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In today’s fast-paced work environment, effective communication is the backbone of success. It enables teams to collaborate seamlessly, fosters stronger professional relationships, and enhances efficiency within an organization. However, to truly harness the potential of communication, it is essential to go beyond the daily exchanges of information. One aspect of communication that often gets overlooked is the process of understanding and communicating values. Understanding how individual and organizational values align is critical to maximizing the effectiveness of your team’s communication. By recognizing the importance of values, leading by example, and encouraging continuous learning, organizations can create a positive work environment where employees feel engaged, motivated, and committed to shared goals. In this blog post, we will review a step-by-step guide to communicating values as a means of bolstering professional relationships and increasing efficiency across your organization.1. Emphasize the Importance of ValuesValues serve as the guiding principles that shape an organization’s culture and decision-making. They are the essence of what an organization stands for. When employees understand and embrace these values, they are more likely to feel a sense of purpose and engagement in their work. By recognizing the significance of values, individuals can actively contribute to a positive work environment, enhance collaboration, and increase overall organizational efficiency.Furthermore, individuals’ values ultimately shape an organization’s culture, define its identity, and guide decision-making. By communicating personal values within the organization, you create a shared sense of purpose that enhances cooperation. Therefore, create an environment in which individuals are encouraged to talk about their values, at both the personal and professional levels, to create a foundation for effective communication.2. Reflect on Personal ValuesTo begin, start by understanding your own values, ask yourself: “What do I value?” Then, ask yourself: “What have I done today that is an expression of that value?”Self-reflection enables you to recognize what truly matters to you, which in turn helps you communicate your perspective effectively. It also allows you to better understand the values of others and appreciate diverse viewpoints, fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect.3. Encourage Active ListeningActive listening is a critical for effective communication. When engaging in conversations, strive to understand the underlying values and motivations behind people’s words. By actively listening, employees can gain a deeper understanding of their colleagues’ values, experiences, and motivations. This understanding fosters empathy, enhances collaboration, and strengthens professional relationships, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.If you’re not sure that your communicating your values in a clear fashion, ask someone: “What do you think I value the most?” Their answer will provide insights beyond your expectations, regardless if you agree or not.5. Lead by ExampleLeaders play a pivotal role in shaping and maintaining a values-driven environment. Therefore, act as a role model by consistently embodying the values you wish to promote. When your words and actions are aligned, you inspire trust and confidence amongst your team members, paving the way for a culture of open communication and shared values.When leaders consistently demonstrate the values they espouse, they inspire their teams to do the same. This alignment between leaders and employees creates a shared sense of purpose and motivates individuals to contribute their best work.6. Foster a Culture of FeedbackConsistent feedback is vital for a value-driven workplace. It creates an atmosphere of trust and encourages employees to freely express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Encourage a feedback culture that focuses not only on tasks but also on the alignment of values. Provide constructive feedback that helps individuals understand how their actions align with the organization’s values, and offer guidance on areas for improvement.Additionally, different individuals prefer different communication channels. While some may thrive in face-to-face conversations, others may find written communication more effective. Recognize these preferences and make an effort to accommodate them. Utilize a mix of communication channels, such as meetings, emails, instant messaging, etc., to ensure value based conversations are meaningful to everyone on your team.7. Aligning and Integrating ValuesOnce the process of sharing values has been activated within the organization the next step is go align individual and organizational values in a facilitated manner. An organization is likely to only hold a core set of 3 or 4 values. Therefore, leaders have to work with their teams to discuss and identify ways in which the individual can align their personal values with the values of the organization. This is a critical part of the process and one that often needs to be revisited annually or anytime a new member joins the team. Organizations should ensure that their values are integrated into various aspects of work life, such as performance evaluations, decision-making processes, and/or employee recognition programs. When values are consistently reinforced at all levels, employees are more likely to internalize and apply them in their daily interactions.8. Encourage Continuous Learning and Promote CollaborationValues are not static; they evolve with time and changing circumstances. Organizations should encourage a culture of continuous learning and growth to ensure core values remain relevant to evolving needs and expectations.Additionally, collaboration across departments fosters innovation and ensures collective success, however, it also provides opportunity to share and appreciate the values of other teams in the organization.ConclusionCommunicating values in the workplace is crucial for maximizing professional relationships and increasing efficiency across the organization. By recognizing the importance of values, leading by example, and encouraging continuous learning, organizations can create a positive work environment where employees feel engaged, motivated, and committed to shared goals. ReferencesCollins, J. (2001). Good to great. Random House Business Books.Lencioni, P. (2012). The Advantage: Why organizational health trumps everything else in business. John Wiley & Sons. Rory McGloin, Ph.D. is an award-winning business communication professor at the University of Connecticut. Rory’s career in higher education spans 17 years, including engagements with over 10,000+ learners and 35 peer-reviewed journal publications. Rory’s current research is focused on the characteristics of effective communication training and development programs, as well as examining the impact of communication training in entrepreneurial accelerator programs.  ...

