PUBLIC RELATIONS
SIR,—May a footnote be added to Cyril Ray's 'Postscript' on press releases?
A press release is intended to provide accurate facts and sometimes to put an editor on the track of a news story. If it has no news value it should not be written, and those who send out (and we know they exist) mere puffs do a disservice to public rela- tions and press men alike, It is obviously up to the editor how a press release should be treated. Suppose, for example, that Mr. Ray was not fortunate enough to be personally acquainted with Messrs. Saccone and Speed. And suppose they sent him a press release about their splendid clarets. He would not, I imagine, print the release without some personal investigation, but on the other hand if he merely pitched it into the WPB we, your readers, would be the poorer. Since Mr. Ray is human, much would depend on the con- viction which the press release would carry with him. If it were worded like a hard-selling advertisement we would understand his action. But in that case it is certain that the writer would not be the kind of person that this Institute would call a proper PRO.
This Institute runs courses and examinations which include instruction in how, when and to whom press releases should be sent. Many of the practices which Mr. Ray has referred to more than 'once are bad public relations, bad business and bad manners. We are as anxious as he is to stop them, and would welcome (much more, I imagine, than your readers) any information he can give if there are any similar cases in future.—Yours faithfully,
ERIC WILLIAMS Honorary Press Officer Institute of Public Relations, Hastings House,
Norfolk Street, WC2
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