What are public relations? Explain the nature of public relations.

Public Relations — Public relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. According to Edward L. Bernays, "Public relations is the attempt by information, persuasion and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution."

Nature/Characteristics of Public Relations:

1. Planned and Sustained Effort — Public relations is a planned and sustained effort. It is a management function that requires careful planning and continuous implementation.

2. Relationship between Organisation and Public — It is concerned with the relationship between an organisation and its various publics including employees, shareholders, consumers, government, media, and community.

3. Evaluation of Public Opinion — It involves evaluation of public opinion and attitudes about the policies, procedures and actions of an organisation in so far as they relate to the public.

4. Public Interest — The public relations function seeks to ensure that the policies, procedures and actions of the organisation are in the public interest and socially responsible.

5. Action and Communication — Public relations requires both action and communication programmes. Mere communication without action is unethical.

6. Harmonious Relations — The basic purpose of public relations is to create and maintain harmonious relations between an organisation and its public.

7. Not Propaganda — Public relations is not propaganda. Propaganda is one-way, guided by self-interest, and is an instrument of politics and power. Public relations, on the other hand, recognises ethical conduct and seeks mutual understanding through willing acceptance of attitudes and ideas.