Morning Consult examined how concern for COVID-19 has lessened globally and what health care companies and governments should be doing to prepare for the next crisis.Daily surveys of 4,000 adults from varying companies and countries were conducted from July 22-30, 2023 alongside monthly surveys of roughly 1,000 adults across 18 countries from June 2022 to June 2023.Key findings include:1.) 19% of respondents said COVID-19 is no longer a threat.— 37% of respondents said COVID-19 is a minor threat, followed by 36% who said it was a major threat.— The percentage of people who said COVID-19 was a major threat decreased by 15 points from 2022.2.) 51% of respondents said they trusted their government a lot/trust their government some.3.) 49% of respondents said they slightly trust/don’t trust their government at all.4.) 31% of American respondents thought favorably of U.S. COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.— 53% of Brazilian respondents thought favorably of U.S. COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, followed by Mexico (51.6%) and Canada (33.3%).5.) 76% of respondents in India said they trust the healthcare industry, followed by the United Kingdom (40%), Mexico (38%), France (36%), and the United States (32%).Read the full report here ...

New York, NY – The Institute for Public Relations (IPR) is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2023 IPR Lifetime Achievement Awards: The IPR Lifetime Achievement Award, IPR Pathfinder Award, and the IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement. Each award will be presented at the 61st Annual IPR Distinguished Lecture and Awards Dinner on November 30, 2023, at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City.2023 Honorees: IPR Lifetime Achievement Award: Margi Booth, M BoothIPR Pathfinder Award: Dr. Juan Meng, University of GeorgiaIPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement: Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA of Jackson Jackson & Wagner IPR Lifetime Achievement Award: Margi Booth Margi Booth, Active Working Chairman of M Booth, will receive the 2023 IPR Lifetime Achievement Award for her unparalleled contributions to the field of public relations and commitment to the power of research. Her consistent dedication to exceptional leadership, marked by integrity, humility, and stewardship, embodies the spirit of the award.The IPR Lifetime Achievement Award is IPR’s highest honor given to an individual who has made major contributions to the practice of public relations, including effective use of research. It honors the person whose character exemplifies leadership through demonstrating the power of effective use of public relations and research while living the values of integrity, humility, and stewardship. “In addition to building a superb PR firm, Margi has contributed countless hours to advancing the profession and personifying the ‘servant leader’ mindset at all times,” said Steve Cody, IPR Trustee and Co-founder and CEO of Peppercomm. “Margi has also been a mentor, colleague and friend who has always been there for me when I needed expert advice from one of the true experts in our field.”Margi founded M Booth, a communications firm, in 1985 that grew to one of the most successful mid-sized agencies in the communications industry. M Booth has won industry honors including agency of the year, best place to work, creative agency of the year, and a top firm in the consumer sector. In 2009, she sold her agency to Next Fifteen Communications Group. Margi was one of six trailblazers inducted into PRWeek’s Hall of Fame in 2016, an honor bestowed on inspiring leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the communications industry. Her firm is a Cannes Lion winner for their work on American Express; she is a New York Women in Communications Matrix recipient and received the New York Public Relations Society’s prestigious John W. Hill Award for her leadership. IPR Pathfinder Award: Dr. Juan Meng Dr. Juan Meng, Georgia Athletic Association Endowed Professor of Public Relations and Head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia (UGA), will receive the 2023 IPR Pathfinder Award for her significant and sustained contributions to the field of public relations through research, education, and leadership.The IPR Pathfinder Award is presented annually to an individual whose published work bridges the profession and research community. The IPR Pathfinder Award Committee comprises the IPR Board of Trustees, past winners, and academic leaders in the field, recognized Dr. Meng’s noteworthy achievements and outstanding research. “Dr. Meng’s dedication to the study of corporate communications and leadership in public relations has not only shaped the profession but also inspired others to follow