15. Pr and the Law. An Uneasy Alliance. The Controversy(противореч of the 1st Amendment. Pr and Insider Trading(внутр торг. Pr and Disclosure Law( о раскрытии.

Historically the legal and PR profession have been intertwined. Lawyers increasingly use pr strategies and methods. PR techniques help them to influence public opinion, win settlements and in general, affect the outcome of legal issues(вопр,пробл.

On the other hand, pr pract-s must always understand the legal implications of any issue with which they become involved.

The difference between professions: lawyer – advices how to act in a court of law, pr – how to act in a court of public opinion. Many act-s that are unethical are also illegal. But there are cases where smth is perfectly legal, but unethical and vice versa.

The fact remains that a law plays a prominent role in pr and vice versa. Let’s 1st discuss the legal concerns of PR profs today.

1st Amendment concerns: the freedom of speech in the press cannot b abridged. It lies at the heart of the commun-s business, so defending it is a front line responsibility or the pr profession. Interpreting a 1st amendment is not an easy task.

Insider trading – trade of the stock exchange through having access to confidential info. Using confid-l info to get profit. Punishment – fines(штраф and a jail sentence(срок. Laws can create problems for pr ppl, who share business info with journalists.

Disclosure law. Prohibits(запрещат the dissemination of false or misleading info.

16. Pr and the Law. Pr and Ethics Law. Pr and Privacy Law. Pr and Copyright Law. Pr and Internet. Using of pr in Legal Profession.

Ethics law. The laws on ethical misconduct in society have gotten quite a workout in recent years. how past gov officials ethically they do business & how scrupulously they follow the law?

Privacy law. Laws that govern a person’s privacy also have implications for the pr profession. PL prohibit slander(клевета in the media. Media very often invade personal privacy, especially gossips-oriented tabloids.

Copyright law provides basic automatic protection for writers, whether manuscript is registered with the Copyright Officeor even published. You create it & you own it. You can sell the exclusive right to reproduce. Literary works, musical works, motion pictures, dramatic works, pictorial, graphic & sculptural works, sound.

PR ppl must be careful when using documents. Titles, short slogans, ideas, info from common sources, public documents, unfixed speeches and performances can’t be protected. The old idea newly packaged is legal and recommended.

the Internet. Ppl argue: all manner of speech is acceptable, inet is the most democratic. Laws that govern Internet. There was situation when Communications Decency Act introduced criminal penalties, including serious fines & prison terms for making indecent speech available to a person under 18 years of age. Earlier the rel-p betw lawyers and pr ppl was an uneasy alliance. Now – mutual respect. Law firms use pr consultants. PR ppl have become more open to lawyers. How to work with lawyers: become an equal partner, fight with the legal no-comment advice, research the background of the jury, winning may not be everything.

Lawyers often are not prepared for the unpredictability of dealing with the media, therefore pr prf is very important in a public legal battle. PR assistance to complement legal litigation techniques: learn the process, develop a message strategy, settle fast, anticipate what can be said, keep the focus positive – fight nicely.

PR has become involved with the law in many cases. It’s based on legal contracts, controlled by legal laws.