There is an interesting point of view in this video. According to Daniel G. O'Connell, who is the general manager of Shandwick USA, he says the role of PR is to be a medium. PR is to be a medium of a company and the public. He says that it is a two-way lens. PR helps the company's view of the public and PR helps the public's view of the company. This is an interesting point of view, but I agree with O'Connell. PR is a two-way street. Many times, we view as PR as the way the public views a company, which is true, but in order to mold the public's view of the company, the company needs to understand the public. The way a company presents itself will affect the way the public views the company. Companies, if done right, can mold and highly affect the public's view of the company.
PR is a type of communication. Communication is a two-way street. If there were two people and only one person was talking and the other person was not, this is not communication (yes I understand there is such thing as active listening, but active listeners speak as well). If there was a married couple and only the wife spoke, but the husband never did and only focused on his car, games, money, alcohol, etc. the marriage will fall apart because there is no communication. A two-way communication is important and vital. Without it, at least one of the two parties will fail. If PR was only a one-way lens, the company is setting itself up for failure.
Your Thoughts?