in her footsteps,” said Dr. Tina McCorkindale, APR, IPR President and CEO. “Her remarkable achievements and leadership in our industry will continue to inspire future generations of public relations practitioners and academics.”Dr. Meng is an inaugural member of IPR ELEVATE, a diverse and select membership community of high-performing innovators and catalysts for growth, change, and advancement who support the mission and insights-focused work of IPR.Dr. Meng is an eminent scholar in public relations and has been recognized at the national and international levels. Her research specialization consistently focuses on public relations leadership, leadership development, gender and leadership in public relations, diversity and inclusion in talent management, and global communication. She has published more than 75 referred journal articles, scholarly book chapters, and research reports on leadership. She is the co-editor or co-author of four scholarly books on public relations leadership and strategic communication. The IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement: Stacey Smith, APR, Jackson Jackson & Wagner Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Counsel & Partner at Jackson Jackson & Wagner will receive the 2023 IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement for her outstanding contributions to advancing the vital role of research, measurement, and evaluation in the practice of public relations and corporate communication.The IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement is presented annually to an individual whose career reflects Jack Felton’s “give back” beliefs, and those who have developed other leaders, serving as mentors and advisors in inspiring IPR’s mission of building sustainable measurement competencies and leadership across the professional practice of public relations. “Throughout her career, Stacey has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to measuring behavioral change and outcomes in her public relations work and counsel,” said Dr. Julie O’Neil, Professor & Associate Dean Graduate Studies & Administration at Texas Christian University. “Stacey has also devoted significant time to giving back to the public relations field, as evidenced by her speaking at professional organizations, supporting public relations researchers, helping to develop standards for public relations curriculum, and serving and leading professional organizations.”Stacey Smith has over 40 years of experience working with an extensive range of clients from Fortune 50 multinational operations to small not-for-profits.  She specializes in assisting organizations communicate effectively with key stakeholder groups to build more strategic and solid relationships that influence organizational success. A counselor with JJ&W since 1981, Stacey has counseled senior management in government, corporations, schools, universities, hospitals and more on how to communicate in ways that builds long-term relationships with stakeholders.  Stacey was co-founder and senior research counsel at Dudley Research, 1984 – 2002, where she designed, administered, and analyzed behavioral research studies for a wide range of clients. As a co-author of the 7th and 8th Edition of Public Relations Practices, Managerial Case Studies and Problems, (Pearson), she has worked to keep the vision of the earlier authors, Alan Center and Patrick Jackson, front and center for pr students around the world. She is also co-author of “The Public Relations Firm” (Business Expert Press) with Robert Pritchard, for those wanting to learn how to work with public relations firms.All of the award winners will be honored at the 61st Annual IPR Distinguished Lecture and Awards Dinner on November 30, 2023, at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City.Reserve your Seat(s) to the 61st Annual IPR Distinguished Lecture & Awards DinnerTables of 10 are available for $ and individual tickets are $500 for the awards dinner. The price includes a networking cocktail, the awards dinner, and Distinguished Lecture. Visit https://bit.ly/2023Lecture to learn more about the 61st IPR Annual Distinguished Lecture and Awards Dinner.About the Institute for Public RelationsThe Institute for Public Relations is an independent, non-profit research foundation dedicated to fostering greater use of research and research-based knowledge in corporate communication and the public relations practice. IPR is dedicated to the science beneath the art of public relations. IPR provides timely insights and applied intelligence that professionals can put to immediate use. All research, including a weekly research letter, is available for free at instituteforpr.org/.###Contact:Brittany HigginbothamCommunications & Digital Specialistbrittany@instituteforpr.org ...

