As we know, the world of communication is constantly changing, and therefore, the area of public relations has become a crucial element in decision-making and management of relations between organisations and their communities.

Starting with reputation management and going all the way to crisis management, public relations specialists are a must-have for any business. This discipline is based on four fundamental models that serve as the cornerstone of the industry’s development and still influence its professionals.

Anyone interested in working in the realm of public relations should acquaint themselves with the principles of the four models: the Press Agentry/Publicity Model, the Public Information Model, the Two-Way Asymmetric Model, and the Two-Way Symmetric Model.

Both models depict different approaches to communication with different advantages, disadvantages, and uses.

Read this extensive article to understand the history and details of these four models and learn how to build efficient public relations plans that correspond to the strategies of your organisation.

1. The Press Agentry/Publicity Model

Public relations can be said to have developed in the early part of the late 19th and 20th centuries as societies realised the significance of proper communication and the management of images and impressions. During this period, one of the earliest approaches to public relations, known as the Press Agentry/Publicity Model or Press Agentry Mode, was developed.

In essence, the Press Agentry/Publicity Model is based on the creation and distribution of optimal publicity for an individual or organisation. The most crucial aim is to gain media coverage and to ensure this coverage is favourable; thus, practitioners are willing to employ various techniques such as the fabrication of information.

The Characteristics of the Press Agentry/Publicity Model

One-Way Communication: The Press Agentry/Publicity Model is typified by one-directional communication and the major objectives of the organization or the individual in question is to disseminate certain information that he or she has independently chosen and in the process hoping to shape public opinion on the issue(s) at hand without necessarily being compelled to enter into an exchange of views with an audience.

 Emphasis on Publicity: The main objective of this model is to find ways of delivering as many positive messages as possible to the public, even if the information is untruthful or even misleading. Emphasis is laid on developing material that would attract certain attention and employing media to address the target audience.

 Lack of Strategic Planning: The Press Agentry/Publicity Model poses a weakness in that often there is no clear, thoughtful strategy that guides the practitioners’ action, and instead they depend on impulse, reaction, and sometimes even illegitimate means to arrive at the intended goals.

 Limited Concern for Public Interest: In this model, the main or perhaps the only concern is the organisation or the specific individual in question. The main focus is to produce only a positive image of the organisation, regardless of the principle, or carrying out deceitful behaviour towards the public.

Historical Examples and Applications

The Press Agentry/Publicity Model has been used on many occasions in the past and applies to entertainment and politics mainly. The use of sensationalism and exaggerations is best illustrated by P. T Barnum, the famous American gambler and circus attraction promoter.

Another good example, which is derived from the early period of modern Hollywood, includes the practice of studio publicists organising massive campaigns of publicity to construct and stabilise the mise-en-scène of their star-leading actors and actresses. Many of these campaigns entailed the concocting of stories, the orchestration of events, and the manipulation of the celebrity’s image.

Using the Press Agentry/Publicity Model, political public relations has been applied to the selling of political personalities and their policies. Moreover, the development of the contemporary media environment has only strengthened this perspective, indicating that modern politicians and their entourages use different strategies to achieve media play and influence the population’s perception of themselves and the issues in question.

Limitations and Ethical Concerns

 Conclusion: The advantage of the Press Agentry/Publicity Model is that it can be very useful for the creation of short-term attention, public discussions, and publicity. However, it is necessary to note that there are some drawbacks and ethical issues connected with this model. Preoccupation with the matter out of sensationalism, coupled with the complete disregard for the public interest, promotes a culture of spreading fake news, controlling the perception of the public, and declining credibility to whoever or whatever is being promoted.

However, reliance on innovative yet dubious or otherwise unethical strategies comes at a price, with the organisation’s PR representative and the company as a whole suffering the impact of such actions. The transition of this public relations model in the course of its development and the increased focus on the appropriate concern with such values as transparency and ethical norms that the Press Agentry/Publicity Model largely neglects.

2. The Public Information Model

However, with time, some of the sinks that the Press Agentry/Publicity Model had were seen, and in the process, the Public Information Model of public relations was developed. This model transformed publicity into the identification of issues that need to get to the public and ensuring that the right information gets out.

