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Presents a review of the public relations profession, including institutions of higher education, in post-Franco Spain within the context of changes in the nation's political, economic and media landscape. Suggests that a healthy democracy with political stability, economic development, and a dynamic media have provided both the foundation and the impetus for a flourishing public relations sector. (SG)

Picasso created his most famous painting, Guernica , in just over three weeks in 1937 after the bombing of the little town of Guernica, located in the Basque region, during the Spanish Civil War. Thousands of innocent people were injured or killed. In its sharp lines, its confusion and its distorted shapes, Guernica shows the suffering and pain of war. Rather than using color, especially vivid reds, Picasso used only black and white paint as symbols of death, mourning and tragedy. He believed that brighter colors might distract the viewer from the agony of the scene. In Guernica , most of the figures have open mouths; hear them shouting, groaning or screaming. The aim of this paper and its relevance to public relations is to examine whether and how visual communication can publicize and frame a military event, the character of military leaders, and warfare as a generic aspect of democratic self-governance. This paper proposes that rhetorical, discursive art can contribute impact to public relations efforts, by focusing attention, making issues public, and making informative, framing, and democratizing statements. Even more important is the ability of art to express moral outrage, especially when giving voice to muted interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influencing mass media discourse is considered an essential part of the work carried out by think tanks. This research focuses on the influence Spanish think tanks have exercised in shaping the ubiquitous and all-pervading concept of “economic crisis” in the press of reference during 2013 and 2014. The results show that very few such entities have had even a minimally significant impact in this area, while also demonstrating that very diverse communicative strategies exist that can result in maximizing the amount of media attention gained. Consequently, despite being regarded as intelligence actors, Spanish think tanks do not seem to be so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business in general, and advertising in particular, recognise creativity as a crucial component of success and competitive advantage, but it has received little research attention in Public Relations (PR). This study seeks to address that neglect in relation to the understanding of how creativity is perceived and managed in PR consultancies. It involves a total of 23 interviews that included international PR creative directors as well as senior managers of PR consultancies operating in Spain. The initial findings suggest that creativity is considered a skill required by PR professionals, is seen as something valuable for clients, and is acknowledged in PR industry awards. Nevertheless, the article argues that some unhelpful myths and prejudices still exist around the area of creativity and that creative processes common elsewhere are not widely used in PR consultancies. It concludes by identifying elements that could encourage creativity within the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the trends and visibility of research on public relations in the most relevant Spanish media and communication journals between the years 2000 and 2012. Bibliometrics and content analysis are used to show the reduced presence of articles on public relations in these publications. A trend towards gender parity in authorship is confirmed in the sample, as well as a plurality of universities and a variety of research themes. The study also proves preference for generic questions rather than for specialised topics. Another finding is that almost one fourth of the specific articles on this discipline do not contain the term "public relations". This can hint towards the need to have a specific high-impact publication on public relations to bring together and provide visibility to the contributions of researchers in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Successive Catalan regional governments have made intensive use of mass media campaigns and other soft power methods to enhance Catalan identity. [•] Catalan regional governments have focused on the promotion of the Catalan language, culture, sports, and symbols through public relations, mass media campaigns, and the deployment of public diplomacy tactics. [•] Identification with Spain has decreased while dual Catalan/Spanish and Catalan-only identification has grown during the last three decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In communication between organisations and consumers, the dividing lines amongst marketing, advertising and public relations are sometimes blurred. The confusion and overlap is more marked with the advent of the Web 2.0 and the proliferation of online campaigns, and associated initiatives. This article presents the results of ten in-depth interviews held with senior managers of PR consultancies operating in Spain in order to study and evaluate how these changes are being tackled from within the sector itself. It concludes that the sector perceives the current context as a great opportunity for growing and consolidating the strategic conception of public relations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this article, we explore ways to advance public relations approaches to nation building by drawing insights from stateless nations and by deploying two sets of theories uncommon in the field: the information society and noopolitik. The theoretical discussion is grounded in a study of Catalonia and we conclude by arguing for a shift of emphasis from nation-state governments to governance for both public and private actors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dialogic communication is being boosted by the strong development of the social web. The web 2.0 is generating significant changes in the manner that organizations engage in dialogue with their publics, opening the way towards the interactive communication. In this way, web 2.0 tools will foster the dialogic communication between museums and their publics. Through them, the relationship between museums and publics is changing towards more interactive and collaborative forms. The objective of this article is to assess the level of dialogic communication developed by museums on the Internet, by analyzing the use of web platforms and social web applications as tools for dialogic communication by 120 museums in Spain. Two key aspects of communication between museums and publics using the Internet were identified to that end: content management and interaction management. These aspects enable a matrix which makes a distinction between the phases of evolution of the institutional web communication. The results obtained show that the museums studied