Media Monitoring (June 4)

“This Airline Is Saying Goodbye To Reclining Seats“

Huffington Post

By LISA MILLER

June 2, 2014

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/monarch-airlines-reclining-seat-ban_n_5418074.html

Summary: Monarch Airlines has announced that its new fleet of aircraft will not feature reclining seats, as most fliers say they wish they would be banned on short-haul flights. The trade off for fliers is increased leg room and better tray tables.

Relevance: We should consider adopting similar aircraft for shorter domestic flights and issuing a press release about how we want our fliers to be as comfortable as possible on shorter flights by giving them greater leg room.

Communication Law and Ethics (3, 12)

Chapter 3: Ethics and Professionalism

Ethics & Values

• Ethics: standards of conduct which indicates how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues based on right/wrong
• Values: central to determining how one will behave in certain situations
• Take into account: public interest, employers’ self-interest, standards of PR profession, personal values
• Traditionally: can’t take advocacy role because “biased” trying to “manipulate” people
• Role differentiation is important; public understands that PR people are employed

Philosophies (Abbreviated)

• Kant’s Absolutionism: something is either right or wrong

• Aristotle’s Existentialism: balance between two extremes, undertake assignments in a way that doesn’t cross “personal threshold”

• Mill’s Utilitarianism: ends justify means as long as least harm or greatest good

Media Monitoring (May 30)

“Hopper creates new airline fee calculator for consumers”

Dallas News

By SHERYL JEAN

May 27, 2014

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/hopper-creates-new-airline-fee-calculator-for-consumers.html/

Summary: Hopper, a travel-planning website, has created a new fee calculator to help consumers choose the cheapest flight when factoring in the fees that have become so common in the airline industry

Relevance: We should consider adding a fee calculator to our own website, so that consumers can see that our flights really are the best value in business travel.

Crisis Communication (10)

Ch.10: Conflict Management: Dealing with Issues, Risks, and Crises

Strategic Conflict Management

• Conflict: when two groups direct their efforts against each other, devising actions and communication that directly or verbally attack the other group
• Deals with attacks and confrontations between organizations and various stakeholders/publics
• Show that: organization is ethical, behaviour is honourable/defensible, works at creating mutual benefit whenever possible; mission is worthy, your advocacy has integrity

PR in Managing Conflict

• Can involve reducing conflict or escalating for activism purposes

• Often when business or industry contends with government regulators/activist groups
• Most not clear-cut in terms of an ideal solution

A System for Managing Conflict

• PR person must determine the stance the organization will take for e/a public, stance then determines strategy
• Organizational: do you have knowledge, time, finances, management commitment to combat the threat
• Situational: how do you assess danger to organization? What effort is required? It it a long/difficult or short/simple situation? How much uncertainty?

Media Monitoring (May 21)

“DOT rule to require airlines to better disclose fees”

USA Today

By BART JANSEN

May 21, 2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/21/dot-airlines-consumer-rules-checked-bag-fees-carry-on-mishandled-late/9367469/

Summary: The Department of Transportation has just ruled the airlines need to be better about fee transparency. Consumers may not always be clear of the full price of the ticket they are buying when they have to go online to check if they will be charged for seat assignment, carry-ons, etc.

Relevance: We should adjust our web presences accordingly to make sure it is obvious what we are charging for along with the ticket. We should also probably have someone in Washington to monitor this further.

