Optics (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Optics   Optical illusions show how we see | Beau Lotto   A “term of art for how a bit of news will be perceived by the public at large, which is only used by people who bill by the hour.” — Troy Senik “The … Read more

CODEL / Congressional Delegation / Junket (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms CODEL / Congressional Delegation / Junket   Introduction of the U.S. Congressional Delegation   A trip abroad by a group of members of Congress, usually bi-partisan. Committees sponsor fact finding travel to countries or regions to obtain first-hand information on foreign policy issues. These missions … Read more

Understanding and Responding to Different Types of Communications Crises

There is a common misconception that there is only one type of communications crises in the world of public affairs and that all crises should be responded to in the same manner. There are essentially three different types of crises: systemic, adversarial and image. photo credit: uair01 A systemic crisis often involves something related to … Read more

The Ethical Choices of Public Relations Professionals

When faced with an ethical dilemma, public relations professionals ultimately have four choices available to them: avoidance, compliance, ignorance and resignation. photo credit: The Co-operative Avoidance The most ethical choice can sometimes be to avoid answering a question. If you are faced with a question that would require you to make a difficult ethical decision, … Read more

Tips for Monitoring Journalist Interviews

All interviews by a journalist of your principal or organization should be monitored. photo credit: Institute for Government First, you must perform a check on any possible mis-readings or errors by the reporter. Second, monitoring the interview will provide you with a better understanding of the points your principal wants to stress. Finally, you will … Read more

Preparation is Key to Taking Advantage of Opportunities in Media Relations

It is sometimes assumed that the development of a communications plan is similar to the production of a play, in which the public acts as the audience. In reality, much of the work involved in public relations can be reactionary and unpredictable in nature. It is not unusual for members of Congress to determine their … Read more