Companies as well as non-profit and government organisations are employing public relations (PR) professionals to communicate and build relationships with their stakeholders. Professionals should be able to use all channels of communication, including traditional media (print, radio, TV), online (bloggers and social media platforms, the organisation's website) to raise awareness, engage stakeholders with the organisation, and influence opinions and behaviours. Media-relations is a major responsibility of PR and involves many ethical dilemmas. In the current communication environment, facing a proliferation of social media and “fake news”, professionals who speak on behalf of organisations need extensive training to be able to create news stories and generate publicity in an effective and responsible way.

Students of PUBRL201-22B have an opportunity to try a variety of news writing styles for different channels of communication. They learn concepts and techniques for building effective and trustworthy relationships with journalists, bloggers, and influencers as well as social media networks' followers. They also learn to train management personnel to improve relationships and appearances on media. Students get an opportunity to organise a news conference and prepare media kits. The training also includes interviews in a TV studio. In tutorials students will write news items, evaluate organisations' news stories, experience media interviews, and make oral presentations.

The paper content is delivered via a weekly lecture and a weekly tutorial. The class will use Moodle for resources and for assignments. Students should follow the course outline.

The lecture is recorded and students can watch it again via the paper's Moodle page. Students who are unable to attend the lecture in person could participate via Zoom link.

The tutorials provide an opportunity for practical experiences relevant to the lecture content. Working in groups students will deliver oral presentations, conduct a TV interview, and discuss ethical aspects of media relations.

Practical tutorials will be held in F2F sessions on Hamilton campus but students who will not be able to attend the F2F tutorial can join a weekly online tutorial. When signing in a tutorial students will need to choose between F2F tut on campus or a tutorial that would be conducted remotely via Zoom. Students should sign in a tutorial group and from then be committed to stay in the selected tutorial for the rest of the trimester.

Students should sign up for tutorials ASAP.

Students will use Moodle system to access information and submit assignments.

Lectures will be recorded and uploaded on the class Moodle page.

One tutorial is available online.

Weekly contact hours in lectures and tutorials 32 hours; Preparing for lectures - reading text books, following news items, researching for in-class exercises: 50 hours; Writing individual assignments - 22 hours; preparing groups assignments - 33 hours. Preparing for a test - 13 hours.