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The Role of Public Relations in a Democracy |
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What is the role of public relations in a democracy? How is it
used for good and how is it used to mislead? In this hour long
forum we will explore these issues with the help of two experts in
the field, Jeannie Rea (VU) and Graeme Domm (RMIT) and moderated by Kathy Richardson.
In many ways the work of public relations and spin doctors shape the
way we see the world. Public relations are used to inform as well
as shape public opinion. Access to information is a
highly important aspect of a democracy and PR is central to this
access. It enables the public to make
informed decisions about any number of issues, be it consumer
choice, who to vote for and so on.
When: 6: 30 Tuesday 20th September 2005
Where: Evatt Room @ Trades Hall (cnr Lygon St and Victoria St Carlton)
Cost: $5 (Free for members)
Who:
- Jeannie Rea
Jeannie teaches in Public Relations and
the postgraduate program in Public Advocacy and Action at Victoria
University. She a long time political activist across several social
movements and is also state president of the National Tertiary Education
Union. She has a particular interest in understanding how social change
discourse moves people from concern to action. - Graeme Domm
Graeme is Discipline Coordinator for the undergraduate programs in
public relations at RMIT. He has been a sessional lecturer and tutor in
Public Relations. He was also Principal Consultant with Fenton
Communications, a leading locally owned professional communication
consultancy based in Melbourne.
Graeme worked as a journalist with The Age
and as an editor of specialist publications, before moving into
research and policy work, Ministerial speechwriting and other
communication-related duties in government. He spent a period as
Ministerial adviser to a Federal Minister. In the past 15 years he has
worked in three public relations consultancies, including one of the
world's major multinationals, developing and implementing strategic
communication programs for a wide variety of corporate, government and
non-profit clients. He is a member of the Public Relations
Institute of Australia, the International Public Relations Association,
the Australian Institute of Management, and the International
Association of Business Communicators, of which he is president of the
Victorian chapter. - Kathy Richardson
Kathy has spent most of her career working for rural and suburban
community newspapers. She also recently spent two years in Bangkok as
part of the Australian Volunteers International program, working as a
Publications Officer for the Thai Government's Department of Technical
and Economic Cooperation (DTEC). Kathy has a degree in journalism from
RMIT and is currently working as a journalist for OurCommunity.com.au
For more resources relating to public relations please click here.
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