Question 1

Ivy Lee, when sending materials to the media, was known to include his _________, which stated, in part: "This is not a secret press bureau. All our work is done in the open. We aim to supply news… Our matter is accurate."

Accepted Answer

Ivy Lee included his "Declaration of Principles" when sending materials to the media, emphasizing transparency, accuracy, and openness in his work.

Question 2

In the early 1900s, when the Pennsylvania Railroad had a wreck near Gap, Pennsylvania, instead of suppressing news of the accident, Ivy Lee invited reporters to the scene so they could see it first-hand. His open-access policy illustrates the concept of _____________.

Accepted Answer

Lee's approach of inviting reporters to see the accident scene firsthand is an example of transparency, as it involves openly sharing information with the public and media, rather than hiding or manipulating facts.

Question 3

James conducts public relations for a publicly held corporation that offered shares for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. He is obligated to file certain reports and to make public certain information that may affect investors' decisions. Which of the following is NOT an example of this type of "material information?"

Accepted Answer

Material information typically includes any information that could influence an investor's decision to buy or sell the company's stock. This includes financial performance, executive changes, and product recalls due to their significant impact on the company's operations and reputation. A new marketing campaign, while potentially important, is generally not considered material information as it does not directly impact the company's financial condition or operational capacity in the same way the other options do.

Question 4

The _____________ is the regulatory agency governing activities and communication of publicly held corporations.

Accepted Answer

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing the securities industry, including the activities and communications of publicly held corporations.

Question 5

Lydia has the job title of public information officer. What industry is most commonly associated with this public relations job?

Accepted Answer

Public information officers are most commonly associated with government agencies, where they handle media relations, public communications, and dissemination of information to the public.

Question 6

Milo works in public relations for a health food company. He has arranged for a __________ to surprise attendees at a healthy living festival by having 100 people spontaneously sing and dance to a popular song.

Accepted Answer

A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse. This fits the description of 100 people spontaneously singing and dancing at a festival.

Question 7

While Ivy Lee may have been called the "father" of public relations due to his commitment to truth and honesty, _____________ has also been given this title due to his use of research to understand publics, develop strategy, and evaluate results, as well as his emphasis on public relations as two-way communication that helps corporations understand public interests.

Accepted Answer

Edward Bernays is often referred to as the "father" of public relations alongside Ivy Lee. Bernays was instrumental in developing the field of public relations into a professional discipline, emphasizing the importance of understanding the psychology of the public, strategic planning, and the use of research to guide public relations efforts. His work laid the foundation for modern public relations practices, including the concept of two-way communication to align corporate actions with public interests.

Question 8

Arianna works at a PR agency representing a large non-profit organization. She conducts a lot of research through surveys, focus groups, and reading comments and feedback on social media so she can better understand why people decide to donate to her client's mission. Arianna then uses this information to develop more persuasive communications to encourage more donations. Which of the four models of public relations is Arianna practicing?

Accepted Answer

Arianna is practicing the two-way asymmetrical model of public relations, which involves using research to develop communications that are more persuasive in achieving the organization's goals, in this case, encouraging more donations. This model focuses on understanding the audience to tailor messages that influence them effectively, without necessarily seeking to balance the interests of both the organization and its publics as the two-way symmetrical model would.

Question 9

Ford Motor Company used research and listened to concerns from its key publics. It then changed its operations and vehicle design in the interest of its publics based on their input. By listening and addressing feedback, Ford was able to benefit both stakeholders and the company. This is an example of _____________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of two-way symmetrical communication, where an organization engages in open dialogue with its publics, listens to their feedback, and makes changes based on that feedback. This approach is characterized by mutual understanding and adjustments by both the organization and its stakeholders.

Question 10

East Tennessee State University and Mountain States Health Alliance seek state permission to open a nonprofit methadone clinic in Gray, Tennessee. A group, called Citizens to Maintain Gray, organize a meeting in response to questions and concerns about the plan. Joanna, a PR staffer at ETSU, is eager to cooperate with the group to gain valuable community-based input. This effort is an example of which model of public relations?

