{"title":"A political economy of communication analysis of PRNEWS: Intern status, skills, and conflict within the public relations industry","authors":"Joseph Giomboni","doi":"10.1177/2046147x241266963","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"A textual analysis of PR News was conducted to understand the evolution of internship programs and explore how the industry articulates, rationalizes, and positions these workers as valuable sources of labor. This study featured articles about interns who were primarily participating in internships at colleges and universities in a U.S. context to consider the range of positions and professional development within the PR industry. A political economy of communication framework provides insights into potential exploitative working conditions and the dynamic power relationships between prospective workers and the organization. This relationship is constructed through trade publication texts that illustrate best practices for internship programs. In turn, interns may grant consent to potentially exploitative precarious work arrangements based on the specific conditions and perceived benefits at the worksite. This study argues that the PR industry began recruiting paid talent and developing skillsets until the economic recession led to a cost-benefit analysis of full-time entry-level workers. In addition, PR News discourses have the potential to create interoffice conflict when emerging workers adopt neoliberal motives to secure full-time employment but are confronted with internship programs rooted in administrative tasks. By understanding the texts that construct an emerging workforce, the PR industry can synergize development training programs, rather than contribute narratives that devalue both financially and professionally intern work.","PeriodicalId":44609,"journal":{"name":"Public Relations Inquiry","volume":"83 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Public Relations Inquiry","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147x241266963","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"COMMUNICATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
A textual analysis of PR News was conducted to understand the evolution of internship programs and explore how the industry articulates, rationalizes, and positions these workers as valuable sources of labor. This study featured articles about interns who were primarily participating in internships at colleges and universities in a U.S. context to consider the range of positions and professional development within the PR industry. A political economy of communication framework provides insights into potential exploitative working conditions and the dynamic power relationships between prospective workers and the organization. This relationship is constructed through trade publication texts that illustrate best practices for internship programs. In turn, interns may grant consent to potentially exploitative precarious work arrangements based on the specific conditions and perceived benefits at the worksite. This study argues that the PR industry began recruiting paid talent and developing skillsets until the economic recession led to a cost-benefit analysis of full-time entry-level workers. In addition, PR News discourses have the potential to create interoffice conflict when emerging workers adopt neoliberal motives to secure full-time employment but are confronted with internship programs rooted in administrative tasks. By understanding the texts that construct an emerging workforce, the PR industry can synergize development training programs, rather than contribute narratives that devalue both financially and professionally intern work.
期刊介绍：
Public Relations Inquiry is an international, peer-reviewed journal for conceptual, reflexive and critical discussion on public relations, supporting debates on new ways of thinking about public relations in social, cultural and political contexts, in order to improve understanding of its work and effects beyond the purely organisational realm. We interpret public relations in a broad sense, recognising the influence of public relations practices on the many forms of contemporary strategic, promotional communication initiated by organisations, institutions and individuals. The practice of public relations arises at points of societal and organisational change and transformation, affecting many aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life. Reflecting this, we aim to mobilize research that speaks to a scholars in diverse fields and welcome submissions from any area that speak to the purpose of the journal, including (but not only) public relations, organizational communication, media and journalism studies, cultural studies, anthropology, political communication, sociology, organizational studies, development communication, migration studies, visual communication, management and marketing, digital media and data studies. We actively seek contributions that can extend the range of perspectives used to understand public relations, its role in societal change and continuity, and its impact on cultural and political life. We particularly welcome multi-disciplinary debate about the communication practices that shape major human concerns, including: globalisation, politics, and public relations in international communication migration, refugees, displaced populations terrorism, public diplomacy public and corporate governance diversity and cultural impacts of PR the natural and built environments Communication, space and place The development and practices of major industries such as health, food, sport, tourism, technology.
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