The Practice of Public Relations: United States Edition

For courses in Introduction to Public Relations and Public Relations Practice, offered by Departments of Communication Studies, Journalism or Marketing.

The Practice of Public Relations leads the reader through the evolution of the practice, the preparation and process necessary to reach a variety of "publics" and, most importantly, how to implement actual PR practice.

Long admired as the “practitioners” Public Relations text, Seitel's The Practice of Public Relations continues its tradition as the most visual, up-to-date and straightforward principles text available. For the aspiring student of public relations to the veteran professional seeking a refresher, Seitel's text leads the reader through the evolution of the practice, the preparation and process necessary to reach a variety of “publics” and, most importantly, how to implement actual PR practice. Drawing on his own vast professional experience, his role as a PR commentator on major U.S television networks such as CNN, ABC and FOX, and his network of industry leaders, Public Relations faculty and generations of PR professionals, Seitel presents the industry with dynamism and relevancy.  

Fraser P. Seitel is a veteran of more than three decades in the practice of public relations. In 2000, PR Week magazine named Mr. Seitel one of the "100 Most Distinguished Public Relations Professionals of the 20th Century."

In 1992, after serving for a decade as senior vice president and director of public affairs for Chase Manhattan Bank, Mr. Seitel formed Emerald Partners, a management and communications consultancy, and also became senior counselor at the world's largest public affairs firm, Burson-Marsteller.

Mr. Seitel is a frequent contributor to cable television. Among other programs, he has appeared on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor, Fox and Friends, Rivera Live, Fox Weekend, and On the Record with Greta Van Susteren; MSNBC's The News with Brian Williams and Nachman; CNBC's Wall Street Journal Report; and CNN's Connie Chung Tonight, Inside Politics, and Larry King Live.

Mr. Seitel has counseled hundreds of corporations, nonprofits, associations, and individuals in the area for which he had responsibility at Chase–media relations, speech writing, consumer relations, employee communications, financial communications, philanthropic activities, and strategic management consulting.

Mr. Seitel is an Internet columnist at odwyerpr.com and a frequent lecturer and seminar leader on communications topics. Over the course of his career, Mr. Seitel has taught thousands of public relations professionals and students.

After studying and examining many texts in public relations, he concluded that none of them "was exactly right:" Therefore, in 1980, he wrote the first edition of The Practice of Public Relations "to give students a feel for how exciting this field really is:" In more than two decades of use at hundreds of colleges and universities, Mr. Seitel's book has introduced generations of students to the excitement, challenge, and uniqueness of the practice of public relations.