Pranešimo spaudai kaip ryšių su visuomene priemonės efektyvumo vertinimas ; Effectiveness evaluation of press release as a means of public relations

Abstract

Public relations' evaluation process is implemented in all communication activity's stages. Press release as a public briefing means is not an exception as well, which helps public relations to progressively develop organization's awareness and well-known image. The result of such activity is visible and sensible longer. The press release becomes a part of public relations campaign's effectiveness evaluation. The objective of this work is a public relations means – press release. The goal is to analyze the press release's effectiveness evaluation process in a context of public relations campaign's effectiveness assessment and evaluation. The following tasks were solved to achieve the goal: the public relations' activity and applicable tools were reviewed; analysis of the press release in a context of relations with the media means was done; the public relations campaign's assessment and evaluation situation were analyzed in an international and Lithuanian contexts; the applicable evaluation methods of the public relation campaigns were analyzed; the press release's applicable evaluation methods were analyzed; the research work of the public relations and press release effectiveness evaluation situation in Lithuania was done. Using the analysis of the scientific literature methods, applying the theoretical methods: deduction and comparisons, it was concluded that evaluation process is concurrent with the public relations. It is impossible to determine the public relations campaign's efficiency without evaluation stage. The international issue of attempting to standardize the evaluation methods is still open. The main advantages and disadvantages became visible after analysis of the press release development stages and its effectiveness. Effectiveness of the press release depends on elements that differ in different cases and belong on organizations strategy and the journalist who's decision determines press release's appearance in a media. In order to evaluate press release's efficiency, it was noticed whether the audience received the release addressed for them, did they understand, did they react and have they changed their minds, attitude and behavior. In this way it is possible to determine how the organization introduces itself for the public through the media and what consideration it has towards the media. Press release's efficiency could be evaluated using the evaluation methods of public relations that are applicable during public relations impacts to the media and audience research. They include: content analysis, media monitoring, opinion surveys, communication quality assessment methods. In order to get efficient results in the public relations activity, it is always important to match the conclusions of those different methods and to compare the data observed. The social research done in Lithuanian public relations agencies and public relations departments of the governmental enterprises let to conclude that the situation in Lithuania is good enough in the aspect of the public relations quality evaluation. In Lithuania the public relations activity is evaluated using the survey's method, which does not demand lots of funds and this reveals that currently the investments to the comprehensive efficiency evaluation activities are not done. Evaluation is done not only for public relations efficiency, but also for press release's efficiency as well, the similar evaluation criteria is used during both of those evaluations. Consequently according to public relation specialists the press release's efficiency is identical to public relation efficiency evaluation. The master degree work could be useful for the public relations specialists and practicians as well as communication science students.