Governments’ Use of Public Relations and Propaganda: Parallels and Differences

Belinda Helmke

Jul 2011 · GRIN Verlag

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Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Communications - Media and Politics, Politic Communications, grade: 1, Macquarie University, language: English, abstract: There is a widely held perception amongst the general public that there is no genuine difference between propaganda and public relations. This is a view also advocated by some communication scholars who equate these two terms. The truth lies somewhere between this perception and the one stated in the introductory quote. Although there are a number of parallels between public relations and propaganda, there are also fundamental differences. The definitions of public relations are so numerous that it is difficult to give one which would find universal consent. For this paper and in order to illustrate the difference to propaganda most efficiently a definition, which stresses the importance of mutual understanding between the organisation and the public, as well as the benefaction to both, will be used. According to Long and Hazelton public relations is ”a communication function of management through which organisations adapt to, alter, or maintain their environment for the purpose of achieving organisational goals”.