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Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Topics Covered in Chapter 9

What is Public Opinion

Opinion Leaders as Catalysts

The Role of Mass Media

Persuasion: Pervasive in Our Lives

Factors in Persuasive Communication

Propaganda

Persuasion and Manipulation

The Ethics of Persuasion
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Video: Power: One River, Two Nations
The video Power: One
River, Two Nations
provides endless examples
of how to persuade
audiences using various
public relations strategies
and tactics.
The following slides tie the concepts from this chapter to examples
in the video. Your essay question on the mid-term exam will be
about this video.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
A Brief History of James Bay
It is helpful to know a bit of background about James Bay, in order
to understand the campaign and the video. The next few slides are
based on an article “A brief history of Cree: From trap lines to
power lines, CG traces the James Bay Cree-outsiders’ exchange”
by Diana Gee-Silverman.
1600s - French explorers encounter the Swampy Cree
May 2, 1670 - The Hudson’s Bay Company is incorporated. King
Charles II of England gives the company control of Rupert’s Land,
one-third of present-day Canada.
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James Bay Cree and Inuit territory
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Brief History of James Bay
The Cree get involved with the fur trade, with the French and the
English. Pelts are traded for axes, guns, blankets and flour.
1870 – Rupert’s Land becomes a part of the Dominion of Canada.
1960s – Quebec begins the process of mass resource extraction.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Brief History of James Bay
1971 – The Quebec government announces plans for the James Bay
Project in northern Quebec—a massive hydropower development
plans to build a series of dams, reservoirs and power stations on the
Grand River.
1974 - The Grand Council of the Crees, representing nine Northern
Quebec Cree communities, is created in opposition to hydrodevelopment to protect Cree rights during negotiations.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Brief History of James Bay
November 11, 1975 – The federal government, the Quebec
provincial government and representatives from each of the James
Bay Cree communities sign the first of the “modern treaties,” the
James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
Under the agreement the Cree receive $225 million in compensation
and give up their claim to certain land in northern Quebec. As part
of the agreement Cree communities also gain special hunting and
fishing rights and more opportunity for self-government.
1979 – Phase one of the James Bay Project is completed.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Brief History of James Bay
1986 – The Quebec government announces plans for the
Great Whale Project, which would dam and divert five rivers
that flow into Hudson Bay and flood over 3,500 square
kilometres of Cree and Inuit treaty land along the Great
Whale River in northern Quebec.
The power generated
from the project will
mostly be exported to
the United States. The
James Bay Cree join
environmental groups to
launch a highly
publicized campaign to
stop the project.
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Brief History of James Bay
1991 – Under the direction of Grand Chief Matthew Coon
Come, the Cree launch a protest of the Great Whale project.
Tactics include a full-page advertisement in the New York
Times and canoe from Hudson Bay to New York City to lobby
potential U.S. electricity customers.
Why do you think the
Cree decided to focus
on US electricity
customers, rather
than people in
Quebec?
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Brief History of James Bay
1994 – The Quebec government cancels the Great Whale
Project, in part because of public concern over its potential
impact on the environment and Cree and Inuit communities.
2002 -- The Cree and the Government of Quebec sign the
landmark Agreement Concerning a New Relationship, also
known as Paix des Braves. Far more than an economic deal,
this is seen as a "nation to nation" agreement.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Brief History of James Bay
Paix des Braves allows for continued hydroelectric
development in exchange for Cree employment in the
hydroelectric industry and $3.5 billion in financing over 50
years. In Cree communities, the agreement means expansion
of infrastructure, including housing, community centres,
health services and expanded opportunities in education.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Canadian involvement in China


Feasibility study was needed “to form the
basis for securing assistnace from
international financial institutions”
On the committee to supervise the
feasibiity study was Hydro-Quebec
International and Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA)
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
A similar situation in China:
Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River
The first edition of
Damming The Three
Gorges was dedicated
to Dai Qing.
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Dai Qing
A Chinese engineer,
environmentalist and
award-winning
journalist, Dai Qing
was the chief editor
of Yangtze! Yangtze!
(1989) the first
Chinese book critical
of the Three Gorges
Dam.
Watch video
For her role in spurring the public debate about the Three
Gorges Dam, Dai Qing was arrested and detained
without trial in a maximum security prision for ten months.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
And lest we Canadians feel too superior…
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
What is Public Opinion?
Public opinion is difficult to measure
Public opinion is defined as …the sum of
individual opinions on an issue affecting those
individuals
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What is Public Opinion?
Key ideas in understanding the formation of
pubic opinion:
• Self-interest
• The importance
of events
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Importance of events…
Public opinion is
sensitive to events
and reacts to them.
Events of large magnitude
have a particular power to
swing public opinion
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Opinion Leaders as Catalysts
Opinion leaders serve as catalysts for the
formation of public opinion through their
knowledge and ability to articulate ideas about
specific issues.
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Opinion Leaders
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Highly interested in a subject or issue
Better informed on an issue than the average person
Avid consumers of mass media
Early adopters of new ideas
Good organizers who can get other people to
take action
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Two types of Opinion Leaders
First, formal opinion leaders or power leaders
have positions of power and tapped for
information about specific issue related to their
areas of responsibility or concern.
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Two types of Opinion Leaders
Second, informal opinion leaders have clout with
peers because of some special characteristic.
Public relations
professionals try
to influence these
leaders as they try
to influence the
public at large.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Working with journalists…
One of the things opinion leaders understand is the
need of journalists for quotes that are short and
have impact. When you are watching Power, listen
for short, high impact statements that a key
spokesperson provided to the media.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
The Role of Mass Media
Via the mass media, public relations people
become major players in forming public opinion
because they often provide the mass media with
the information in the first place.
The following theories can help practitioners
understand mass media effects:




