On social media, practitioners finish the line, ‘PR is …’

The organization asked its members and the public for input, compiled the answers, vetted them with other industry groups, and put them up for a vote. The result …

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relations between organizations and their publics.”

Does it explain the profession? To an extent, sure. Is it clear? Depends on whom you ask—many people dismissed it as too muddled for public consumption.

PRSA accepted the criticism with aplomb, saying in a column that appeared on PR Daily: “Regardless of what you think of the final candidate definitions, you can rest easy that no one is forcing you to adopt the ‘winning’ definition. PRSA will, and if you’d like to do the same, great; if not, that’s fine too.”