Challenges for Arab and American PR

There are lot of challenges for Arab and American public relations and public diplomacy. Ray Eldon Hiebert (2005) says that "both Arabs and Americans have developed negative opinions about each other, increasing the need for good public relations and public diplomacy between the two publics". This kind of situation where people have build up one-sided views and strong emotions, is a challenge for the public relations professionals.

"Misperceptions are particular problem in an age of global mass communication and this is a challenge that confronts both Arabs and Americans. Mass media offers us images of reality and often those images are skewed, sometimes deliberately but more often accidentally by cultural differences and the demands of rapid mass communication. Public relations provides a method of adjusting those images and perceptions". (Hiebert 2005.)

Hiebert (2005) emphasizes that even thought in America democracy is supposed to provide equality for all points of views for all races, religions and political persuasions, in reality everyone is scrambling to be heard and some voices are louder than others. He says that "we like to think that public relations can equalize the field because it provides a relatively easy and inexpensive way to be heard and to make a difference."

I think that we can all learn something from this example. It would be important that public relations professionals would listen each other and to be active in the "battle" with mass media. I believe that public relations can be effective tool to repair skewed images and to enrich the information we are receiving.

Reference: Hiebert, Ray Eldon. (2005). Commentary: Challenges for Arab and American public relations and public diplomacy in a global age. Public Relations Review. Vol.31 Issue 3, 317-322

Written by: Satu-Maria