List and describe the most common forms of communication used in public relations.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A news release is the practitioner’s most common tool. The purpose of the news release is to inform the media about an important topic that deserves public attention. Fact sheets provide the basic information about a topic, a company, a group, an event, or an idea. The items here are often simple chunks of information that allow the readers to digest key points in a simple and straightforward way. Media alerts blend the lead-writing approach associated with the inverted pyramid and the bulleted approach common to fact sheets. Media alerts typically use many of the 5Ws and 1H as a starting point for the bullets. Practitioners write “pitch letters” or “pitch emails” to reporters, in which they outline the topic and provide facts on it. The pitches also contain potential sources and contact information. Organizations and individuals maintain their own Twitter accounts, Facebook profiles, and corporate websites where they can provide information whenever and however they see fit. People who want to know what these people have to say can “opt-in” by following them on Twitter, liking a page on Facebook, or choosing to receive updates from a website.