IV.4. Four Models of Public Relations

To aid in understanding the history of formal PR as well as practice today, Professors James E. Grunig of the University of Maryland and Todd Hunt of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, have constructed four models of public relations. All four models are practiced today, but the “ideal” one – that in increasing use – is the two-way symmetric model.

PRESS AGENTRY/PUBLICITY

Propaganda is the purpose, sought through one-way communication that is often incomplete, distorted, or only partially true. The model is source → reciever. Communication is viewed as telling, not listening, and little, if any, research is undertaken. P.T. Barnum was the leading historical figure during this model’s heyday from 1850 to 1900. Sports, theater, and product promotion are the main fields of practice today.

PUBLIC INFORMATION

Dissemination of information, not necessarily with a persuasive intent, is the purpose. The model is source → reciever. Research, if any, is likely to be confined to readability tests or readership studies. Ivy Lee is the leading historical figure during this model’s early development period from about 1900 into the 1920s. Government, nonprofit associations, and business are primary fields of practice today.

TWO-WAY ASYMMETRIC

Scientific persuasion is the purpose, and communication is two-way, with inbalanced effects. The model is source → receiver, with feedback ← to the source. Research is both formative, helping to plan an activity and to choose objectives, and evaluative, finding if the objective has been met. Edward L. Bernays is the leading historical figure during the model’s period beginning in the 1920s. Competitive business and public relations firms are the primary places of practice today.

TWO-WAY SYMMETRIC

Gaining mutual understanding is the purpose, and communication is two-way with balanced effects. The model is group → group with feedback ←. Formative research is used mainly both to learn how the public perceives the organization and to determine what consequences the organization has for the public, resulting in the counseling of management about policies. Evaluative research is used to measure whether a public relations effort has improved both the understanding publics have of the organization and that which management has of the publics.

Bernays, educators, and profes-sional leaders have been the main historical figures of the two-way symmetric model, followed by some organizations since the 1940s and 1970s.

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One-Way Model			Two-way Model
	Press Agentry/ Publicity	Public Information	Two-Way Asymmetrical	Two-Way Symmetrical
Purpose	Propaganda	Dissemination of informa- tion	Scientific persuasion	Mutual understanding
Organiza- tional con- tribution	Advocacy	Dissemination of informa- tion	Advocacy	Mediation
Nature of commu- nication	One-way; complete truth not essential	One-way; truth important	Two-way; imbalanced effects	Two-way; balanced effects
Commu- nication model	Source → Rec.*	Source → Rec.	Source → Rec. feedback	Group → Group
Nature of research	Little; “count- ing house”	Little; readability, readership	Formative; evaluative of attitudes	Formative; evaluative of understanding
*Rec. = Receiver Adapted from: Grunig & Hunt, Managing PR, 1984, p. 22

(Источник: Ильина, Тычинский, с. 50-51)

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