The Characteristics of the Public Information Model 

 One-Way Communication: Like the Press Agentry/Publicity Model, the Public Information Model is also predominantly unidimensional, since it mostly involves the passing of information from the transmitting source, in this case the organisation or individual, to the receivers, which in this case is the public.

 Emphasis on Information Dissemination: The first objective of this model is to provide information and raise awareness as to the organisation’s work, actions, and policies. It is more about passing on accurate, unbiased data than it is about getting coverage or painting some pictures.

 Objectivity and Transparency: Indeed, Info-Mediated, particularly in the context of the Public Information Model, is more objective-oriented compared to the previous model, where the practitioner’s primary objectives are to deliver accurate and unprejudiced information to the public.

 Limited Persuasive Efforts: Nevertheless, normally the model seldom attempts to actively persuade or transition people by force to a certain mindset or course of action, as the acronym of the model states, Public Information Model. The aim is to provide only the facts and not put a bias of any kind on the readers.

Historical Examples and Applications

The Public Information Model received attention in the early years of the twentieth-century trends, especially among public organisations and non-profit institutions. The full account of the beginnings of public relations practice is marked by a simple and notably influential figure of work, Ivy Lee, who is known to be behind the development of a theory known as The Public Information Model.

Thus, the Press Agentry/Publicity Model of Ivy Lee was far different from the show-and-tell or hide-and-seek model. He supported the principles of presenting truthful information about the communities to the public; he effectively attempted to build an improved and credible relationship between the organisations and society.

A good instance of the Public Information Model is evident in governments’ and public sectors’ undertakings across the world. Such entities apply this approach to educate the public on policies, programs, and other related initiatives with the ultimate aim of creating public awareness and embracing the goals of the relevant policies.

Limitations and Ethical Considerations

Although the Public Information Model depicts a more ethical way of public relations as compared to the previous two models, it is not without its drawbacks either. Such a communication strategy, being one-directional, does not enable the organisation to get a feel of the stakeholders or grasp their opinions.

Besides, the role of this model is not quite sufficient in circumstances where the need for more convincing or purposeful speech is rather crucial, for instance, in cases of emergencies or when the organisation must change the public’s opinion on specific issues.

However, it is significant to state that even by applying the principles of the model and referring to the Public Information Model, bias and manipulation can still occur. Nonetheless, PR practitioners remain somewhat voluntary in their disclosure of information to the public, or they may relay information in such a manner that can, in any way, ay deceive the audience.

3. The Two-Way Asymmetric Model

Known as the Two-Way Asymmetric Model, the theory was formulated in the period between 1940 and 195,0, and it offered a shift from one-way communication that was practised. This model agreed with the sentiment that there must be some form of identification of the needs and perception of the target group, but then again, this was done in a way where there was a clear domination by the organisation.

Characteristics of the Two-Way Asymmetric Model 

 Two-Way Communication: Unlike the other models, the Two-Way Asymmetric Model entails a communication exchange between the organisation and its stakeholders. This enables one to get a closer look at the interests and worries of the target clients.

 Persuasive Communication: Whereas there is a two-way flow of information, the intended objective remains to influence the behaviour of the target group and make them accept the organisation’s argument. The organisation involves the use of research and analysis of the target audience to ensure that the persuasive messages being passed across are more persuasive.

 Imbalance of Power: However, the flow of information in this process is mutually controlled, with the organisation having the larger power as it directs the communication process and has better resources and techniques that manipulate the public attitude and conduct.

 Emphasis on Research: Hence, according to the Two-Way Asymmetric Model, a considerable amount of importance is attached to research: the organisations carry out detailed studies to familiarise themselves with the target audience, its mindset, and the best ways of swaying the latter.

Historical Examples and Applications

Perhaps the most well-known manifestation of the Two-Way Asymmetric Model can be observed in the behaviour of major companies’ PR departments during the middle of the twentieth century. During this time, the above-mentioned organisations received increasing public attention and criticism and therefore started to work out more professional marketing and target group research for their communication strategies.

