Corporate Public Affairs: Interacting With Interest Groups, Media, And Government (Lea's Communication Series) (Lea's Communication Series)

496 Pages·2005·2.32 MB·English

by  Otto Lerbinger

C P A
ORPORATE UBLIC FFAIRS
Interacting With Interest Groups,
Media, and Government
I
LEA’s COMMUNICATION SERIES
Jennings Bryant/Dolf Zillmann, General Editors
SelectedtitlesinPublicRelations(JamesGrunig,AdvisoryEditor)include:
Austin/Pinkleton• Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning
and Managing Effective Communication Programs
Culbertson/Chen • International Public Relations: A Comparative
Analysis
Fearn-Banks• Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach,
Second Edition
Grunig/Grunig/Dozier • Excellent Public Relations and Effective
Organizations: A Study of Communication Management
in Three Countries
Hearit• Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response
to Allegations of Wrongdoing
Lamb/McKee• Applied Public Relations: Cases in Stakeholder
Management
Ledingham/Bruning • Public Relations as Relationship Management:
A Relational Approach to the Study and Practice of Public Relations
Lerbinger• The Crisis Manager: Facing Risk and Responsibility
Mickey •Deconstructing Public Relations: Public Relations Criticism
Millar/Heath • Responding to Crisis: A Rhetorical Approach
to Crisis Communication
Spicer• Organizational Public Relations: A Political Perspective
For a complete list of titles in LEA’s Communication Series,
please contact Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers,
at www.erlbaum.com
CORPORATE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Interacting With Interest Groups,
Media, and Government
I
Otto Lerbinger
Boston University
LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS
2006 Mahwah, New Jersey London
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
Copyright © 2006 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmayberepro -
duced in any form, by photostat, microform, retrieval
system, or any other means, without prior written per-
missionofthepublisher.
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, New Jersey 07430
www.erlbaum.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lerbinger,Otto.
Corporate public affairs : interacting with interest groups,
media,andgovernment/OttoLerbinger.
p. cm. — (LEA’s communication series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN0-8058-5642-0(cloth:alk.paper)
ISBN0-8058-5643-9(pbk.:alk.paper)
1.Corporations—Publicrelations. 2.Corporations—Politi-
calactivity. 3.Socialresponsibilityofbusiness. I.Title.
II.Series.
HD59.L47 2005
659.2'85—dc222005045462
CIP
ISBN 1-4106-1726-2 Master e-book ISBN
Contents in Brief
Preface xvii
I: Introduction
1 An Overview of Corporate Public Affairs 5
II: Interest Group Strategies
2 Interest Group Strategies and Forms of Opinion 37
Leader Communication
3 Conflict Resolution: Mediation and Negotiation 72
III: Media Strategies
4 Proactive Media Relations 99
5 Gaining Semicontrol Over the Media: Broadcast 137
Appearances
6 Gaining Complete Control Over the Media: Advocacy 151
Advertising
7 Holding the Media Accountable and Suing 171
v
vi I CONTENTS IN BRIEF
8 Bypassing the News Media: Direct Communication 199
IV: Governmental Strategies
9 Direct Lobbying 229
10 Grassroots Lobbying 250
11 Electoral Activities 273
12 Litigation Communication 310
V: Dominance Versus Competition
13 Ascendancy of Corporate Power 347
14 Constructing a Competitive Political Marketplace 381
15 Heeding the Public Interest 404
Author Index 435
Subject Index 445
Contents
Preface xv
I: Introduction
1 An Overview of Corporate Public Affairs 5
Modern Function of Public Affairs 7
Mapping theSociopoliticalEnvironment 8
Generating Political Power 10
Public Affairs Activities 13
The Public Policy Process 14
Openness With Stakeholders 15
Three Characteristics of Public Affairs Communication 17
Strategic Campaign Management 17
Process of Issues Management 18
PublicAffairsCampaignBasedonanIssue’sLife
Cycle 22
Conclusions 24
Endnotes 24
vii
viii I CONTENTS
II: Interest Group Strategies
2 Interest Group Strategies and Forms of Opinion 37
Leader Communication
Interest Groups Develop Campaigns Targeting
Corporations 38
Unions Faces Off With Farah and J. P. Stevens 39
AnticorporateCampaigns 40
Containment Strategies 41
Oppose an Interest Group 43
Weaken Antagonists 44
Foster Offsetting Interest Groups 48
Engagement Strategies 48
Unilateral Strategies 49
Public Participation Strategies 53
Opinion Leader Communication 58
Face-to-Face Communication and Other Forms
of Personal Communication 60
Small-Group Meetings, Forums, and Dialogue
Communications 61
Speechmaking: Supplemental Interpersonal
Communication 64
Newsletters, Small Publications, and the Internet 66
Conclusions 67
Endnotes 67
3 Conflict Resolution: Mediation and Negotiation 72
Applications of Conflict Resolution Methods 73
Alternative Dispute Resolution 73
Resolving Environmental Disputes 74
Collaborative Planning 75
Resolving Public Disputes: The Mutual Gains
Approach 78
How Mediation and Negotiation Work 79
Some Useful Competencies 80
MediaUsageDuringtheConsensus-BuildingProcess 82
Conclusions 83
Appendix 84
Endnotes 86
CONTENTS I ix
III: Media Strategies
4 Proactive Media Relations 99
Intervene in the News Creation Process 100
“Jump Start” News 100
Engage in Preemptive Communications 102
Correct the News 104
Influence Reporting 106
Take a Tough Media Stance 107
Demand Rebuttal Time 108
Set Conditions for Cooperation 109
Impose a News Boycott or “Freeze-Out” 112
Rate Reporters 114
Threaten to Drop Advertising 115
Require Advance Notice of Upcoming Articles 116
Exercise Restraint: Procter & Gamble’s Excessive
Zeal 117
Making News Irresistible 117
Create Newsworthy Stories 117
Subsidize the Media 118
Reach Journalists Through the Internet 125
Take Advantage of the Enlarged Media Menu 126
Changes in Regular Viewershipand Readership 127
“Alternative Media” 128
Conclusions 129
Endnotes 130
5 Gaining Semicontrol Over the Media: Broadcast 137
Appearances
Politics Illustrates the Power of Television 138
Opportunities Abound for Broadcast Appearances 140
Increased Corporate Use of Broadcast Appearances 141
Media Training and Skills 142
Deciding Whether to Appear 143
How to Handle the Interview 144
Impressions Count 145
Handling Trick Questions 145
Learning How to “Speak TV” 146