One hundred years ago, Edward Bernays, the father of public relations, dedicated the fifth  chapter in his book, “Crystallizing Public Opinion” to show how public relations and human behavior are codependent. Today, the cognitive revolution is still alive and well, and in fact, is more influential than ever. Looking at recent examples in the news, like George Floyd’s murder in the U.S., the 2020 Trump-Biden presidential election, The Great Resignation, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the cognitive processes of perception, memory, and encoding are how humans make the most important life decisions. For example, from whom to vote for or whether to vaccinate (or not), every decision made by a human being is based on conscious beliefs, values, and convictions. In other words, our body’s “computer” (aka our brain) processes information in a way that makes sense to us – based on these beliefs, values, and convictions – and the output is a decision (Psychology Today, n.d).In Chapter V, Bernays works through neurosurgeon and behavioral scientist Wilfred Trotter’s five characteristics detailing how popular components of behaviorism influence public relations techniques (Bernays, 1923). Here, I examine how the five characteristics have changed (or stayed the same) over the past 100 years and how the cognitive revolution has changed the way we practice public relations. “He is intolerant and fearful of solitude, physical, or mental”In Bernays’ day, living or thinking in solitude was not the norm. Embarking on a career one did not particularly like for the sake of a family was typical. Today, individual thought and action is much more valued. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z are the first generation to be fully immersed in the internet, are politically savvy, activism oriented, question everything, and have no problem evoking cancel culture on any brand that goes against their morals (Debczak, 2023). To influence individual thought, PR practitioners need to have their eyes and ears on social media, prioritize sentiment over facts, and sometimes adhere to the wisdom of the crowd over the conversations in the boardroom. Social media makes it hard for people to be alone as algorithms track our online behavioral patterns and suggest who we should engage with, what we should buy, and what activities would make us happy. While communications professionals live and die by these metrics to do their jobs well, it does enable tribe behavior. This behavior only perpetuates an “us vs. them” mentality and further fractures marketing dollars to reach specific cohorts.“He is more sensitive to the voice of the herd than to any other influence.”While a focus on individualism is on the rise, PR practitioners still heavily rely on the circle of influence to impact individual decisions. In fact, humans tend to seek out information that confirms what they already believe and avoid contradictory information. Defined as confirmation bias, this powerful behavioral theory can also be dangerous (Cornell Law School, 2022). Today’s practitioners still have the opportunity to leverage known confirmation biases of their key publics for campaign success. “He is subject to the passions of the pack in his mob violence and the passions of the herd in his panics.”Leaders take on the burdens of their employees, understand root causes of problems, and actively work to fix them so the job gets done well (O’Grady, 2022). Ideally, they are also independent thinkers who do what is best for the whole, and avoid taking action that only benefits or protects themselves. Today’s leaders need to avoid acting because of external pressure and instead, let PR ethics be their guide. This is easier said than done, especially with a 24-hour news cycle and social media. Corporate leaders are pressured to comment on issues affecting their key stakeholders, but more often than not, this pressure yields to silence out of the fear of backlash or, worse, legal ramifications. This juxtaposition makes the PR practitioner’s role even more important, as they need to help navigate C-suite conversations to address what keeps their publics up at night, while maintaining positive sentiment. “He is remarkably susceptible to leadership.”Typically, humans innately default to the opinions and expertise of authority figures. While the cognitive revolution may have altered unconditional trust in these figures, we still see this tactic used frequently today. From 9-in-10 dentists recommending a particular toothpaste to a president encouraging us to vote, we are susceptible to the influence of prominent people and authority figures. Influence, however, is not limited to those with actual authority. Today, people in the entertainment industry, fitness instructors, and YouTubers are just a few other cohorts of humans that everyday consumers aspire to be (Jankowski, 