Entertainment PR & Event Planning (18, 16)

Ch. 18: Entertainment, Sports, & Tourism

Celebrities

• Now not all celebrities have done outstanding things

• Modern communications has increased the number of celebrities

• Psychological Factors:

  • Young people “dream of achieving the same glory . . . in vain”

  • Hero Worship: ordinary people “yearn for heroes”

  • People develop a sense of belonging for sports teams “our team”

  • Desire for entertainment

• Publicists: PR person in the entertainment industry, primary responsibility is publicity

  • Bragman: “a good PR person monitors the relationship between perception and reality and keeps things in check”

  • Monitor, shape, create attention on the internet; especially social media

Media Monitoring (May 14)

“Alaska Airlines, Jet Blue top JD Power airline survey”

USA Today

By GARY STOLLER

May 14, 2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/05/14/airlines-rewards-programs-jd-power/9051849/

Summary: Alaska Airlines was ranked highest in customer satisfaction and for its mileage program according to a new JD Power airline survey. Jet Blue ranked highest in customer satisfaction among “non traditional” airlines.

Relevance: Alaska’s mileage program ranked highest because of its “network” of other airlines and hotels, meaning that customers can earn points in many ways. We may want to consider modeling our mileage program after theirs once we can establish partnerships.

Public Affairs and Government PR (9, 19)

Ch. 9: Public Opinion and Persuasion

Public Opinion: Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, “opinions on controversial issues that one can express in public without isolating oneself” (implies conformity)

• Also: “a collection of views held by persons interested in the subject”
• Self-interest is a huge factor, form with respect to goals, not how to achieve goals

Opinion Leaders: (1) highly interested in subject/issue (2) better informed on that issue than average person (3) avid consumers of mass media (4) early adopters (5) good organizers, get others to take action

• Primary catalyst in public discussion
• Formal Opinion Leaders: elected officials, heads of groups
• Informal Opinion Leaders: clout in peer group
• Katz and Lazarsfeld: two-step flow theory > multi-step flow theory > n-step theory

Mass Media

• 50% of information comes from a PR source, 55% in Australia
• Agenda Setting Theory: McCombs and Shaw, media content sets the agenda for public discussion
• Limited Effects Model: Klapper, “mass media . . . functions among and through a nexus of mediating factors and influence”
• Media Dependency Theory: media can have moderate-powerful effect on formation of opinions when people have no prior knowledge, especially in a crisis situation
• Framing Theory: journalistic framing (fact selection) impacts public understanding, and consequently policy formation; media and audience framing
• Conflict Theory: conflict in the public arena can help with reaching a consensus; controversy helps to shape public opinion

Media Monitoring (May 7)

“More travelers are fighting back to avoid airline baggage fees”

Time

By BRAD TUTTLE

May 6, 2014

http://time.com/89509/more-travelers-are-fighting-back-to-avoid-airline-baggage-fees/

Summary: Airline travelers are trying to avoid airline baggage fees by either packing lighter and only taking a carry-on, or by signing up for airline credit cards and mileage programs which provide members with free checked bags. Despite the fee avoidance, the airline industry has reported record profits.

Relevance: Airlines are making a lot of money off baggage fees, though flyers are obviously unhappy. We should decide if we want better customer relations or increased profits and try to convey key messages accordingly.

Global Reputation Management/Nonprofit PR (20, 21)

Ch. 20: Global Public Relations

Global PR (International PR): Planned and organized efforts of a company, institution, or government to establish and build relationships with the publics of other nations

• There isn’t a word for “public relations” in every language
• In nations with: (1) multiparty systems (2) relatively free press (3) private business (4) large-scale urbanisation (5) relatively high per-capita income levels (= literacy and education)

International Corporate PR

• Almost 1/3 of all U.S. corporate profits come from international business
• Have to communicate with 400 million people, 25 countries, multiple languages
• Have to be aware of language/cultural differences
  • Power distance, individualism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation (Americans are short-term)
• 5 reasons international companies retain PR counsels in the U.S.
  • Hold off threatening protectionist moves
  • Defeat legislation that could affect sales
  • Provide ongoing info about political, legal, commercial, developments
  • Deal with crisis situations that threaten financial health or reputation
• 3 groups PR pros must communicate benefits of globalization to
  • Corporations: international capitalism bad, social responsibility good
  • NGOs: important “seal of approval” for branding
  • International institutions: increased transparency is essential