ABSTRACT
This chapter tackles the blurred lines between political communication and political public relations while also discussing the ways in which thinking about lobbying must change to adapt to the changing communication environment in which public relations professionals operate. Traditionally, the focus on lobbying has been on direct appeals by corporations to legislators in which corporations and other interest groups hire lobbyists to represent, educate, and advocate on their behalf. Lobbyists traditionally worked behind the scenes to influence public policy but given the changing communication environment coupled with higher expectations of the public, this chapter argues that lobbying also takes place in a more public space. As corporations now exist in a world of increased calls for transparency, greater stakeholder scrutiny and faster means of communication, the spaces in which issues management and lobbying occur have expanded. The relationship between political communication, public relations, and political public relations is examined to illustrate that lobbying lies at this intersection and might be productively understood through the lens of communicative constitution of organizations (CCO). In making this shift, lobbying should take on a broader perspective that examines how corporate lobbying efforts include appeals to legitimize issues and change public opinion/social discourse about issues.