2021). The problem, however, is that consumers misperceive celebrities and social media influencers for experts. While achieving client goals is important, communications professionals should always keep ethics top of mind and not capitalize on consumer insecurities to promote products and services. “His relations with his fellows are dependent upon the recognition of him as a member of the herd.”By definition, herding (or a group defined as a herd) happens when individuals follow others and imitate the behaviors of a group rather than thinking and acting independently (Baddeley, 2010). While the cognitive revolution leans into individual thought, the fear of being alone, not being part of a group, and/or being “canceled” remain drivers of behavior. In Bernays’ day, spokespeople were chosen based on this principle, and it’s no different in 2023. If the leader of an organization makes a misstep, good PR people coach them in how to appeal to emotion as well as logic. Believability is correlated to how relatable one is to those they want to influence. It’s an understatement to say the world has changed since the 1923 publication date of “Crystallizing Public Opinion.” This includes how PR practitioners approach their work. While modern inventions like the internet and social media have changed the functionality of the work, how humans process information has changed the approach. While the five characteristics discussed in Chapter V are still fundamentally sound, the cognitive revolution yielded the consumer as a smarter and more perceptive being. Today, we – as practitioners – can leverage the advancements of behavioral science to do our jobs better: With more honesty, authenticity, and transparency. ReferencesBaddeley M. H. (2010). Social influence and economic decision-making: socio-psychological and neuroscientific analyses. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 365(1538):281-90. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0169. PMID: 20026466; PMCID: PMC2827453.Bernays, E. (1923). Crystalizing public opinion. New York: Boni and Liveright.Cornell Law School (2022). Confirmation bias. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/confirmation_bias.Debczak, M. (2023, Feb. 3). These revised guidelines redefine birth years and classifications for millennials, gen z, and gen alpha. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609811/age-ranges-millennials-and-generation-z#:~:text=Millennials%3A%20Born%201981%2D1996%20(,0%2Dabout%2010%20years%20old).Jankowski, P. (2021, March 5). Not all influencers are celebrities…not all celebrities are influencers , part 2. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauljankowski/2021/03/05/not-all-influencers-are-celebritiesnot-all-celebrities-are-influencers-part-2/?sh=64f185161f35.O’Grady, K. (2022). The Great Resignation: How to Retain Your Best Employees. Institute for Public Relations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N7xifzHAoo.Psychology Today (n.d.) Cognition. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/cognition.  Dr. Kerry O’Grady is a faculty affairs expert, award-winning curriculum developer, higher education consultant, and seasoned public relations practitioner.  ...

Morning Consult tracked media consumption trends of U.S. consumers, including how they get their news.An online survey of 2,200 U.S. adults was conducted June 2022 – July 2023.Key findings include:1.) 60% of adults said they turned to websites for news at least once within the past month, down from 67% in August 2022.2.) 24% of adults said broadcast news networks offered the most trustworthy news, followed by cable news networks (17%), and social media (17%). —- The least trusted news sources were newsletters (2%), podcasts (4%), and video streaming services.4.) Social media (68%), broadcast news networks (66%), and news websites (60%) were the most used sources for news.Read more here ...

Gallup analyzed how employees feel about their work life, and proposed changes that could help grow the global gross domestic product (GDP).A global survey of 122,000 participants was conducted from April 2022 to March 2023.Key findings include:1.) 59% of employees are not engaged in the workplace, also known as quiet quitting, and 18% are actively disengaged.— Low engagement costs the global economy US$8 .8 trillion and accounts for 9% of global GDP.2.) 85% of employees who are quiet quitting would want to change engagement or culture, pay and benefits, or wellbeing-work/life balance.3.) 44% of employees reported experiencing a lot of stress the previous workday, continuing the trend from 2021.— Those who were actively engaged were less likely to feel a lot of stress (30%) than those who were actively disengaged (56%).4.) 51% of currently employed workers said they are actively seeking or watching for a new job.Read the full report here ...

