PR Pioneer: Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)
The Museum of Public Relations
IPR has partnered with The Museum of Public Relations to feature some of the many Black PR Pioneers in celebration of Black History Month

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) is best known for organizing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, where more than 200,000 people gathered and where Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. gave his now famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Rustin was an unyielding activist for all his life. He recounted a time when he was refused service at a restaurant while traveling with his high school football team: "I sat there quite a long time, and was eventually thrown out bodily. From that point on, I had the conviction that I would not accept segregation."

Rustin played a role in founding the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He also participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The principal factors that influenced his life were:
  1. Nonviolent tactics
  2. Constitutional means
  3. Democratic procedures
  4. Respect for human personality
  5. A belief that all people are one

Read the rest of Bayard Rustin's bio to learn about his life, accolades, and contributions to public relations history.
New Public Relations Journal issue is out!
Hilary Fussell Sisco, Ph.D., APR, Editor-in-Chief, PR Journal; Associate Professor, Quinnipiac University
Letter from the Editor

Welcome to Volume 14, Issue 1 of Public Relations Journal. This is the 76th year of the journal. Like many of us, we are hopeful and optimistic about this new year and this new chapter of public relations scholarship. We have a phenomenal issue to begin 2021 and we look forward to sharing more fantastic research as the year progresses.

In Impact of Public Relations Efforts in the Entertainment Industry on Organization- Public RelationshipRebecca B. Haggard, APR+M, and colleagues identify the ways in which media portrayals of the U.S. Navy predicted an organization-public relationship. The authors summarize findings important to building relationships as well as using the media to understand organizations.

In the second article, Purses, Pencil Skirts, and Podcasts: A Content Analysis of Fashion Brand PR, Tegan R. Bratcher investigates how podcasts are used as a tactic in public relations strategy. Specifically, this article focuses on brands within the fashion industry and their evolution in the digital space.

In the third article, Dynamic capabilities: Strategies and tactics for leaders engaging in crisis communications, KiYong Kim, M.A., APR, applies a strategic management concept to the necessary leadership pivot required during the crisis communication of the pandemic.

Read more to see the full issue!
Utilizing Influencers: How Disclosure of Paid Endorsement Impacts Behavior
Ganga S. Dhanesh, Ph.D., & Gaelle Duthler, Ph.D., Zayed University
This summary is provided by the IPR Digital Media Research Center

Dr. Ganga Dhanesh and Dr. Gaelle Duthler examined how awareness of paid endorsement and the ability to recognize social media ads affects followers' relationships with social media influencers. The study also examined how these factors impact respondents' behavioral intentions, specifically electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intention and purchase intention of the products/services endorsed.

A survey of 269 college students at an all-women university in the United Arab Emirates was conducted.

Key findings include:
  • There was a positive relationship between respondents' awareness of paid endorsement and their ability to recognize social media ads, regardless of whether influencers explicitly stated that their posts were ads.
  • Knowing they were being exposed to paid content bolstered followers' relationships with influencers, especially in terms of trust and satisfaction.
  • When followers recognized posts as ads, they said they were more likely to purchase the products/services the influencer was endorsing or share the influencer's message.
  • When there was a strong influencer-follower relationship, followers said they were more likely to share the influencer's message on social media and purchase the product/service being promoted.

Read more to learn about disclosure of paid endorsements and how it impacts relationships between influencers and audiences.
Facebook is a Regular Source of News for About a Third of Americans
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center explored Americans' news use across social platforms in 2020.

A survey of 9,220 U.S. adults was conducted from August 31 to September 7, 2020.

Key findings include:
  • 53% of U.S. adults said they get the news from social media "often" or "sometimes."
  • Among 11 social media sites used as a regular source of news, Facebook was at the top – 36% of Americans said they got their news on Facebook "regularly."
  • YouTube was next highest with 23%, and Twitter was third with 15%.
  • Although 59% of respondents said they expect the news they see on social media to be "largely inaccurate," a minority said news on social media improved their understanding of current events (29%).

Read more to learn how U.S. adults used social media as a news source in 2020.
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