ABSTRACT
This book concludes by arguing that, despite much criticism from others, as well as some of its own people claiming the moral high ground in rather implausible ways, public relations (PR) plays a valued role in contemporary life. It is seen as vital by all modern organisations, performing a crucial role in charities’ campaigning and politics, as well as in commercial life. It is also essential to free media, and indeed can be seen as a symptom of the freedom enjoyed in modern democracies. In a world which often seems increasingly fractured, PR has to try to bridge divides. It is a discipline which requires its practitioners to try to understand others – and that is surely not a bad thing. Outsiders often see public relations as being about power, politics and spin, or launch parties and celebrities.