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research CenterDr. Linjuan Rita Men, Dr. Yufan Sunny Qin, Renee Mitson, and Dr. Patrick Thelen studied how organizational diversity communication efforts and employees’ cultural intelligence contributed to an inclusive organizational climate and enhanced employee engagement. Furthermore, they examined the relationship between employees’ racial minority status and employee engagement.An organization’s diversity communication was defined as the organization’s efforts in communicating their commitment, advocacy, and initiatives of diversity in the workplace. Employees’ cultural intelligence referred to an employee’s ability to effectively respond to culturally diverse settings. An inclusive climate represented an organization’s commitment to providing fair treatment, consideration, and recognition to all employees regardless of their background and involving them in the organization’s core decision-making processes.The authors conducted an online survey of 657 full-time employees who worked at various medium and large-sized corporations across 27 industries in the U.S. The survey was implemented in April 2021.Key Findings1.) Organizational diversity communication and employees’ cultural intelligence both contributed to a greater perception of an inclusive climate of the organization.2.) A more inclusive organizational climate contributed to higher employee engagement. Additionally, organizational diversity communication and employees’ cultural intelligence also directly contributed to employee engagement.3.) The positive impact of an inclusive climate on employee engagement was stronger among racial minority employees than their white counterparts.4.) Organizations and their leaders should participate in well-researched programs and workshops on diversity communication to improve employee engagement.— Organizations should also provide cultural intelligence learning opportunities for employees to encourage a more inclusive workplace climate.Implications for PracticeOrganizations should deliver messages that emphasize the organization’s value of inclusiveness and diversity, and more importantly, accompany such messages with internal programming and policy-making efforts. Employees should be encouraged to learn about the diverse cultures represented in the workplace. Concrete strategies such as facilitating dialogue with employees of diverse backgrounds at social events and team-building exercises and ensuring that leaders lead by example in correctly pronouncing the names of all employees will benefit the cultivation of an inclusive climate of the organization.Click here to learn more about how organizations’ diversity communication and employees’ cultural intelligence can benefit the organization.Men, L. R., Qin, Y. S., Mitson, R., & Thelen, P. (2023). Engaging employees via an inclusive climate: The role of organizational diversity communication and cultural intelligence. Journal of Public Relations Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2023.2222859     ...

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down three high-profile decisions in 2023 that have major implications for public relations practitioners and communicators. While the impact of each of these cases, which involve affirmative action, fair use and copyright, and legal immunity for online platforms, is yet to be fully realized, communication professionals should expect to experience the residual effects of each of these decisions. Ending Affirmative Action in Higher Education:  Implications for Private Sector Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)One of the major shifts in U.S. higher education came with the ending of affirmative action in the cases Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and companion case Students for Fair Admissions v. the University of North Carolina.  In these cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that considering race in college admissions violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.  The impact of this ruling will not be seen immediately, but many consider this a signal of a decreased focus on racial diversity in colleges.  As a result, there is some indication that this decision will create a new style of admissions process (notably Harvard University stated it would continue to promote diversity while adhering to the ruling).  In the communication industry, there may be shrinking racial diversity in recent college graduates that could result in a diversity decrease in public relations. However, this ruling may have further implications beyond college admissions. Many in the private sector are asking whether this decision will usher in a new group of lawsuits concerning corporate DEI programs.  The answer is likely not—for now.  There is a practical and legal distinction between the affirmative action decisions in admission and DEI initiatives.  For instance, in employment law there is established anti-discrimination laws in place for discrimination against race, religion, national origin, disabilities, age, and other characteristics.  This is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a variety of state anti-discrimination laws.  The Harvard and UNC cases were not decided under those laws, so the discussion around employment and DEI initiatives is a different legal conversation.However, it is likely that there will be future lawsuits about DEI initiatives in the private sector that will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to extend its rationale beyond college admissions to private organizations.  