Accepted Answer

Joanna's eagerness to cooperate with the Citizens to Maintain Gray for community-based input exemplifies the two-way symmetrical model of public relations. This model focuses on mutual understanding and dialogue between an organization and its publics, rather than just persuading the public or merely disseminating information.

Question 11

_____________, is seen as an example of an upstanding practitioner with strong principles of ethical management and a symmetrical worldview. He saw winning public approval, confidence, and trust as essential to successful management, and famously said, "All business begins with the public permission and exists by public approval."

Accepted Answer

Arthur Page is recognized for his principles of ethical management and the importance of public approval in business. He emphasized that businesses must have the public's permission and approval to succeed, reflecting his commitment to ethical practices and public relations.

Question 12

Javier works for the only electric service provider in the western part of Massachusetts. Javier knows his customers don't have a choice in who delivers electricity to their homes, so he works hard to show his customers he is serving their interests in good faith. He communicates frequently, listens to customer concerns, and works with them to achieve shared desired outcomes. Javier is practicing ______________.

Accepted Answer

Javier's actions of communicating frequently, listening to customer concerns, and working with them to achieve shared desired outcomes are indicative of community-based problem solving. This approach involves collaborating with the community (in this case, the customers) to identify and address issues, which is exactly what Javier is doing.

Question 13

Public relations pioneer ___________ broke through many professional barriers as the first African American PR professional to gain national prominence for winning blue chip accounts with national clients like DuPont, U.S. Steel, and Gillette, among others, and was the first African American to earn accreditation from PRSA.

Accepted Answer

Joseph V. Baker was a pioneering figure in public relations, notable for being the first African American to gain national prominence in the field by securing major accounts and also the first African American to earn accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Question 14

Historians Margot Opdyke Lamme and Karen Miller Russell have found public relations to have a rich heritage in three "deep veins" of history. Which of these is NOT one of those examples?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Historians Margot Opdyke Lamme and Karen Miller...

Question 15

Samuel Adams organized the Boston Tea Party, a staged event to attract public attention about protesting the Tea Act of 1773. This was called a ___________ because its primary goal was to earn media coverage.

Accepted Answer

The Boston Tea Party was a "pseudo event" because it was specifically organized to attract public attention and media coverage, rather than occurring naturally or spontaneously.

Question 16

Cody works in human resources for a construction company. He uses social media to help attract and find potential candidates for open positions. However, he is also concerned about reviews employees leave about working at the company, because he understands that a majority of job seekers who read negative reviews of an employer _______________.

Accepted Answer

Negative reviews can significantly impact a company's reputation and deter potential candidates from applying, as they may perceive the company as an undesirable place to work.

Question 17

Brielle works for a boutique luxury spa and was so excited when her company finally showed up first on a Google search. These top search results legitimizes its status as a leading luxury spa and enhances its authority, which illustrates the concept of __________.

Accepted Answer

Status conferral refers to the process by which media coverage can confer legitimacy and status on an entity, in this case, the luxury spa. Being ranked first in Google search results can be seen as an endorsement of its quality and leadership in the industry, thus conferring status.

Question 18

The goal of _____________ is to have an organization's web site rank as high as possible in results when someone does a keyword search.

Accepted Answer

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process aimed at improving the ranking of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs) when specific keywords are searched, making it more visible to users.

Question 19

Mallory, a public relations practitioner, has a client in the publishing industry. She scored a major hit by getting her client to be featured on the Today show and on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. By arranging this coverage, Mallory is applying the function of mass media known as ____________.

Accepted Answer

Mallory is applying the status conferral function of mass media by securing high-profile coverage for her client. This function refers to the media's ability to confer status or importance on individuals, topics, or issues by covering them, thereby signaling to the public that these subjects are noteworthy.

Question 20

Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other major news and search sites confer legitimacy by way of algorithms that take into account what users are searching for and linking to. These ____________ are not paid for as advertising or sponsored links.

Accepted Answer

Organic search results are generated based on the relevance to the user's search query, links, and domain authority without being influenced by paid advertisements.

Quiz 2: Public Relations Models Through the Ages