Chapter 3 Avoiding Legal Hassles

The following are points from Chapter 3 in our textbook (Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques: Sixth Edition) that I found interesting or that I sometimes have trouble remembering. This chapter is most confusing to me because of all of the technical aspects that a public relations professional must remember at all times when representing a client.

-Legal hassles in public relations in very common because people do not know the “rules” and technicalities behind the rules of libel and defamation. Slander is oral communication and is harmful to someone’s reputation. Defamation is used today as more of a collective term for harming someone’s reputation.

-When the media inquires about an employee, employers should only give basic information to reporters such as confirmation that the person is an employee, the person’s title and job description, and the date of beginning employment/termination. On the other side, information that should not be given is:

• salary
• home address
• marital status
• number of children
• organizational memberships or
• job performance.

-The Federal Communications Commission provides licenses to t.v. and radio stations. The FCC allocates frequencies and makes sure that public airways are used in the public interest.

Link to textbook: http://www.amazon.com/Public-Relations-Writing-Media-Techniques/dp/0205648282/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283205482&sr=8-1

Add a comment September 9, 2010