• The practice of public relations: science, art and (sometimes) a touch of magic
  

• The PR mosaic
• PR as a collaborative process
• Deep cultural bias against seeming to brag
   

• Read : Wilcox chp 1, "Preparing for Writing" (no summary required)
• Write: Bragging without fear — the essence of PR (due Tuesday 08/29). Send me an e-mail version, but also bring a hard copy to class. You may be asked to share it aloud.
• Write: Brag about a "table buddy" without shame (due Thursday, 08/31)
• Take a look: About media

• Persuasion: the toughest job on earth
   
• Channels of communication: emerging trends in conversational media vs mass media
• Psychographics: VALS

• Communications theories
• Key words: semantics
• Cognitive dissonance
   
• Why marketing materials fail to persuade (Wilcox p 53)

• Persuasion sampler
  (Wilcox p 55)

• Due Tuesday: Personal brag piece
• Due Thursday: VALS reaction/analysis
• Due Thursday: Chapter 2 outlines

• Read & summarize: Wilcox chp 2: Persuasive Writing (outline due 08/31)
• Check out some of the online resources (including dictionaries and other references) on the MC307 Resources page.
• For Thursday — take the VALS test on the Web link. Then write 3 paragraphs or so on your reaction to the psychographic group in which it places you. Do you feel it's accurate? Temporary or long-term? Does this information offer insight into your friends, parents or colleagues? Email and bring printout to class.
   
• Every well-educated person ought know something about Aaron Neville and the Neville Brothers, the heart and soul of New Orleans blues.

• In class Tuesday: Work on "same message, different voices" assignment

Legal and Ethical Guidelines

• Everyday legal pitfalls
• Protecting yourself and your organization
• Ethical considerations -- take them to heart
   
• Due Thursday: Chapter 3 outline

Clay County Health Department
715 11th St N
Moorhead MN 56560
More info: Health Education, 299-5220

• Team Assignment: Same message, different voices. Read about the new cervical cancer vaccine, which protects against HPV. The shots will be available starting Oct. 1 at the Clay County Health Department for a nominal $20/shot (series of 3). 1. Compose a **brief** memo to be sent to parents of middle school girls; 2.an email alert to health and social service pros in Clay County; and 3. a 3-paragraph item for the Moorhead city newsletter. Objective: Tailor your voice for the concerns of each. Due Thursday, 09/07.
  News background: Washington Post article
   
• Read & summarize: Wilcox chp 3: Legal & Ethical Guidelines (outline due 09/07)
• Assignment: Find info online about a libel, slander or invasion of privacy legal case in the realm of PR or marketing. (NOT media, please.) Summarize in 2-3 paragraphs; email by Tuesday and bring hard copy to class (09/12).

• Due Tuesday: Brief report on libel, slander or invasion of privacy case in marketing/PR arena

Thursday:  Guest speaker Larry Gauper, executive VP public affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (Meridian)

• Assignment in class: State University of Dilworth — legal/ethical issues in common situations faced by admissions PR staff (due Tuesday, 09/19). Bring your textbook for reference.
• Read & summarize Wilcox 4: "Finding & Generating News," news values (due Thursday, 09/21).

• Due Thursday: Chapter 4 outline

Generating ideas and stories for the news media

Introduction to non-profit organizations

• Assignment: Find one story in the newspaper or a magazine that focuses on what is clearly a "created event." (due Thursday 09/21.) Please bring the clipping (or a photocopy) and attach it to a cover sheet with your name and a brief explanation of why the story/event qualifies.
• Read & summarize Wilcox 5:  (due 09/28/06)

• Due Thursday: Chp 5 outline
• Using core news values to create news coverage

• 
   
• Heart Association "Go Red for Women"
• http://www.vinegarman.com/
• Chase's directory of special months
• A greeting card directory of special months

• Tuesday in class: The Great Pumpkin Project

In class Tuesday: Refresher: on AP style

• AP style summary

News releases—principles & basic format
 

• Great Pumpkin Project
• AP style summary
• Read & summarize Wilcox 6: "News Features"   (due Thursday, 10/12).

x

In class Thursday: Refresher: on AP style

• AP style summary

• Due Thursday: Chp 6 outline

• Teams: Choose a local nonprofit organization and interview the individual in charge of public relations (and marketing). Working with the NPO baseline questions, prepare an essay style report. Report is due Tuesday, 10/24. Info here.
• Link to NPO baseline information
• Assignment: News release -- dream job business release for the year 2012. Due Tuesday, 10/17. Information here.
• Sample release with commentary
• Teams: Compose a feature or news-feature release related to the activities or mission of your NPO. Shoot for overall length of 600 to 800 words. (due TBA)

No class Thursday -- work period for NPO research and contact

Feature releases and media kits

• Read & summarize Wilcox 7, Photos & Graphics. (Due Tuesday, 10/24).

• Due Tuesday: Report in class on your NPO research. (Written report is also due today.)
• Due Tuesday: Outline, Wilcox 7
• Due Thursday: Outline, Wilcox 8

• Read & summarize Wilcox 8, Pitch Letter, Advisories, Media Kits and Op-Ed (due 10/26) 
• Teams: Two releases for your NPO as discussed in class -- a basic hard-news release on an event, and a soft-news feature. The second must be different from the first, not just a longer verfsion. Use standard news release format per Wilcox and as described in class. (11/01)

• Due Thursday: Outline, Wilcox 10
• Due Thursday: Two releases for your NPO

• Teams: Story pitch letters and media kit for NPO 
• Read & summarize Wilcox 10: (11/02)
• Read & summarize Wilcox 9, Radio, TV and Webcasting (11/07)

• Due Tuesday: Outline, Wilcox 9
• Due Tuesday: Story pitch for your NPO
• Due Thursday: Outline, Wilcox 11

PSAs and other ops in broadcasting

• Read & summarize Wilcox 11: (11/09)
• Teams: TV public service announcement for your NPO. Three scripts -- 10, 30 and 60 second versions. (Due 11/14)

• Due Tuesday: PSA package, including live performance in class
• Due Thursday: Outline, Wilcox 12

Controlled media
 

• Read & summarize Wilcox 13: World Wide Web (11/21)
• Assignment (individual): Examine your decision-making process for a major product purchase or other substantial choice. Relate the steps to Diffusion Theory -- awareness, interest, trial, evaluation and adoption. Please reflect on the media and other sources of information that influenced you at each stage, along with your level of hunger for information. Approx. 2 double-spaced pages. Due 11/21.

• Due Tuesday: Outline, Wilcox 13
• Due Tuesday: Web site reports

• Read & summarize Wilcox 12 Print
• Assignment (individual): Online research on how several companies/organizations related to your NPO use the Web to communicate with their constituencies and the media (due 11/28)

• Due Tuesday: Outline, Wilcox 12
• Due Tuesday: Web site reports
• Due Thursday: Outline, Wilcox 15

• Read & summarize Wilcox 15 Direct Mail & Ads 12/05
• Read & summarize Wilcox 18: Program Planning
• Teams: Direct-mail fund-raising package for your NPO, including letter, collateral piece, response device and 2 envelopes (carrier and response). Due 12/12.

• Due Tuesday: Outline, Wilcox 18
• Due Thursday: NPO direct-mail packages

• All required outlines must be completed and turned in by Thursday, Dec. 7, to qualify for substitution for the final exam. If you do not meet the deadline, we'll make arrangements for the final (including access to the complete study guide) on Tuesday, 12/12.

• Due Tuesday: Direct-mail packages

In class: planning project