Media Relations

Code:

CC003

Acronym:

ASSIMP

Instance: 2011/2012 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Communication Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CC	43	Plano Oficial a partir de 2008/2009	3	-	10	91	270

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Understand the importance and responsibility of journalistic information sources.
Provide students with in-depth knowledge about press and media relation techniques.
Develop strategic skills in the management of information with a view to the applicability in businesses and institutions.

Program

1. The press officer and the media. Characteristics. Functions. Relation with the employer. The journalists and the press officer

2. Negotiation between the press officer and the journalist. Basic theories of the relationship between sources and journalists. Degrees of confidentiality. The usefulness of “off the record”. The deontological code of journalists. Analysis and discussion of practical cases.

3. Setting up a press office. Structure. Human resources. Work instruments. Procedures. New technologies.

4. Press relations techniques. Press release. Follow-up. Reports. Formal meetings. Press conferences. Press briefings. Press kit. Contact lists. Visits and press trips. Official ceremonies. Virtual press offices. Preparing interviews. Transgenic journalism. Analysis and discussion of practical cases.



5. Press relations in the news development process. Provoking the news. Avoiding the news. Following-up the news. The message and the choice of channel. The weather and the news. News production routines. The audience and the news. Agenda setting. Construction of supposed realities. Theory of the “end of story”. Analysis and discussion of practical cases.

6. Analysis and evaluation of results. In the newspapers. On the radio. On television. The clipping. The first pages. Analysis and discussion of practical cases.

7. Crisis communication. The positive image. Type and morphologies of crises. Crisis units and devices. Principles of crisis communication. Analysis and discussion of practical cases.

8. Press relations in integrated communication. In public relations. In marketing. In management.

9. Development of a press relations plan.

Mandatory literature

Tuchman, Gaye; Making news: A study in the construction of reality., The Free Press, 1978
Dutton, Frederick G.; Changing souces of power, News York: McGraw-Hill, 1971
Manning, Paul; News and news sources., Sage Publications, 2001
Santos, Rogério; A negociação entre jornalistas e fontes., Minerva Editora, 1997
Traquina, Nelson; Jornalismo: Questões, teorias e "estórias"., Comunicação & Linguagem: Vega, 1993
Boorstin, Daniel J. ; The image: A guide to pseudo-events in america., New York: Atheneum, 1987
Fishman, Mark; Manufacturing the news., University of Texas Press, 1980
Lee, Martin and Normam Solomon; Unreliable sources: A guide to detecting bias in news media., Lyle Stuart Book, 1990
Sigal, Leon V. ; Reporters and officialls - the organisation and politics of newsmaking., Heath and Company, 1973
Hess, Stephen; The government/press connection: Press officers and their offices., The Brookings Institution, 1984.
• Duarte, Jorge. 2002. ; Assessoria de imprensa e relacionamento com a mídia., Editora Atlas
Martins, Luís Paixão; As armas dos jornalistas., Editora Alias, s.d.
Atton, C. ; Alternative Media., Sage, 2005
Sigal, Leon; Who? Sources make the news. I, Randon House, 1986
• Ericson, Richard V., Taricia M. Baranek, and Janet B. L. Chan.; Negotiating control - a study of news sources., University of Toronto Press, 1989
Santos, Rogério; A fontes não quis revelar, Campo das Letras, 2006
Sousa, Jorge Pedro; As notícias e os seus efeitos: As "teorias" do jornalismo e dos seus efeitos sociais dos media jornalísticos, Minerva, 2000
Gans, Herbert J.; Deciding What's News : A Study of CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Newsweek a Time, University Press: Evanston, 1979

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theory-practical.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	91,00
	Trabalho escrito	50,00
	Exame	59,00
	Teste	70,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

75% attendance and a score of more than 12 (on a scale of 0 to 20) in the final assignment.

Calculation formula of final grade

Continuous assessment: average of the final assignment (50%) + Final exam (50%)