ABSTRACT
This and the next two chapters (Chs 10 and 11) look at PR effects on three important public institutions: politics, markets and the media. The argument so far has presented PR as a pervasive component of the promotional culture of liberal democracy, albeit with a poor reputation amongst the general public, and also amongst specific publics such as journalists and politicians, most of whom are, ironically, heavy producers of PR in their own interests. PR is popular, yet disparaged. The relationship of PR to propaganda was then examined and the conclusion was that PR is weak propaganda. But the oddity of propaganda flourishing in democracies, when the conventional view has it that propaganda weakens public opinion and elected government, led to an examination of PR effects on democracy. This incongruity is as concerning as it is reassuring. The argument now becomes less systemic, and looks at how PR impacts on individuals in their roles as citizens and consumers, and in their roles as members of organisations, groups and professions. Individuals can be seen as either PR consumers (receiving PR messages) or PR producers (constructing and sending them), and many people fulfil both roles. For example, individuals read about food and wine and are active in Friends of the Earth campaigning against genetically modified plants. People are shareholders in companies they work for and are also trade unionists actively campaigning against a move to money-purchase pensions.
