I automatically thought of the Cheetah Girls dancing down the streets of Spain singing, “You gotta strut like you mean it, free your mind!”[1] It turns out that the reason these guidelines are titled ‘Barcelona Principles’ is because they were created by PR professionals who were meeting in Barcelona. These professionals from 33 different countries were all there for a summit hosted by the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication in 2010. In the end, they left with seven principles that still serve as the framework for effective communication campaign measurement today. PR industry professionals have since updated these principles in both 2015 and 2020. Essentially, the Barcelona Principles are all about setting goals, focusing on outcomes instead of outputs, moving…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Kamryn Lacy

Marketing vs. PR: What’s the Difference?

Informational, Tips & Tricks
If you’re anything like me, you have probably wondered what makes PR different, especially when it comes to other marketing communications fields like journalism, advertising, and marketing. As a marketing major with a public relations minor, I am only just now learning the difference. In fact, before I took on my PR minor, I had interviewed a woman who works in public affairs for a project that was supposed to be centered around a career in my area of study. (Mind you, my area of study was just in marketing at the time.) I mistakenly thought that working in public relations was in the same boat as working in marketing, and while it technically is, these two fields are still very different especially when it comes to their end goals…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Lauren Nye
The Official PRSSA Podcast

The Official PRSSA Podcast

Informational, PRSSA
I don’t know about you, but I love listening to podcasts when I’m driving. So, if you are anything like me, you’re going to love what I have to say next. The Public Relations Student Society of America has a podcast. I repeat: The Public Relations Student Society of America has a podcast! We already knew that PRSSA had it all, but seriously, this organization REALLY has it all! The podcast is called PRSSA Podcasts, and the episodes are categorized by topic. For example, they have a series of episodes called, “PR with the Pros” where they interview high profile PR professionals about their experiences in PR. PRSSA Podcasts also has another series of episodes called, “Student Stories” that spotlight PR students from around the globe. I applaud the makers…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Lauren Nye
PR Major vs. PR Minor @ KSU

PR Major vs. PR Minor @ KSU

Informational, Tips & Tricks
Kennesaw State University (KSU) offers a public relations major program and a public relations minor program. The question is: which program of study is right for you? Let’s break it down. The public relations major at KSU is a 120-credit hour program (including general education credit hours). A student pursuing a B.S. in public relations will take 18-credit hours of lower division courses that cover topics such as researching, writing, public speaking, visual design, ethics and an introductory course that correlates with the students major (for me, this course was Intro to Mass Communications). Once the lower division courses are completed, the student will have the opportunity to be admitted into the School of Communication and Media, where they will take the classes necessary to complete their degree. The upper…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Lauren Nye
Networking, Networking, Networking

Networking, Networking, Networking

Informational, Networking
How many times have you been in a PRSSA meeting or a PR class and have heard the term “networking”? Most likely, all of you reading this blog post have been told that networking is like the master key into the world of communications. Networking is complicated and can sometimes be intimidating. Most people don’t know where to start when it comes to networking. Here’s the thing; you can’t be afraid of it. You can’t be afraid of the cold calls, out of the blue emails, or the “Hey, random question for you.” Just by putting yourself out there, you are extending your olive branch into the world of communication.  I’ll tell you all a funny story. I have worked restaurant jobs while in college, and many customers like to…
Read More
30Mar 2022 by Jayla Williams
What Can I Do with a PR Degree?

What Can I Do with a PR Degree?

Informational, Networking, Tips & Tricks
So, you’re thinking of majoring in public relations, but don’t know what careers it entails? Public Relations has many different avenues to explore from.  The most common public relations career you will hear is a Public Relations Specialist. Here are five most common careers that public relations degree prepares you for besides PR Specialist.  Public Relations Manager This is a mid-level management job for someone with 6-8 years of experience with PR. Some of their job duties include creating and maintain an appropriate and acceptable public image for their client by communicating programs and accomplishments. PR Managers also are equipped with fielding media questions and release information to address negative publicity and handle emergency crisis.  Median Salary: $112,828  Social Media Specialist  This role is designed to communicate with he public through…
Read More