公共关系(public relations (PR))
一种传播形式，致力推销一个人或团体自觉满意的形象，以博取公众的注意。公共关系作法最早出现在20世纪初的美国，开拓者是主张公关人员专业化概念的伯耐斯（Edward L. Bernays）和李伊（Ivy Ledbetter Lee）。英国和美国的政府部门很快就开始聘请专业公关人员，以争取民众对政策和计画案的支持，公关行业也在第二次世界大战後蓬勃发展。公关的客户（clients）可以是个人，例如政治人物、演艺人员和作家，也可以是机关团体，例如公司行号、政府机构、慈善事业和宗教社团。诉求的对象之范围，可能只限定在21到30岁男性的另类音乐乐迷，也可能广大到全世界所有人。公关人员的作用，包括创造令人喜欢的广告、洞悉什麽样的故事会受媒体青睐等。公关工作的复杂度，随着市面媒体的多样化而增加：除了报纸、杂志、广播、电视，还有专业团体刊物、直接邮件名单、现场宣传会等等。公关的基本原则就是夸大好新闻、封阻坏消息；如果发生灾难危机，公关人员必须马上评估状况，协助客户回应状况以将损害减至最低，尚须汇整及提供讯息给媒体。
English version：
public relations (PR)
Aspect of communications that involves promoting a desirable image for a person or group seeking public attention. It originated in the U.S. in the early 20th century with pioneers such as Edward L. Bernays, who first developed the idea of the professional publicist, and Ivy Ledbetter Lee. Government agencies in Britain and the U.S. soon began hiring publicists to engineer support for their policies and programs, and the public-relations business boomed after World War II. Clients may include individuals such as politicians, performers, and authors, and groups such as business corporations, government agencies, charities, and religious bodies. The audience addressed may be as narrow as male alternative-music fans between the ages of 21 and 30 or as broad as the world at large. A publicist's functions include generating favorable publicity and knowing what kind of story is likely to be printed or broadcast. The task is complicated by the variety of existing media: besides newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, there are publications of professional associations, direct-mail lists, on-site promotional events, and so on. It consists largely of optimizing good news and forestalling bad news; if disaster strikes, the publicist must assess the situation, organize the client's response so as to minimize damage, and marshal and present information to the media.