The results of these types of lawsuits remain to be seen.  Despite how DEI is portrayed in the media, the field itself is highly complex and includes content that presents diversity broadly defined, including content and programming about raising awareness about a variety of issues such as unconscious bias, accessibility, salary transparency, gender, and sexual orientation.  Because of that, DEI is not necessarily an item that directly relates to hiring and promotion decisions. However, communicators should be aware that this is a shifting legal landscape, and that DEI initiatives focusing on inclusivity writ large have a greater protection against legal challenges.  Initiatives that could be interpreted as leading to certain hiring decisions based on protected characteristics a more vulnerable to lawsuits.Because the challenges to DEI are coming from both private lawsuits and state laws, communicators need to stay current on the shifting legal landscape.  Some states have proposed or enacted both laws that promote and eliminate DEI initiatives.  All those state laws are also subject to constitutional lawsuits, notably Florida’s Individual Freedom Act, popularly called the “Stop WOKE Act,” currently enjoined by federal courts.  Communications plays a role as well.  As the legal landscape surrounding affirmative action and discrimination changes, it will be public relations practitioners who are tasked with explaining and communicating these measures to internal and external publics. Fair Use and Copyright:  The Future of Derivative WorksPublic relations practitioners and communicators are always affected by any change in copyright law.  Those creating content need to be especially careful of using copyrighted material in derivative works after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts v. Goldsmith.  This 7-2 decision, with a cross section of liberal and conservative justices in the majority, held that a silkscreen portrait derived from popular photograph of the musician Prince did not constitute fair use. The holding in this case has major implications for content creators.  For owners of copyrighted works, it means that the transformative “purpose and character” element of fair use includes commerciality as a consideration.  For communicators, this means copyright holders have a greater right of control of content.  The downside for content creators, particularly artists and illustrators, is that when creating transformative work, fair use may not exist when the use itself is for the same commercial purpose as the original.What does this mean?  The U.S. Code Title 17 section 107 lists the four factors of fair use:1.) Purpose and character of the use, including whether the use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes.2.) The nature of copyrighted work3.) The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole.4.) Effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted workIn Warhol the image in question was a 1981 photo of Prince taken by Lynn Goldsmith for a Newsweek article on Prince as a new popular musician.  Later, Goldsmith licensed the photo in 1984 for $400 to Vanity Fair magazine to use as the basis for an illustration in an article about Prince.  Vanity Fair hired Andy Warhol to produce the illustration, which was a silkscreen portrait of Prince.  Warhol created 16 versions of the silkscreen, one of which was entitled “Orange Prince.”  Upon Warhol’s death, the Andy Warhol Foundation (AWF) held the silkscreens, and in 2016 Vanity Fair received a license from the AWF to use “Orange Prince” for its commemorative edition after Prince died.  Goldsmith who received no compensation for “Orange Prince” and notified the AWF that she believed “Orange Prince” constituted infringement.  AWF claimed the use of the photo was fair use because it was transformative of the original photograph.  A lawsuit between Goldsmith and the AWF ensued with the U.S. Supreme Court analyzing the first factor of fair use “the purpose and character of the use.” The U.S. Supreme Court held that the purpose and character of the use by Warhol did not constitute fair use. Specifically, the court held that “transformativeness” of the original photograph was not enough to constitute fair use under purpose and character.  That transformativeness had to be considered considering commercial use of the new image, which in this case is the silkscreen.  Because the original photograph in 1981 and the later silkscreen version of “Orange Prince” were commercial in nature, this weighed against fair use.  After all, the original photograph and the later licensing of “Orange Prince” were for the same purpose and the same commercial ends—a magazine article about Prince. This case has raised many questions about artistic creation, and there was a robust exchange in the opinion between Justices Sotomayor and Kagan who were on opposite sides.  However, for communicators in commercial production of content, this case should serve as a cautionary tale.  Getting the permission of copyright holders is even more important, even when the copyright at issue is one where something is transformed from the original.  Licensing is a way to mitigate any uncertainty in the creation of content, and assuming fair use is a risky endeavor, especially because the establishment of fair use is not going to be determined unless a lawsuit is brought.  