Attack of the Flacks
Messages specifically designed to shape perceptions or motivate actions that an organization wants. The word took on negative connotations in the 20th century and is usually associated with lies, deceit and misinformation.
Propaganda
Mass communication exposure generated by the sharing of others, like social media.
Shared media
Secondary background footage that will be cut into any film footage’s primary story line. This is used to help establish atmosphere, location, and accentuate artistic measures.
B-roll
A line in a newspaper naming the writer of an article.
Byline
Date of release on the first line of a news/press release prior to the lead paragraph.
Dateline
A highly targeted story idea sent to a journalist that usually includes a specific call to action. This could also serve as a teaser before a press release or media advisory.
Pitch
Traditional advertising and other paid placements. Traditionally, PR steered clear from paid media to focus on owned and earned media.
Paid Media
A succinct and often catchy message that illustrates or encapsulates a story in just a few seconds
Soundbite
The specific area (politics, environment, crime, etc.) covered by a particular reporter.
Beat
Information from an outside source that is used by news organizations because it has news value. It is an uncontrolled method of placing messages because the source does not pay the media for placement and cannot guarantee if or how the material will be used.
Publicity
The management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.
Public Relations
Media and tools that are under direct control of the sender, such as publications, websites, blogs, podcasts, etc. Also called “controlled communication channels”
Owned media
An official statement issued to newspapers giving information on a particular matter
Press release
A guest column historically placed opposite of the editorial page. This states the opinion of the organization and seeks to move others to accept the stated point of view. The media is not obligated to accept and publish what it submitted
Op-Ed
The process of managing how an organization distinguishes itself with a unique meaning in the mind of its publics — that is, how it wants to be seen and known among its publics, especially as distinguished from its competitors.
Positioning
Creating newsworthy stories and events to attract media attention and gain public notice (although not all this attention may be positive).
Press agentry
An unpaid, third-party endorsement that mentions an event, product or other news in relation to a company or organization typically obtained through media relations.
Earned media
Information open to or belonging to the public.
Public information
Offering of news meant to appear in one specific publication. When a publication takes this, there is an understanding that the news won’t be shared with others until the original publication posts a story.
Exclusive
An overarching term for earned or paid media coverage.
Placement
A complete analysis of an organization’s communications processes, both internal and external.This is designed to reveal how an organization wants to be perceived by designated publics, what it is doing to foster that perception and how it is actually perceived.
Communication audit
A package of materials distributed to and available for members of the press that typically includes information about an organization or effort, such as fact sheets, photos, bios and more – to make creating a story for a journalist easier.
Press kit
Verbiage in news stories, press releases or other mass communication tactics
Copy
An agreement that information shared with media will not be published before an agreed-upon date and time.
Embargo
Brief description of a company or organization most commonly seen at the end of a press release.
Boilerplate