Inside Spin/Invisible PR

Inside Spin/Invisible PR is a chapter from Bob Burton's book on the Australian PR industry, Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of the PR Industry.

Footnote References from the Chapter

• 1 D. Welch, ‘Powers of Persuasion’, History Today, vol. 49, no. 8, 1 August 1999, pp. 24–26.
• 2 ibid.
• 3 E.Bernays, Propaganda, Liveright, New York, 1930, p. 9.
• 4 R. Manvell and H. Fraenkel, Doctor Goebbels, Mentor, London, 1968 (2nd edition), p. 185.
• 5 Jane Johnston and Clara Zawawi’s description of Joel’s impression of MacArthur’s operation is based on an interview they did with him in 1995: ‘He saw how news was suppressed and manufactured for journalists, news photographers and broadcasters. Most importantly, he learned that public relations was not just about getting publicity. Rather, public relations was often based in not getting publicity.’ See J. Johnston and C. Zawawi, Public Relations: Theory and Practice, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2000, p. 25.
• 6 J. Handfield, ‘Training for Public Relations’ in T.J. Dwyer, The Australian Public Relations Handbook, Ruskin Publishing, Melbourne, December 1961, p. 212.
• 7 "Do we have a story for you!: As advertising struggles, PR steps into the breach", The Economist, 19 January 2006, accessed December 2006.
• 8 T. Muzi Falconi, Who's Afraid of Big Bad PR?, Global Alliance, 28 February 2005, accessed December 2006.
• 9 D. Francis, "The world needs more spin", National Post (Canada), 11 August 2006, p. FP7.
• 10 J.E. Grunig and T. Hunt, Managing Public Relations, Holt Rinehart and Winston, Austin, 1984, p. 13.
• 11 R.Manveil, Dr Goebbels: His Life and Death, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1960.
• 12 P. Lazar, interview with author, 28 July 1998.
• 13 D. Francis, ‘The world needs more spin’, National Post (Canada), 11 August 2006.
• 14 "Police Presented with Flowers on Anniversary of Evan's Death", 19 September 2006, Minivan News, accessed December 2006.
• 15 J. Macken, "Logging money talks loudly in battle for Tasmanians' vote", Australian Financial Review, 3 March 2006.
• 16 T. Harrison, "Tasmanians for a Better Future Campaign", Public Relations Institute of Australia 2006 Golden Target Awards and State Awards for Excellence, undated (c. June 2006), p. 6.
• 17 ibid., p. 9.
• 18 "Tony Harrison", accessed March 2006.
• 19 ABC Online, "Tas business people get behind majority government", 27 February 2006, accessed January 2007; ABC Online, "Tasmania guesses at election ad backers", 28 February 2006, accessed January 2007; T. Jeanes, "Mystery group funds Tas election ad campaign", ‘PM’, ABC Radio National, 28 February 2006, accessed January 2007; S. Neales, "Mystery of the majority push", The Mercury, 1 March 2006, accessed May 2006; J.Macken, "Logging money talks loudly in battle for Tasmanians’ votes", Australian Financial Review, 3 March 2006; M. Denholm, "Mystery adverts have Greens seeing red", The Australian, 3 March 2006, NSW country edition, p. 8.
• 20 S. Neales, "Mystery of the majority push", The Mercury, 1 March 2006.
• 21 J. Macken, "Logging money talks loudly in battle for Tasmanians’ votes", Australian Financial Review, 3 March 2006.
• 22 C. Milne, "Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2006: In Committee, Senate Hansard, 20 June 2006, accessed May 2007.
• 23 J. Mahoney, ‘PRIA Ethics: Decision’, email to C. Milne, 8 May 2006.
• 24 J. Mahoney, ‘PRIA: Request for statement of reasons’, email to C. Milne, 9 August 2006.
• 25 C. Milne, "Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2006: In Committee", Senate Hansard, 20 June 2006, accessed May 2007.
• 26 Public Relations Institute of Australia, "Best of the best celebrated at the PRIA Gala Dinner", 5 September 2006, accessed November 2006.
• 27 M. Denholm, ‘Trapped pair a PR minefield’, The Australian, 29 June 2006.
• 28 Anvil Mining, ‘Advice on rebel activity in village of Kilwa, DRC’, media release, 15 October 2005.
• 29 Anvil Mining, ‘Report for Quarter ended December 31, 2004’, news release,
• 28 January 2005, p. 4.
• 30 S. Neighbour, "The Kilwa Incident", ‘Four Corners’, ABC TV, 6 June 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 31 Anvil Mining, ‘Anvil Mining Limited Response to Television Report of June 6, 2005’, media release, 7 June 2005.
• 32 Anvil Mining, ‘Anvil Confirms Denial of Unfounded Allegations’, media release, 21 June 2005.
• 33 Anvil Mining, ‘Anvil Confirms That Allegations Are Unfounded’, media release, 23 August 2005.
• 34 F. Shiel, "No basis to massacre claim, Perth miner says", The Age, 25 August 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 35 B. Burton, "Australian Mining Firm Worms Out of Congo Massacre Charges", Inter-Press Service, 31 August 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 36 M. Priest, ‘Anvil clarifies massacre involvement’, Australian Financial Review, 15 July 2005.