In this case, fair use and its first factor has become more legally complex, and there may be more cases that emerge post-Warhol; the dissent in this case emphasized that the majority opinion will have the impact of stifling artistic expression. That may be. But the bottom line for communicators is that fair use is harder to prove than it used to be, and infringement cases against parties who commercially use content without permission have a higher likelihood of prevailing.Legal Immunity and the Future of Online LiabilityOne of the biggest issues in recent years has been the legal immunity that internet companies have had from lawsuits arising from third-party content.  Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has been a rallying cry for the left and right in recent years with “cancel 230” becoming a political slogan in the past few election cycles.  The Institute for Public Relations published a piece in 2020 on section 230 during the Trump administration’s attempt to remove its protection for internet companies that were perceived to be anti-conservative.This past term, the U.S. Supreme Court waded into the discussion about section 230 but stopped short of making any changes to the immunity of online platforms.  In Gonzalez v. Google and Twitter v. Taamneh the court heard a section 230 issue that involved terrorist-created internet content.  The U.S. Supreme Court was thought to be potentially weighing the future of this important aspect of how the internet functions, but ultimately these cases were decided on grounds outside of section 230.  There was a fear that the Court was ill-equipped with handing the technical implications of changing the protections of section 230.  Justice Kagan acknowledged as much as she said in the oral argument, “I mean, we’re a court. We really don’t know about these things. You know, these are not like the nine greatest experts on the Internet” (Gonzalez v. Google, 2023, p. 45).What this means for PR practitioners and communicators is the internet and its structure is here to stay for now.  This immunity for organizations, such as social media platforms, that host third-party content protects them from an onslaught of lawsuits.  While some Members of Congress have attempted to change the widespread immunity that section 230 provides, they so far have been unsuccessful. This has real-world implications for communications practice, especially in terms of managing reputations, combatting fake reviews, and engaging with activist reviewers.  Internet platforms that host third-party content, however untrue or defamatory, remain immune from lawsuits.  Any changes on immunity will likely be legislative rather than judicial, and given the current gridlock in Washington D.C., an immediate change seems unlikely.Going ForwardThe U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in 2023 have significant impacts on the communications industry in terms of DEI, intellectual property, and internet protections.  Going forward there will be a continuation of changes to the industry. Currently, the U.S. and other nations are struggling to find the right balance between regulation and AI.  The issue of privacy, discrimination, and civil rights will continue to be of top importance.  Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that for public relations and professional communicators, the evolving nature of law is perhaps more important than ever.  As the communication sector becomes more technological, philosophically, and economically complex, the impact of U.S. Supreme Court cases impacts not both how and what PR practitioners say.References17 U.S.C. §107.47 U.S.C. §230.Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts v. Goldsmith, No. 21-869 (U.S. 2023)Gonzalez v. Google, No. 21-1333 (U.S. 2023).Gonzalez v. Google, 21-1333, OT 2022-23, 1 (U.S. 2023). Retrieved from https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2022/21-1333_f2ag.pdf.H.R. 7, 124th Leg. Reg. Sess. (Fla. 2022).Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, No. 21-1199 (U.S. 2023).Students for Fair Admissions v. the University of North Carolina, No. 27-707 (U.S. 2023).Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§2000e et seq. Twitter v. Taamneh, No. 21-1496 (U.S. 2023). Cayce Myers, Ph.D., LL.M., J.D., APR is a professor and director of graduate studies at the Virginia Tech School of Communication.  He is the Legal Research Editor for the Institute for Public Relations.  He can be reached at mcmyers@vt.edu. ...

Nielsen examined the representation of disability-related themes, visuals, and topics in TV advertisements.Nearly 450,000 primetime ads on broadcast and cable TV were analyzed in February 2021.Key findings include:1.) 26% of Americans are living with a disability.— Only 1% of ads studied included representation of disability-related themes, visuals, or topics.2.) 3% of the $57 million spent on the inclusion of people with a disability and disability-related themes in February went to ads featuring disabled people or that were inclusive of disability themes in the ad.— 50% of the amount spent on disability-inclusive ads was from pharmaceuticals, healthcare treatments, devices, and similar ads.3.) The lack of representation in linear TV and advertising has led to an increase in disabled social media influencers and creators rewriting the narrative around the media’s presentation of disability. To learn more about disability communication read the IPR-Voya report, Disabilities in the Workplace: Culture, Communication, Support and InclusionRead the full report here ...