Exercises 5.1 & 5.3

EXERCISE 5.1
Dow jumps 600 as US government pledges bank aid
The significance of this article is very obvious and relevant with the way that our economy is going. The title gives positive words like "aid" and "pledges," The article goes on to state how the U.S. is hoping to recover from their losses last week and how the Bush Administration plans to start its $700 million rescue plan.

Teachers' pay raises based on years, not performance
The article is based on the local school system of Franklin County where it talks about the different pay increases of teachers in Ohio. Bexley offers the "richest" step increases of the area. The timeliness is fairly logical because of such a large population of students in the Columbus area that may be interested in going into teaching, as well as the status of the economy. Many students, well I am, are worried about their future and if there is going to be anything to earn in the coming years or if the country will go into yet another depression.

Baby's cry saves Toledo family from house fire
This short story if significant because there was a family in danger in the article. The baby is considered heroic, despite it's role as the dependent in the family, just like any baby. The story is fairly unusual because the smallest member of the family saved everyone from their deaths. There is not much fame accompanying the article but in that Toledo town, I bet there is much talk about the family after reading a story like that. The relevance in Columbus, however, is very small and not very important because of the distance from the city we live in.

Ohio's vets get so little so late
Ohio is one of the worst places to be a disabled veteran. Compared to New Mexico, the best place to get disability compensation, Ohio was close to $4,000 behind. The relevance and significance of this article is evident because we live in ohio and our country right now is at conflict with foreign nations, causing American pride in residents. It seems like the story is not unusual but it is timely because of all the thoughts of money conflict not only in Ohio but in the entire United States.


EXERCISE 5.3
Church Organization and 10 potentially newsworthy activities to promote the organization.
1.) Blood donations & Disease testing
2.) Seminars on controversial/relevant topics in news and media
3.) youth nights to get young people involved in Church
4.) Art auctions & incorporating local artists
5.) Community service projects
6.) Build relationships with conflicting organizations with different viewpoints to share lives and how similarities instead of differences.
7.) Different themed nights according to news/media topics at hand (gay rights, Hispanic, Asian, African-American, etc. outreach, etc.)
8.) Booths and Fliers at different community events
9.) Revising of policies of how church is run, the agenda, etc.
10.) guest speakers & musical artists to bring more of an audience to your services.

3.2 Persuasion in the Activities of the Public Relations Writer

Part One
advocate
noun |ˈadvəkit|
a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

convince |kənˈvins|
verb [ trans. ]
cause (someone) to believe firmly in the truth of something

entice |enˈtīs|
verb [ trans. ]
attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage

induce |inˈd(y)oōs|
verb [ trans. ]
1 succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something

influence |ˈinfloŏəns|
noun
the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself

manipulate |məˈnipyəˌlāt|
verb [ trans. ]
control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously

persuade |pərˈswād|
verb [ trans. ]
cause (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument

Part Two

How does persuasion fit into the activities of a public relations writer?

A public relations writer is supposed to state the facts of an event, person, place, or thing. Along with stating the facts, there still has to be a pull to bring the reader in and believe that what you are saying is credible. If you are not credible or persuasive in a public relations position, there will hardly be an audience that listens to you. In Public Relations, you are working on something that you believe yourself to be true, so you want others to feel the same. There words in part one are very accurate in the goals of PR writing. You have to convince people what you are stating is fact and "firmly believe in the truth of something," You have to influence them to believe it is right. You have to advocate the cause you are writing for and about. As a public relations writer, the activities you engage yourself in are also ones that persuaded you to believe to be true. There was someone that convinced and enticed you to accept what they were saying. You double check the facts yourself to know your material to be able to restate and influence someone else. You wouldn't advocate the benefits and facts of vegetarianism at a rally or in an article and then after you're done working you go to the nearest Arby's and chow down on a roast beef sandwich. Or aggressively campaign for John McCain on 15th and High Street and then on voting day vote for Barack Obama. You state things you believe to be true. You believe to be firmly true.