Public Relations -- What is it? How is the public affected? How are you affected? Who won the last presidential debate? Wait -- before you answer this question, carefully analyze your response. Is your presently stated what you truly thought, while you were watching the debate? Or has your current opinion about the candidate, about who won or lost the last debate, changed since you heard what the pundits and media spin analysts said, before, during, or immediately afterwards?

Probably your opinion has been affected by the overwhelming media coverage devoted to this event, whether you like it or not. Even if what you think has only been subtly rather than dramatically colored by what the spokespeople for the major candidates have said regarding the two men's performances, it is difficult to ignore such attention. (Stevenson & Sanger, 2004)

Thus, you have found yourself affected by the ubiquitous nature public relations -- whether you like it or not. Of course, the effects of public relations are not entirely negative. Public relations can be helpful in getting the message of little known businesses...

The nonpartisan 'get out and votes' campaigns in various communities, directed to different underrepresented age and demographic groups of the electorate, are public relations campaigns. Public relations campaigns have been valuable for political action groups getting their agendas to the forefront of the national consciousness, even when their constituents, like children or abused animals, cannot vote or speak for themselves at all.
Rather than something inherently disingenuous, on a basic definitional level, public relations is simply a particular message, usually contracted on behalf of an individual, group or an organization, "conducted through the media, that is, newspapers, television," or magazines and the internet. (McNamara, 1999) Unlike advertising, which usually refers to a specific product or campaign, public relations refers to "ongoing activities to ensure the organization has a strong public image," although similar to advertising and promotions public relations "often depends on designing and implementing a well-designed public relations plan" that…