are predominantly in a phase of monologic communication with their publics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: By analysing 653 tweets that include the word “public relations” or the acronym “PR”, the purpose of this paper is to show how Twitter contributes to the development of the theory and practice of public relations. In order to achieve this aim, an exploratory research has been conducted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: One of the fields most affected by the crisis is the financial sector. Nevertheless, Spain''s banks have so far held up relatively well, and this article''s examination of one of the leaders, Banco Santander, shows. The authors argue that the Bank''s current strong position is not just attributable to Spanish regulations for conservative lending practices, or to the fact that Spanish banks did not invest in U.S. subprime mortgage products, but also to their well-established Reputational Risk Management programs. The article illustrates Banco Santander''s management of reputation and proposes the bank as a paradigmatic case for the importance of dialogue and reputation in these times of turbulence. Because of this focus, the approach is largely uncritical, rather than balanced, in concentrating on how Banco Santander offers evidence of a paradigm shift in action that offers a model for effectively addressing the economic downturn. The article concludes by suggesting the key role for public relations in managing reputational risk under contemporary conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper analyzes whether companies conduct research of their key publics and assesses whether there is consistency between the allocation of strategic importance to publics and investigation of these groups in the energy sector in Spain. The results indicate that companies routinely conduct research of their publics, but there is not a clear correspondence between the importance attached to key publics and the level of research implemented concerning them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, some corporate websites of the chemical industry of Tarragona (Spain) are studied, analysing how the chemical trade associations and companies present information and/or encourage dialogue with the community on issues relating to the chemical risk and their environmental, health and safety (EHS) performance. The results suggest that the chemical industry in Tarragona uses the corporate websites mainly to disseminate information about its EHS commitments and performance, but they do not encourage dialogue with the community through the Internet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to analyze the precarious situation concerning undergraduate public relations education in Spain, despite the existence of a Degree in Advertising and Public Relations. In addition to core subjects, which are set by the government and required on all university curricula, the Spanish system allows universities to complete their curriculum with other compulsory and elective courses. Given this freedom, universities have failed to come up with either the specific contents for public relations or for liberal arts, social sciences and business courses that will enable students to enter the profession. In light of the future restructuring of degrees through the Bologna Process, this situation is a serious threat to the continuity of public relations teaching in Spanish universities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this article, doctoral dissertations on public relations written at Spanish universities (1965–2004) are examined in order to gain an understanding of the level of theory development within the discipline. The following subjects are studied: growth over time, universities where they were written, use of language, gender and the topics of doctoral dissertations. Although still in its early development, public relations doctoral research in Spain is a well-established and burgeoning field in terms of the total of theses examined (62). The conclusion, however, is that their contribution to theory building in public relations has been negligible, with the practical or operational side of public relations standing out more than the conceptual and theoretical side. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this qualitative study conducted at the Rovira i Virgili University we show that there are clearly two speeds for the implementation of public relations in Spain: one in the big cities (basically Madrid and Barcelona) and one in the smaller cities or regions of secondary economic importance, such as Tarragona, where the degree of professionalisation is noticeably lower. The medium-sized universities located outside the metropolises have an important role to play for three reasons. First, to homogenise professional practices and achieve a standard level of quality across the board. Second, to ensure that the profession achieves universal recognition. And third, to promote territorial equilibrium by improving the activities carried out by companies and institutions located outside the great urban centres. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Public relations in Spain are consolidating their structure, work models and body of knowledge, step by step. Yet, there is still a long way ahead for the CEOs of the institutions to acknowledge the real value of public relations. Educational orientation is the fulcrum around which the limitations of public relations in Spain revolves, and a consequence of the reality that everyone can be a public relations practitioner without having a degree from an educational institution. Thus, the term public relations is used less frequently than other denominations like corporate communication, corporate image, integral communication, etc. Nevertheless, practitioners of public relations in this country are looking for a new framework to link them with scientific methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a review of the public relations profession, including institutions of higher education, in post-Franco Spain within the context of changes in the nation’s political, economic and media landscape. Based on field research with practitioners and educators and recent findings of various professional association surveys, the article suggests that a healthy democracy with political stability, economic development, and a dynamic media have provided both the foundation and the impetus for a flourishing public relations sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this article is to offer journalists’ assessment of their relationships with public relations professionals in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Spain). We analyzed quantitative interviews (questionnaires) and in-depth interviews conducted with 68 Catalan journalists regarding their relationship with public relations practitioners and investigated their assessments of public relations subsidies and contact preferences. An explanatory view is offered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]