For example, due to growing awareness of the dangers of smoking, the tobacco industry applied the Two-Way Asymmetric Model to conduct research concerning the consumers’ perceptions and actions. Equipped with this knowledge, they used advertising slogans and press releases to help them change existing unfavourable impressions from the public to sustain their clients.

The audience can also be considered in the political context, such as polling and focus groups that politicians and their teams use to understand the electorate’s interest,s to create messages that would persuade them to vote for the politician.

 Limitations and Evolving Perspectives

Hence, the Two-Way Asymmetric Model was a progressive move in the evolution of public relations, although it was not without its flaws. The Co-creation platforms were quite unethical because they kept power relations at the core by favouring the persuading organisation over the stakeholders; in addition, persuasion over true conversation was conducted without clear principles to guide it.

4. The Two-Way Symmetric Model

Coined in the 1970s and 1980s, the Two-Way Symmetric Model was an improvement of the earlier one as it shifted the focus from the organisation as the central decision maker and stressed the collaboration between the practitioner and stakeholders of the organisation.

Characteristics of the Two-Way Symmetric Model

Balanced Two-Way Communication: Unlike the other models, this model can prevail as the two-way communication encapsulates both the organisation and the stakeholders, thus striving to understand the intentions of each other.

Emphasis on Mutual Understanding: The main objective of the Two-Way Symmetric Model is to promote an exchange of understanding between the organisation and its public. Litigation social norms reflect the fact that the goal in negotiations is not to change the attitudes of the other party but to find a common interest.

Ethical and Transparent Practices: The Two-Way Symmetric Model of communication is based on ethics and openness in terms of organisations exercising efforts to be believable, answerable, and concerned with the stakeholders’ interests.

Collaborative Problem-Solving: This model promotes collaboration between the organisations, standing jointly with their stakeholders for problem-solving, which commonly involves processes of bargaining and fair sharing.

Historical Examples and Applications

The Two-Way Symmetric Model has received much attention in different fields and contexts, and organisational stakeholders have discovered that the development of long-term, reciprocally beneficial relationships is far superior to mere one-way communication.

When it comes to specific examples, one may mention the sphere of environmentalism; here organizations, charities, lobbying groups, and activists use the model that originated in this field as the basis of their work, communicating with businesses, governmental agencies, NGOs, and the general public to discuss questions concerning sustainable development, climate change, corporate citizenship, and many other topics.

Freedom of Speech

These organisations have been able to effect the necessary change by promoting freedom of speech as well as cooperation to find the best solutions, as well as acknowledging the issues that are at hand in the marketplace or the government.

Further, another example of the use of the Two-Way Symmetric Model is evident in the healthcare delivery system, where the healthcare organisation has aimed at improving healthcare interaction with the patient or the patient’s family. With the use of fully open communication, involving active decision-making, and using the frameworks of mutual respect for patients, such organisations have been able to ensure better and improved results in patient care, patient satisfaction, and better patient trust within communities.

Limitations and Ongoing Challenges

At the same time, in certain cases, the organisation can steward some degree of control or decision-making power over the subordinate, and this control can lead to conflict within the context of the Two-Way Symmetric Model.

In light of the evolving profession of public relations, practitioners need to pay attention to the nature of each of the above models to avoid pitfalls that may be associated with each model; at the same time, there is a need to improve the strategies of communication to achieve excellent ethical standards.

Conclusion

Four early models of public relations include the Press Agentry/Publicity Model, Public Information Model, Two-Way Asymmetric Model, and Two-Way Symmetric Model. In that sense, each of the models includes valuable contributions and use cases that readapt to modern organisational and stakeholder requirements.

In that sense, by realising the potential and the drawbacks of these models and their applications, public relations professionals can make better choices for themselves and their clients, and as a result, work more effectively with the target populations.

At the same time, the conditionality and flexibility of these models, and the ability to implement the best practices of each of them, will be critical in the development of successful relations between the organisation and stakeholders in an ever-changing world of public relations. You can read more related posts on our public relations page of the site.