Over to you

In small groups, try to write an advertising message that attempts to increase understanding and goodwill or to motivate people to take some action.

Section 3. Public Affairs

Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

Charles de Gaulle Starting up

1. What is public affairs?

2. What do public affairs specialists do?

Read Text 1 and give an outline of the problems the author deals with.

Text 1

Public Affairs

Some corporations, the armed services, and many governmental agencies use "public affairs" to represent the public relations function. This tends to add to the confusion of definitions, because the functions performed are those represented by the public relations concept. Public affairs sections in corporate public relations departments concern themselves with "corporate citizenship" and public policy-political education for employees, civic service by employees and managers, and cooperation in the development of home communities. Public affairs specialists serve as liaisons between their organizations and governmental units, implement community improvement programs, encourage political participation via campaign contributions and votes, and participate in voluntary organizations and fund-raising.

In the armed services and governmental agencies, use of the term "public affairs" is part of the name game that resulted from the 1913 Gillett Amendment to an appropriation bill in the House of Representatives. The Amendment states that no money be spent for publicity unless specifically authorized by Congress. This legislative hostility was reaffirmed in Public Law 92-351, Section 608 (a), enacted July 13, 1972. This most recent case of the old name game expressly prohibits government spending on "publicity or propaganda purposes designed to support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress". In neither case was reference made to "public relations". Because the terms used in the legislation are apparently misinterpreted and confused with the concept of public relations, however, federal, state, and local governmental agencies typically use other terms to describe the function of building and maintaining relationships with the constituent groups served. But, as the CBS documentary "The Selling of the Pentagon" only too clearly demonstrated, the intent of the legislation can be subverted by government publicists and lobbyists working under the titles "public affairs", "public information", and "legislative liaison".

The following definition helps clarify and establish the role of public affairs as a part of the public relations function. Public affairs is the specialized public relations effort designed to build and maintain community and governmental relations. In other instances, "public affairs" is simply viewed as being a more acceptable title for the public relations function.

Comprehension

Refer closely to Text 1 and answer the questions:

1. Why are public affairs and public relations often confused?

2. What are the functions of public affairs sections?

3. What does the Gillett Amendment state?

4. What is the difference between public affairs and public relations?