Editing Public relations (section)

=== Spin ===
{{Main|Spin (public relations)}}
Spin has been interpreted historically to mean overt deceit that is meant to manipulate the public, but since the 1950s has shifted to describing a "polishing of the truth."<ref name="Safire96"/> Today, spin refers to providing a certain interpretation of information meant to sway [[public opinion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spin|title=spin|via=The Free Dictionary|access-date=17 June 2012|archive-date=6 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906101710/https://www.thefreedictionary.com/spin|url-status=live}}</ref> Companies may use spin to create the appearance of the company or other events are going in a slightly different direction than they actually are.<ref name="Safire96">Safire, William
(1996) [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/22/magazine/the-spinner-spun.html?scp=19&sq=spin%20definition&st=cse ''The Spinner Spun''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222084110/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/22/magazine/the-spinner-spun.html?scp=19&sq=spin%20definition&st=cse |date=22 December 2016 }}</ref> Within the field of public relations, spin is seen as a derogatory term, interpreted by professionals as meaning blatant deceit and manipulation.<ref>[http://donhalepr.com/?p=163 Spin Doctor a Derogatory Term That Needs to Go, Dilenschneider Says] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518215557/http://donhalepr.com/?p=163 |date=18 May 2013 }}. Don Hale PR. Retrieved on 16 July 2013.</ref><ref>[http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/02/17/dear-gracie-is-flack-a-four-letter-word/ Dear Gracie: Is 'Flack' a Four-Letter Word? {{!}} Beyond PR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028045613/http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/02/17/dear-gracie-is-flack-a-four-letter-word/ |date=28 October 2012 }}. Blog.prnewswire.com (17 February 2012). Retrieved on 16 July 2013.</ref> Skilled practitioners of spin are sometimes called "spin doctors."

In [[Stuart Ewen]]'s ''PR! A Social History of Spin'', he argues that public relations can be a real menace to democracy as it renders the public discourse powerless. Corporations are able to hire public relations professionals and transmit their messages through the media channels and exercise a huge amount of influence upon the individual who is defenseless against such a powerful force. He claims that public relations is a weapon for capitalist deception and the best way to resist is to become media literate and use critical thinking when interpreting the various mediated messages.<ref>W. Timothy Coombs and Sherry J. Holladay, "Does Society Need Public Relations? Criticisms of Public Relations" in It's Not Just PR: Public Relations in Society, (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2007), 10.</ref>

According to [[Jim Hoggan]], "public relations is not by definition 'spin'. Public relations is the art of building good relationships. You do that most effectively by earning trust and goodwill among those who are important to you and your business... Spin is to public relations what manipulation is to interpersonal communications. It's a diversion whose primary effect is ultimately to undermine the central goal of building trust and nurturing a good relationship."<ref>Hoggan, J., Littlemore, R., & Canadian Electronic Library. (2009). Climate cover-up : The crusade to deny global warming / James Hoggan and Richard Littlemore. (DesLibris. Books collection). Vancouver [B.C.]: Greystone Books.</ref>

The techniques of spin include selectively presenting facts and quotes that support ideal positions ([[Cherry picking (fallacy)|cherry picking]]), the so-called "[[non-denial denial]]", phrasing that in a way presumes unproven truths, [[euphemism]]s for drawing attention away from items considered distasteful, and ambiguity in public statements. Another spin technique involves careful choice of timing in the release of certain news so it can take advantage of prominent events in the news.