Agenda Setting Theory
Media Dependency Theory
Framing Theory
Conflict Theory
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Persuasion: Pervasive in Our Lives
Persuasion has been around since the beginning
of human history.
Persuasion is used to
• To change or neutralize hostile opinions,
• crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes
• conserve favorable
opinions.
The dominant view of public relations is one of
persuasive communication actions performed
on behalf of clients.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Factors Pervasive Communication
A number of factors are involved in persuasive
communication, and the public relations
practitioner should be knowledgeable about
each one, including
(1) Audience analysis
(2) Source credibility
(3) Appeal to self-interest
(4) Clarity of message
(5) Timing and context
(6) Audience participation
(7) Suggestions for action
(8) Content and structure of messages
(9) Persuasive speaking
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Audience Analysis
Understand your audience.
What is their “self-interest”
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Source Credibility
What makes someone a credible
source of information?
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Appeal to self-interest
What do they want?
What do they care about?
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Clarity of message
Complicated messages leave people confused
Simple, clear, straightforward is good…
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Timing and context
Holidays and special days.
Stuff in the news
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Audience participation
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Suggestions for action
A number of factors are involved in persuasive
communication, and the public relations
practitioner should be knowledgeable about
each one, including
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Content and structure of messages
A number of factors are involved in persuasive
communication, and the public relations
practitioner should be knowledgeable about
each one, including
(1) Audience analysis
(2) Source credibility
(3) Appeal to self-interest
(4) Clarity of message
(5) Timing and context
(6) Audience participation
(7) Suggestions for action
(8) Content and structure of messages
(9) Persuasive speaking
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Persuasive speaking
A number of factors are involved in persuasive
communication, and the public relations
practitioner should be knowledgeable about
each one, including
(1) Audience analysis
(2) Source credibility
(3) Appeal to self-interest
(4) Clarity of message
(5) Timing and context
(6) Audience participation
(7) Suggestions for action
(8) Content and structure of messages
(9) Persuasive speaking
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Propaganda
Propaganda is defined as the deliberate and
systematic attempt to shape perceptions,
manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to
achieve a response that furthers the desired intent
of the propagandist.
In the 20th century, it took on a negative connotation.
Today, propaganda connotes falsehood, lies, deceit,
disinformation, and duplicity.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Propaganda cont.
Advertising and public relations messages for
commercial purposes use several techniques
commonly associated with propaganda,
including:






Plain folks
Testimonial
Bandwagon
Card stacking
Transfer
Glittering generalities
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Plain folks
Plain folks is an approach often used by
individuals to show humble beginnings and
empathy with the average citizen. Political
candidates, in particular, are quite fond of telling
about their “humble” beginnings.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Testimonial
Testimonial is frequently used device to achieve
credibility, as discussed earlier. A well-known
expert, popular celebrity, or average citizen
gives testimony about the value of a product or
the wisdom of a decision.
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Bandwagon
Bandwagon is the implication or direct statement
that everyone wants the product or that the idea
has overwhelming support.
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Card stacking
Card stacking is the selection of facts and data to
build an overwhelming case on one side of the
issue, while concealing the other side. The
advertising industry says a ban on beer
advertising would lead to enormous reductions
in network sports programming and a ban on
cigarette advertising would kill many
magazines.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Transfer
Transfer is the technique of associating the
person, product, or organization with something
that has high status, visibility, or credibility.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Glittering generalities
Glittering
generalities is
the technique of
associating a
cause, product,
or idea with
favorable
abstractions
such as
freedom, justice,
democracy, and
the American
way.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Using the mass media
• Each medium has particular strengths and weaknesses
that can be understood and exploited.
• When you are watching Power, look for examples of how
the Crees used each particular medium to get their
message out.
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Print
• Good for details and complex messages.
• Can be kept for future reference
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Television
• Has emotional impact.
• Viewers can
actually see
what's going on
for themselves.
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Radio
• Immediate.
• Low cost.
• Reaches specific target audiences
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Online media
• Why didn’t the James Bay campaign use social media?
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Persuasion and Manipulation
Public relations practitioners ability to use
persuasion leads to charges that they have
great power to influence and manipulate people.
What public relations campaigns have influenced
you and people you know?
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What factors limit how persuasive your message is?
(1) Lack of message penetration
(2) Competing messages
(3) Self-selection
(4) Self-perception
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009
Power: One River, Two Nations
The James Bay Cree sponsored a film as one of their public
relations tools to raise awareness about their campaign to
stop Hydro Quebec. That is the film we are going to watch!
Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009