The Distinction of Public Relations

As happens every holiday season, all kind of thoughts pop into my head. Not for the first time, I find myself reflecting on the reality that some folks this year will be enjoying a most bountiful Christmas with lots of gifts, good cheer and fellowship. To that, I say "good for them." At the same time, there will be those who will not have the opportunity to enjoy any - or at least nearly as much - of those things. I do feel badly about that and wish there was no such thing as people who were poor or disenfranchised. While such a scenario would not eliminate all the problems in the world or nullify those seeking to do harm to others, overall, it would help improve our ability to get along.


One of the higher purposes of the public relations profession is to, in a sense, even the playing field when it comes to communication. Regarding communication, without question an imbalance in our world exists. There are those who have a louder voice and those who do not. Reasons for this may range from one's socio-economic status to the degree of access they may have to connect with others. As part of their job, those in public relations seek to give voice to those who either need one or do not have one. It is a vital part of what these professionals contribute to a society such as ours that believes in and protects freedom of speech.


As a range of scholars and researchers have noted over the years, within each person is a need to be heard and feel as if their presence makes a difference on some level. Persons with no voice have little opportunity to enjoy any of those feelings or come even close to having those needs met. By providing help with specific words and channels or vehicles by which their messages can be shared with others, professional communicators can do much to give the needy a chance to feel less so. That, I believe, is no small thing. The ability to help others in such a unique way is what helps give the public relations profession its distinction.