Managing Media Relations

This course examines how public relations professionals work with influencers to communicate their organizations¿ messages and cultivate positive media coverage in traditional, online and social media outlets. Students learn how to design messages and communication strategies to appeal to distinct audiences, how news organizations work, and who makes decisions within them. Students also gain proficiency in specific media relations tasks such as ¿pitching stories,¿ designing programs, visual story telling, working with social media influencers and key bloggers, managing company social media and handling crises. The course explores how public relations professionals employ online, social and consumer-generated media in a strategic plan, how rapid changes in the business of media affect the public, commerce and the communication industry, what ethical issues are present in media relations and journalism, and how professional communicators balance commercial and public interests.