2. Now match the expressions listed above to these equivalent expressions:

1. a group of people who try to affect government decisions through the Internet.

2. the money that you are paid for working more hours than usual.

3. a group of people in an organization who make the rules and important decisions.

4. a group of ordinary people (nonprofessionals) that has been formed for a particular purpose.

5. someone who tries to defeat another person in an argument and who is difficult to deal with.

6. a choice or judgement about politics that is made after period of discussion or thought.

7. a series of action intended to charge a public official with a serious crime against the state.

3. Find the words in Text 3 which mean the following:

1. to smile very happily.

2. a written proposal for a new law.

3. to make comments that show that people are starting to become annoyed.

4. done or arranged only when the situation makes it necessary, and without any previous planning.

5. highly accessible.

6. someone who is very famous or highly respected for their skill at, or knowledge of, a particular subject.

7. the process of taking claims to a court of law, in a non-criminal case.

4. According to Text 3 are the following statements true or false. If they are false, say why.

1. Mark Pincus is running software company Tioga.

2. Marc Pincus has founded a lobby group EParty.

3. EParty is a group of lobby luminaries.

4. EParty supported the “eight-hour” working day” bill.

5. EParty is the only online lobby in the US.

6. EParty staff cooperates with higher profile lobbying group.

7. “Tech Net” is a kind of grassroots organization like EParty.

Text Discussion

Comment on the following:

“The concept of EParty is that it is an alternative to hyper-specialized lobby groups, with just one political agenda.”

“It's a great egalitarian use of the medium of the Internet.”

“The Internet is the perfect vehicle for the promotion of democracy."”

“Tech Net is beginning to display some of the same stodgy narrow-mindedness of conventional political lobbies.”

Over to you

1. Do you think online lobby is developed in Russia? Give examples.

2. Suggest you ideas how to apply the alternative lobby for the mainstream in our country.

Section 5. Press Agentry

I am a great friend to public amusement, for they keep people from vice.

Samuel Johnson

Starting up

1. What is press agentry?

2. What do publicity and press-agentry have in common?

Read Text 1 and define the problems the text deals with.

Text 1

Press-Agentry

In the first chapter of his book, Walking the Tightrope, Hollywood publicist Henry Rogers captures the essence of press-agentry: "When I first started, I was in the publicity business. I was a press agent. Very simply, my job was to get the client's name in the paper." But then he goes on to candidly report how in 1939 he lied to the West Coast Editor of Look magazine about Rita Hayworth's extensive wardrobe, resulting in a cover and ten pages of photographs on the then relatively unknown actress. Following such attention in a major national magazine, she became the talk of Hollywood and Columbia Pictures extended her contract. To the extent that the mass media confer status on those covered, one might conclude that early stardom for Rita Hayworth was in part the result of her press agent's lie about the extent of her wardrobe.

Press-agentry plays a major role in the public relations functions of circuses, tourist attractions, motion picture studios, television program production companies, concert promoters, and the business enterprises headed by entertainment, sports, and religious personalities. Considerable press-agentry goes into political campaigns and national political party conventions, for the purposes of building name recognition and attracting large audiences. Successful press agents gave us the legend of Davy Crockett, promoted the Indianapolis Memorial Day auto race into a national event, made Miami Beach and Puerto Vallarta internationally known resorts, turned Disney World's EPCOT Center into a vacation destination even before it opened its gates, and opened our hearts to a killer whale ("Shamu") and an invader from outer space ("E.T.").

The aim of press-agentry is more to attract public notice than to build understanding. Press-agentry is based on the "agenda-setting theory," that attention in the mass media puts the object of coverage on the public's list of things important enough to think about. In the candid words of a veteran press agent, "We stoop to anything, but our stuff gets printed." And it can pay off. A musical group's earning power may be as much a tribute to the skill of its press agent to build the right contacts through publicity as to its musical abilities. A career-launching appearance on a network talk show may result more from the work of a press agent than from the talent of the guest. Likewise, the new "in place" club or restaurant may be more the product of the press agent's publicity than of the ambiance, food, drinks, and entertainment of the place itself.

Publicity is the major strategy of the press agent. Public notice is seen as relevant to the client's objectives. And while there are full-time press agents, most public relations practitioners engage in a little press-agentry at some time or another to achieve objectives through publicity. Press-agentry is not all there is to public relations, however. Confusion of the two terms results when press agents use "public relations" to describe what they do, or to give themselves us and their agencies seemingly more prestigious—if less accurate—titles.