I believe strongly in lifelong learning, gaining new knowledge, so it’s back to the classroom for me.
I had missed the deadline for my proposal for an Open University MPhil (I wanted to do Social Science Research), so I have signed up for the CIPR diploma, which is set at post graduate level.
My first class was yesterday, and I was the only non-corporate/local 
authority person; I hope these people realise how lucky they are to have bosses paying £2,000 plus fees on their behalf.
But we were told the course could reap us huge rewards, most students end up getting promoted and a pay rise as the diploma is very highly regarded.
I enrolled because although I am successful in my Cambridge PR, my background is in journalism and I wanted to enhance a few of the other disciplines I had perhaps sidetracked.
It’s certainly going to be a challenge, finding 450 hours study time for the course is the major obstacle for me, fitting it in around a day where I could do already do with an extra 10 hours.
What I found most interesting yesterday was learning about Sigmund Freud’s contribution to PR. His nephew Edward Bernays (pic) is regarded as the father of PR and he used Freud’s theories and psychoanalysis of human behaviour to influence the American public. This included encouraging women to smoke, on behalf of a tobacco company, by using debutantes to light up “a penis extension”, and inviting Hollywood stars to the White House to improve the dull public image of President Calvin Coolidge; there have been quite a few variations on the last stunt!
PR is obviously in the family blood, Matthew Freud has made a fortune from developing the same manipulative skills, working with exactly the same type of client. How much of his fortune comes from his family name though?
Interestingly, one of the articles we have been recommended to read on spin is by Bryan Appleyard,who has visited my site. His very cynical report does make some excellent points about how today’s aggressive PR fails to engage with the public – and lost credibility with the Press – particularly celebrity PR, but then it is their greed that is largely to blame for the over exposure they later wish to retreat from, like the Beckhams. Did Freud realise what new “beast” he was creating when he assisted his nephew in reaching out to the masses?
I’ve got my first homework assignment, a critical reflection on the contribution PR makes to modern society, no shortage of material for that. If you have any thoughts you would like to share on this, then do feel free.
Hey, thats good. All the Best to you.You already have good PR skills. I also believe in continuous learning. That’s why I’m doing my MBA.
Raj, well done to you, that’s a great qualification for you to have, especially as India is in such big demand by countries around the world right now, you may even end up working on trade deals with the UK.
Gosh you’re very brave taking that on. I wish you all the best – you’ll have to keep us updated on your progress with it (if you can find the time!!)
Ellee, it’s true that we should never stop learning. Who says it stops when we leave school or college? If it is not a qualification, we should learn important lessons on life so that we can make the most of ourselves.
MJ Martin, yes, either brave or insane, and I will be happy to keep you informed.
I don’t think it was cynical – more angry with my own profession as much as yours. Things have, of course, got much worse since that relatively sunny piece.
Bryan, yes, you did sound angry. I still consider myself a journalist btw, always will do, but one who works as a PR consultant as well.
I would be very interested to know your views on how things have worsened since you wrote that article, it certainly did not have a very sunny tone about it. It would be really helpful to have an update of your views for my essay, I will buy you a pint or two next time I am in Norfolk.
Ellee, I do admire you. You will stay young as you keep on learning! I know what you mean re. those who have the course paid for them, and like you I don’t think they know how lucky they are! [When I had to give up full-time teaching, because of ill-health, I made a new career for myself in ESOL teaching to adults. But I had to personally finance my gaining of new knowledge every step of the way!] But maybe you and I, and others like us, make more of these opportunities, because being more mature [sorry!] we know how precious they are.
My view are that in the eighties – probably led by Tina Brown’s selling of her soul for Hollywood to get interviews for Vanity Fair – PR discovered its power of blackmail. Prior to that I remember celeb pix scattered around newsdesks ready to fill a space, after that they became tradeable. This was amplified by New Labour’s obsession with headlines and only headlines. This has grown progressively worse and has now infected every politician. If I were editor of every paper I would withdraw all journalsist from Westminster, nothing really interesting happens there anyway. The staggering management failures of this government still don’t get the coverage they deserve because the political hacks have bought into the PR package – on the whole. Because I refuse to be involved in payments or copy approval, I will never be able to interview many people you will see ‘interviewed’ by more compliant colleagues. Realy people – Spielberg, Gates, make no such stipulations. The new wave of iPod papers is making this worse because it is upgrading the value of celebrity at the expense of real news. Furthermore, it is turning all art into ‘light ent’. For the next five years, I calculate, this will continue until newspapers wake up to the fact that htie unique selling proposition is that they are newspapers and not ‘nu meeja’
As course director for the CIPR Diploma which Ellee is studying, it is great to see her blogging on the experience. Many thanks to Bryan for updating his view on the impact of those in PR who believe in manipulation and control rather than building professional relationships.
Interestingly back in the 1930s, the American Newspaper Publishers Association fought against dubious PR practices (largely created by entertainment publicists) calling on members to guard against “flimflammery” in particular. Candice Furhman recalls(in Publicity Stunt!) one newspaper forbidding the printing of press releases and threatening to charge its employees at the advertising rate for any article published contrary to its policy.
Hello Ellee
Your background is very similar to mine:journalistic to the core with several other strings to your bow! I’ve just embarked on the Advanced Diploma in Edinburgh and hope to transfer my journalistic skills to PR when the time comes. Tell me, how did you break into PR with a writing background?
I’ve got the “how come this seemingly successful journalist wants to come into PR?” thing going on. Hopefully putting the hours into my course will prove to potential employers that my writing skills are sought after and that I’ve invested time and money – wheww I’m self funding, what a cost! – to learn more about the PR industry.
Our first day with Alexis Burnett was brilliant. Our class isn’t only made up of twenty somethings with comms/PR degrees – that’s a breath of fresh air to me.
Do I sound like a geriatric? Well, it’s my birthday soon but I’m still kicking with the best of them….
Jill
Bryan and Heather, what fantastic feedback, many thanks.
All this manipulation has obviously had an impact on the way our society is evolving too and its obsession with celebs. Perhaps we get the press we deserve, if only they stopped paying for stories, that would be a great start.
Good luck – I have to warn you education and learning can become addictive. I only ever intended to do one OU module, but ended up taking the whole course. ( Computing for Commerce and Industry ).
Its fun – but I don’t miss the late night deadlines or the exams. But did used to enjoy the drink in the pub afterwards !
I wonder if there is anything I could say that would convince Bryan Appleyard that I am an “honest” PR consultant, I have never worked on a project I did not believe in myself, and I do have personal standards which I adhere to.
[…] Merry Christmas to you all By Ellee It’s time to break off from blogging for a while as I have to catch up with many Christmas preparations. I must also write two academic papers for my PR diploma over the festive break, isn’t it cruel making us work hard like that over the hols! […]
[…] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. 4 Responses to “A little more info about me” 1 Heather Yaxley says: January 5th, 2007 at 11:35 am I once wrote a creative press story when working for a motoring organisation on the perils of driving in inappropriate footwear – the top 5 included high heeled sandals, alongside Wellington boots (they are inflexible), platform shoes (no feel of the pedals), flipflops (just don’t) and bare feet. 2 Michelle says: January 5th, 2007 at 12:49 pm Absolutely fascinating, enjoyed reading all about you 3 james higham says: January 5th, 2007 at 2:36 pm I like the coal in the head best. Well, maybe not like it, you understand. But it sure is interesting. 4 Welshcakes Limoncello says: January 5th, 2007 at 2:42 pm Interesting, Ellee. I always wondered if you’d been christened Ellee. I’m fascinated by the coal in the head, too! Leave a Reply […]