• 37 "Project Green Board Paper for 15 February 2001 James Hardie Industries Limited Meeting of Board of Directors", accessed December 2006. (Pdf file)
• 38 James Hardie Industries, ‘James Hardie Resolves Its Asbestos Liability Favourably for Claimants and Shareholders’, media release, 16 February 2001.
• 39 Jackson Report, Special Commission of Inquiry into the Medical Research and Compensation Foundation, New South Wales Government, pp. 358–59.
• 40 James Hardie Industries, "Shareholders well-served by award-winning Investor Relations team", media release, 7 December 2003, accessed March 2007.
• 41 Gavin Anderson & Company, ‘Public Relations Strategy’, July (approx.) 2002. See also C. Jackson, ‘Leaker pulls the plug on AVCC’s secret leaks strategy’, The Canberra Times, 20 August 2002; and D. Illing and J. Richardson, ‘VC lobby puts faith in spinners’, The Australian, 14 August 2002.
• 42 R. Cameron, ‘Public Relations Ethics’ in ‘Preface’ to Thos J. Dwyer (ed.), The Australian Public Relations Handbook: A guide to the principles and practice of Public Relations in Australia, Ruskin Publishing, Melbourne, December 1961, p. 77.
• 43 I. Robertson, ‘Community relations—government approvals are not everything’, Proceedings of Public Affairs in Minerals and Energy Conference, 19 March 1996.
• 44 P. Lazar, interview with author, July 1998.
• 45 G. Freeman, "IFAW axes Shandwick to bring PR in-house’, PR Week, 22 September 2000.
• 46 P. Sandman, ‘AWB Oil-for-Food controversy’, email to Jill Gillingham, 7 December 2005; and F. Shugg, Executive Assistant to Jill Gillingham, ‘AWB, Email to Peter Sandman’, 13 December 2005. Documents tendered to the Australian Government's Oil-For Food Inquiry.
• 47 P. Sandman, interview with author, December 2005.
• 48 B. Herskovitz, "The Agency Business: Keeping confidential relationships from leaking to the media", PR Week, 10 January 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 49 J. Frank, "PR won’t gain respect with secret contracts", PR Week, 21 March 2005, accessed November 2006.
• 50 G. Allen, "The Future of Public Affairs", 2005 National Public Affairs Convention, 7 September 2005.
• 51 A. Little, "A green corporate image—more than a logo", Green Marketing Conference, Hotel Intercontinental, 25 and 26 June 1990, (unpublished) p. 12–13.
• 52 John Clemenger Pty Ltd, What Every Corporate Communicator Should Know About His Hostile Audience, June 1975. The report cited US survey data in which the standing of business collapsed from a high of 75 per cent in 1968 to just 25 per cent in 1972. Similar trends were observed in Australia.
• 53 In 1984, the National Social Science Survey asked respondents whether they agreed that big business has too much power; 62 per cent agreed. The Australian Election Study asked the same question in 1987 (51 per cent agreed); 1990 (62 per cent agreed); 1993 (62 per cent agreed); 1996 (65 per cent agreed); 1998 (71 per cent agreed); and 2001 (72 per cent agreed). In 2003, the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes asked a slightly different question: whether big business should have more or less power. Only six per cent of over 4000 respondents wanted more or a lot more power in the hand of big business, while a third settled for the same amount of power.
• 54 M. Western and B. Tranter, "Are Post-materialists Engaged Citizens?" in S. Wilson, G. Meagher, R. Gibson, D. Denemark and M. Western, Australian Social Attitudes: The First Report, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney 2005, p. 96.
• 55 Grey Worldwide, Connecting with the Solo Generation: Eye on Australia 2005. See also S. Lloyd, "Heroes rise again", 'BRW, 5–11 May 2005. A few years earlier Sweeney Research’s 2002 ‘Eye on Australia’ report found that 57 per cent of those surveyed did not trust big corporations, while 60 per cent agreed that most big corporations have no morals or ethics; 83 per cent believe corporate Australia is greedy, while 66 per cent believe it is heartless.
• 56 Edelman, "'A Person Like Me' Now Most Credible Spokesperson for Companies; Trust in Employees Significantly Higher Than in CEOs, Edelman Trust Barometer Finds", media release, 23 January 2006, accessed November 2006.
• 57 Dr C. Steiner and Ms L. Black, Australian PR Professionals in Corporate Strategic Planning: Educational implications, RMIT Business, Melbourne, November 1999, p. 7.
• 58 L. McCoy, "Cynicism in the Ranks: Are PR practitioners fighting an uphill battle in a hostile communications environment?", Proceedings of PRISM Summit, Sydney, June 2004.
• 59 D. Welch, "Powers of Persuasion", History Today, vol. 49, no. 8, 1 August 1999, pp. 24–26.