APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

PRK 3522 Writing for PR - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

Responsible for the course
Tor Bang

Department
Department of Communication and Culture

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
Successful PR professionals must understand principles of good writing and possess superb reporting and research, writing and editing, and production skills. They must also have a good understanding of the skills necessary for interacting and building relationships with journalists on behalf of their organizations.
This course teaches skills of persuasive writing that are of value for anyone seeking employment in any public relations position from the arts and entertainment to politics. It also gives students insight into media relations.

The course covers all forms of writing for public relations in a variety of media, including press releases, public service announcements, magazine queries, securing television and radio interviews, coverage memos, media alerts, features, trade press releases, newsletters, backgrounders, and public relations presentations. Digital and new social media will also be featured. Successful students will be able to go to job interviews with the assurance that they have had professional exposure to the writing required for a PR career.

Learning outcome
Acquired Knowledge

• Recognize the importance of crafting and delivering a PR "message"
• Appreciate the need for pre-writing, writing, and re-writing, in writing assignments
• Understand the significance of the different audiences to which PR writing is addressed
• Become familiar with a range of PR writing tools, sufficient to take part in PR planning at the entry level
• Media contact as a tactical and strategic tool
• The Norwegian media landscape

• Improve critical thinking skills as they achieve the above knowledge outcomes
• Be able to create a Message Planner to organize their writing
• Be able to write an effective press release on short notice
• Be able to write a PSA (public service announcement)
• Be able to write a pitch letter, and know how to pitch a story
• Be able to successfully interact with members of the media on behalf of their organizations

• Understand the ethical obligations of a professional PR writer
• Appreciate the ethical dilemmas sometimes faced by PR writers
• Discern between the relative priorities of client, editor, and ultimate audiences
• Take pride in the role of PR writers in today's information economy

• The starting point for the company's voting
• Who is responsible to provide, develop and maintain the company's voice?
• Review of relevant rhetorical, language and other knowledge techniques
• How to choose the formats that fit the business best

• The press release
• The background paper
• Chronicle, and similar letters to the editor
• E-mail correspondence with a journalist (the written interview)
• To complain about the editorial content
• Building a relationship with journalists

• Interal newspaper
• Intranet
• Joint Letter to Employees (electronically or on paper)
• Bulletins
• Internal Presentations

• Homepages
• Customer Magazines
• Annual Reports
• Brochures and other publications
• Business Advertising
• White papers
• Lectures, presentations and speeches

• Individuals, organizations or other pressure groups
• Government Organ, letters to the editor, blog comments, etc.
• Hearing Statements

• Questions and Answers, Message, Business Information, Fact Sheet
• Business Presentation

• Crises, conflicts, restructuring and other situations that require special care in
• Stock exchange announcements, profit warnings

• Legislation must be taken into account when writing
• Editorial responsibility and relationship to ethical guidelines