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Introduction:\ud \ud COVID-19 has profoundly affected dental undergraduate teaching and assessment. The pandemic resulted in cessation of face-to face teaching and assessment in many countries, with an associated move online. Objective structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), an important modality for clinical assessment in dentistry and medicine, is not possible with pandemic restrictions in place. As a result, interest in virtual objective structured clinical examination (VOSCE) has been revived. Student and staff evaluation of any assessment process is important, where the views of all involved are required in establishment of authenticity.\ud \ud Aim:\ud \ud To explore and describe the views of undergraduate dental students and staff in relation to VOSCE\ud \ud Materials and Method:\ud \ud Qualitative methods utilising online focus groups and video recording were used in this study. Five focus groups, involving 24 participants were undertaken.\ud \ud Results:\ud \ud Thematic analysis following a deductive semantic approach was carried out resulting in the identification of six themes relating to the VOSCE: VOSCE preconceptions, examination preparation, examination process, fairness, comparison with OSCE and possible improvements. Consideration of these themes, and their interaction, is likely to prove important for optimisation of this assessment modality.\ud \ud Conclusions:\ud \ud Overall, both staff and students considered the VOSCE a useful and fair examination and a suitable alternative to OSCE. The potential for a number of improvements in the assessment process was identified.

Introduction:\ud The outbreak of COVID‐19 necessitated a move to online teaching and assessment. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has been an integral part of dental examinations for several decades. The COVID‐19 pandemic stopped face to face examinations around the world. An Online Virtual OSCE (VOSCE) was developed and piloted for dental undergraduate assessment.\ud \ud Aim:\ud This initial report outlines the steps required to run an OSCE on‐line.\ud \ud Discussion:\ud With careful planning the VOSCE is a useful assessment method in difficult times. Feedback from staff and students was favourable.\ud \ud Conclusion:\ud Although significant organisation was required the examination process worked well for both students and examiners. Despite limitations in relation to technical dental procedures, the VOSCE could be a viable alternative to face to face clinical examination.

This chapter traces the history of entertainment publicity and public relations in North America as it has evolved from its rudimentary beginnings into a highly complex, sophisticated practice fueled by the confluence of forces—secularization, mediation, and commodification—that has transformed culture and society in a radical way. As secularization deifies sports and entertainment figures into “celebrity-idols” and as media mega-conglomerates, which dominate the music, film, and television landscape, and their publicists and public relations practitioners promote their commodities, the challenge of retaining authenticity in communication has never been greater. The chapter concludes with an examination of the effects of commercialized culture upon institutions and voices not so advantaged, arguing for the common good that these have space for expression in increasingly diverse societies

This study explores the use of a sacred icon – the Shroud of Turin – as a communicative symbol in public relations campaigning by the city of Torino, the Shroud of Turin Diocesan Commission, the Museum Della Sindone and 2006 Winter Olympics’ exclusive global television broadcaster NBC and its US affiliate stations before and during the Olympics in Torino, Italy. In particular, the study examines the extent to which such communicative activity could be considered devotional-promotional in nature. A combination of qualitative methods obtained data on media, state and Church campaigning and its effects. While the Olympics provided an opportunity for these institutions to showcase their “products” on a world stage the extent to which such promotion persuaded tourists, pilgrims and others to travel to Torino – either for the Games in person or virtually - is an open question absent survey, observational and other research although above-normal Museum attendance, a spike in tourism to the region and record cyber-traffic to Olympic and host city websites do suggest certain effects of such campaigning.

The impact of increasing religious diversity in U.S. society has taken on added significance in recent years. This study, the first broad-based examination of religion and public relations, explores the nature of religion in the United States, its role in local community relations, and its public relations dimensions. Phone and e-mail interviews, textual analysis of institutional media, and field observations were used to obtain data on religious diversity, place-of-worship activities, and public relations practices. The nature of the communication between select religious institutions and their publics, through different media channels, is also explored. Two case studies that are representative and illustrative are included. From a communication perspective, it is suggested that a key to fostering interreligious dialogue and civil discourse on religion may lie in expanding traditional definitions of diversity to include religion and moving beyond expertise and contractual models of public relations towar...

Modern-day pilgrimages draw millions of faithful across the religious spectrum–both as pilgrims and as tourists–to sites considered sacred. This study, one of the first of its kind to examine religion and tourism from a public relations perspective, reviews a Church-State promotional campaign in Spain, Xacobeo 99, to attract pilgrims and tourists on an international scale to Santiago de Compostela (Galicia) and to the shrine of St. James the Apostle in the city's Cathedral. The shrine, which contains the relics of the saint–discovered in 813 A.D.–is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Christian world. Interviews of corporate figures, field observations, and content analysis of corporate media provide insight into campaign strategies, tactics, and messages and examine campaign results from an advertising, marketing, and public relations perspective.

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.

Modern nation-states have become culturally diverse owing in part to changes in immigration law, globalization, and increased ease of transportation presenting both opportunities and challenges, particularly where religious diversity is concerned. The author proposes a conceptual framework that embraces an interpretation of public relations as a social function (Tilson, 2009a), a covenantal model as a theoretical ground (Koehn, 1994; cited in Baker, 2002), and expanded communicative conceptual parameters that include religion in definitions of diversity. Using telephone and e-mail interviews and textual analysis of media to obtain data on religious diversity and public relations practices in the U.S., a review of initiatives suggests that communicators are fostering tolerance and resolving religious conflict through dialogue in keeping with conceptual models that emphasize the social responsibility of the profession. The study also underscores that socially responsible behavior often has a foundation of faith and that the intersection of faith and institutional practice merits a closer look.

The corporate public relations campaign of the Miami, Florida, business community and tourism industry to counter negative perceptions of key publics and pro-actively promote a positive image of Miami is explored. The study reviews data from a period of about 10 years from the travel industry, crime statistics, and other public data regarding perceptions of Miami, as well as the public relations campaigns conducted to counter its image. In particular, the study explores and critiques past, present, and planned organizational strategies and responses. Donn Tilson (Ph.D., University of Stirling, Scotland, 1994) is assistant professor and Don W. Stacks (Ph.D., University of Florida, 1978) is professor and director of the advertising and public relations program, School of Communication, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124.

This comparative study examines the corporate public relations strategies of the nuclear industry in the U.S. and Britain to influence public opinion and shape public policy in favor of a pro-nuclear agenda. The study seems to confirm a direct relationship between the function in an organization and the degree of input into corporate policy-making by public relations. The data also suggest that, given a prominent role within an organization, public relations does develop programs to pro-actively manage public policy issues in support of organizational objectives. As a case in point, the nuclear industry has launched an advocational campaign to communicate ‘green’ pro-nuclear messages so as to capitalize upon public concern about the environment, enhance its corporate reputation, and influence public policy. Survey data in the U.S. and U.K. suggest such efforts indeed may be positively affecting public opinion.

Many corporations are taking an increasingly harder look at their charitable contributions programs. Closer scrutiny is required because of cutbacks in government funding and boards of directors who demand a more market-driven, bottom-line approach to philanthropy. Increasingly, the expertise of public relations practitioners is being called upon to successfully execute programs of social responsibility. Why? Because they have a good working knowledge of the community and the various public who keep an eye on their organization. The authors of this article describe innovations in corporate giving that are closely tied to the public relations function, demonstrating new applications for the knowledge held by practitioners. Donn Tilson is an assistant manager for corporate and external affairs with Southern Bell. His division administers the company's contributions, matching gifts and sponsored membership programs for Florida. Donald Vance is associate professor of Communication and Business Management at the University of Miami, Fla.