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• Press agentry was a profit motivated media relations practice. • Press agents were not exclusively an unethical PR antecedent. • American press agents worked in a variety of sectors during the 19th century. • Press agentry was a sophisticated practice that utilized multiple strategies. • U.S. press was ambivalent toward 19th century press agents. Analysis of press coverage of nineteenth century American press agents indicates that, although press agents worked in a variety of sectors, their primary motivation was profit, their main strategy was media relations, and their tactics often relied on hype or outright lying. These characteristics would appear to support previous descriptions of press agentry, yet the research also shows that the press was more ambivalent toward press agents than previously assumed and that press agents' strategies and tactics may have been more sophisticated than previously understood. A number of early practitioners of press agentry are identified for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the legal implications of having an expansive definition of public relations practice. Specific attention is given to the 2016 New York lobbying regulations that mandated traditional public relations practitioners register as lobbyists. The examination of this law and the lawsuit that followed highlights how the public relations practitioners may inadvertently be subject to restrictive laws because of modern definitions of PR practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses how the law defines public relations under the First Amendment. The United States Supreme Court’s denial of certiorari and California Supreme Court’s decision in Nike v. Kasky (2002, 2003) categorized PR as commercial speech, which is subject to the same regulations as advertising. In the twelve years since those decisions were issued, federal and state appellate courts have re-interpreted Nike v. Kasky (2002, 2003) in a variety of ways. This study found that since 2003 courts have consistently held that PR is not always commercial speech. From this analysis a legal definition of public relations is presented, and implications for PR practitioners are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the United States popular press’ representation of publicity and information bureaux from 1891 to 1918. Specifically this study discusses these bureaux’ relationship with the press, use by governments, role in political campaigns, and function within non-profit organizations. Publicity and information bureaux are an important part of public relations history and identity because they represent the departmentalization of PR within organizations. Implications for PR historiography are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the litigation ramifications of apologies given during a crisis. Examining federal and state laws on the evidentiary issues affecting apology, this study shows that in 38 jurisdictions apologies are not admitted into evidence at trial if the apology contains certain characteristics. From this analysis practical suggestions are given to PR practitioners on how to craft legally protected apologies during a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores recent lawsuits surrounding social media ownership in the United States and United Kingdom. Because social media has become a valuable tool for public relations, many organizations now claim an ownership interest in their employees’ social media accounts. This article explores three recent cases (two in the U.S. and one in the U.K.) that involve social media ownership issues. An overview of these cases is presented, and suggestions are made for PR practitioners, agencies, and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of U.S. press coverage of propaganda indicates that the term propaganda had a largely negative connotation in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Propaganda’s association with religious, political, and grassroots organizations is identified and discussed. This analysis concludes that Edward Bernays’s assertion that propaganda was a neutral term for PR practice prior to 1918 is inaccurate. Implications for PR historiography are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the legal protection given to confidential information between public relations practitioners and their clients under U.S. law. Increasingly, federal courts have recognized the importance of having a media strategy during high profile litigation. However, courts have a mixed approach for protecting confidential information divulged to PR practitioners during litigation. This article analyzes recent U.S. court decisions extending attorney–client privilege to non-lawyers and provides suggestions on when attorney–client privilege may extend to PR practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence and dominance of Alfred Chandler Jr.’s theory of corporate development within public relations [PR] history. Chandler's work on late 19th Century corporate development is influential in PR historiography. PR oftentimes places its genesis in the late 19th Century corporate sphere to distance itself from press agentry. Examining critiques of Chandler's work on corporate development, this study argues that rooting PR in a corporate context does not provide legitimacy to PR practice and skews PR history to favor a corporate narrative. Implications for both history and normative PR theory development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] NLRB laws protect employees’ rights to air workplace grievances on social media. [•] NLRB social media laws impact corporations’ ability to regulate online reputation. [•] Practitioners should know NLRB regulations to craft social media policies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]