Public relations is a management discipline focused on establishing and maintaining beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics upon which its success depends. Practitioners implement strategies based on different methodologies, categorized into models of communication flow. Understanding these models provides a framework for analyzing how organizations interact with their external environment and approach strategic communication. This article clarifies the distinction between one-way and two-way communication models, exploring their structures, objectives, and application.
Defining the One-Way Models of Public Relations
One-way models of public relations are characterized by the flow of information strictly from the organization to the public, with no formal mechanism for incorporating feedback. The primary objective is to control the message and ensure its widespread distribution. This approach assumes the organization knows best and needs only to inform or influence the public with its perspective.
Press Agentry/Publicity
The most rudimentary model is Press Agentry/Publicity, which centers on generating media coverage and hype without strict regard for the completeness or accuracy of the information. Its goal is to secure attention and build image, often employing dramatic tactics or “spin.” This approach emphasizes the quantity of coverage, such as the number of mentions or impressions, over the quality of the long-term relationship.
Public Information
The Public Information model prioritizes the truthful and accurate dissemination of organizational information. Practitioners often act as “journalists in residence,” providing facts about the organization’s activities and policies. While honesty is valued, the communication stream remains unidirectional; the organization does not actively solicit or incorporate public input to shape its message or actions.
The limitation of both one-way methods is the lack of systematic research conducted before the message is crafted and sent out. The organization proceeds based on internal assumptions about public needs or reactions. Success is measured by how effectively the message is transmitted and received, not by any resulting change in understanding or mutual agreement.
Defining the Two-Way Models of Public Relations
Two-way models of public relations operate on the principle that communication should be a reciprocal process involving both the organization and its publics. These models are defined by formal mechanisms, such as surveys and focus groups, used to gather feedback and conduct research. This input is used either to craft a more persuasive message or to prompt an adjustment in the organization’s behavior or policy.
Two-Way Asymmetrical Model
This model utilizes research primarily to understand the public better so the organization can tailor messages to change public attitudes or behaviors. Communication flows back and forth, but the outcome is unbalanced, as the organization intends to persuade the public to align with its goals. Feedback determines the most effective communication tactics, rather than facilitating organizational change.
Two-Way Symmetrical Model
This advanced approach aims for genuine, mutual understanding between the organization and its publics. Research determines how both the organization and the public can adapt to each other’s needs and expectations. The goal is to achieve a negotiated outcome where policies and actions are adjusted on both sides to build and maintain long-term relationships.
In both two-way models, the organization views the public as an active participant, not just a passive recipient of information. The emphasis shifts from pushing out information to engaging in an ongoing dialogue. The incorporation of feedback allows for continuous adaptation, making these models responsive to changes in the external environment.
The Difference in Communication Flow and Purpose
The distinction between the two model categories rests on the direction of the information flow and the intent behind the communication effort. One-way models are uni-directional, focusing on the simple transmission of a message. Their purpose is focused on message dissemination and controlled persuasion, ensuring the organization’s voice is heard.
Two-way models are bi-directional, establishing a loop where information moves from the organization to the public and back again. This structure changes the purpose from broadcasting to active dialogue and strategic relationship management. The organization views communication as a means of learning about and adapting to its external stakeholders, not just informing them.
The role of research highlights this divergence in purpose. In one-way models, research is either absent or limited to post-campaign measurement, such as clipping counts or audience reach. Two-way models consider research an integrated component, using it formatively to shape the initial strategy and evaluatively to assess the campaign’s impact on understanding or attitudes.
The goal of one-way communication is to inform the public to serve the organization’s immediate needs. The two-way approach elevates the goal to achieving mutual understanding and, in the symmetrical case, requiring organizational adjustment. This shift recognizes PR as a management function that influences organizational policy, moving beyond simple publicity.
Practical Application and Situational Use of Each Model
The decision to employ a model is dictated by the context and the organization’s objectives. One-way communication is best suited for scenarios demanding speed, simplicity, and immediate announcement. This includes issuing urgent crisis communications where the public needs immediate, unambiguous instruction, such as an evacuation notice or a product recall. Simple, factual announcements like changes to store hours, new hires, or routine quarterly earnings releases also benefit from this efficiency. In these cases, the organization’s policy is fixed, and the focus remains on accurate and rapid information delivery without extensive feedback processing.
Two-way communication is necessary when the organization deals with complex policy changes, issues management, or reputation building initiatives that require stakeholder buy-in. For example, a company planning a new facility must engage in long-term community relations. Using two-way symmetrical methods allows the company to adjust plans based on local concerns, ensuring its actions are perceived as legitimate and responsive.
The two-way asymmetrical approach is utilized in marketing and advocacy campaigns where the organization needs to persuade a specific public to adopt a certain behavior, like recycling or purchasing a new product. Research helps understand psychological barriers, allowing the organization to craft a highly targeted and persuasive message informed by feedback.
Measuring Success and Effectiveness
The differing goals of the models result in different metrics for evaluating success. One-way models, which focus on simply getting the message out, rely on measuring communication outputs. Success is quantified by easily countable metrics, such as the volume of media placements, the reach of the message, or the total number of impressions generated. These measurements assess whether distribution goals were met, confirming the physical dispersal and visibility of the message, not changes in audience understanding or attitude.
Two-way models shift the focus to measuring communication outcomes. Success is determined by assessing changes in the public’s attitude, knowledge, or behavior following the campaign. Metrics include relationship quality scores, shifts in public opinion polls, and evidence of organizational policy adjustments based on public feedback. For the symmetrical model, effectiveness is assessed by evidence of mutual adaptation and the quality of the long-term relationship cultivated. This evaluation is tied directly to the strategic goal of dialogue and mutual understanding.