Good Example Of Public Relations: Theory And Process Analytic Paper Research Paper

The focus of this article shall be on the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and how it communicates in the New York Times article, “Bold Aims for Art in a Staid Capital.” From the museum’s website (http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/), its primary objective seems to provide a national platform for artists of the present times and act as the leading voice for contemporary art. The museum also seeks to share and spread the transformative power of contemporary and modern art by converging the audiences, artists, and their ideas into meaningful experiences. Finally, the museum also aims at improving the public understanding and awareness of contemporary art.
The article on the other hand focuses on the intentions and plans of Melissa Chiu, the new director of the Museum, to transform the reputation of Washington City from its current position to the cutting edge of the international arts scene. The article focuses on her plans and ideas on the museum's future projects. The planned projects that are mentioned in the article including, featuring an Iranian-born video artist on her inaugural exhibition. She also intends to expand on the technology to improve the museum's visitors’ experience; this technology will feature mainly in interactive video installations. The visitors will also be able to access additional information in the museum through their mobile phones. Despite her predecessor’s plans failing and resulting in his resignation, Melissa Chiu explains that she is confident that her plans and their financing are secure.
The article is directly tied to the museum’s objective and aims. It provides a view of the present state of the museum, the changes that the museum is undergoing, and it provides the reader with a glimpse of the future of the museum. The article serves as an information source for both the readers who are familiar with the museum and contemporary art in general and the unfamiliar readers.
The article uses the publicity model of communication. Characterizing the publicity model of communication is by one-way communication. In addition, the publicity model of communication is also characterized by the usage of persuasion and manipulation with the intention of influencing the audience to behave and operate as the organization wishes. As its name suggests, the primary users of the publicity model are organization that aim at generating maximum awareness and impact with the article. However, this also applies in a subtle manner that nonetheless aims at influencing the reader to the originator's viewpoint.
At the first glance, it may seem that, the article uses the public informational method; it seems to be delivered in an impassive reporting manner. However, at a closer glance it emerges that Melissa Chiu is remarkable effective at persuading the reader of her intentions and plans. The reader does not simply leave with a set of data but in the end, the reader is persuaded that the museum will attain the progress Melissa Chiu sets out.
The main indicator of the publicity model of communication is the article’s focus on an individual rather than the organizational in general. Melissa Chiu is the focus of the article as in accordance with its title. As opposed to outlining the aims of the museum, the article focuses on Melissa and more or less interviews her on the aims she has for the museum. Furthermore, Melissa Chiu demonstrates a mastery of the subject matter drawing the leader to the assumption that the project is a definite success.
The article also makes use of human emotions and feeling to manipulate its reader to have a feeling of commonality with the subject matter. MS. Chiu is seen hoping that the changes allow them to come up with a bold vision game changer in the contemporary art and its interactions with technology. She is also shown expressing her interest in the technology and how it would be essential to improving the experience for the museum visitor.
The article also reported about the bubble project. Here a 15 storied bubble was intended to cover interior of the museum. The bubble had been praised as the departure of the museum and the mall’s landscape from the conventional and traditional stance. However, its failure is seemingly portrayed to demonstrate a hurdle that the subject of the article is expected to deal with and resolve. Nevertheless, the article immediately points out that the challenge of the city refusing to let go of its traditions and rejecting contemporary art is surmountable and may not even exist.
Finally, the article in general downplays the challenges that might face the project and highlights on the strengths of Ms. Chiu rather than her project. She concludes by stating that while not all bold ideas may succeed it is worth trying new bold ideas regardless. The article is designed to manipulate and influence the reader into agreeing and receding the project as a success rather than providing the readers with the information and permitting them to arriving at their decisions by themselves.
The museum succeeds admirably in accomplishing its objectives through the article. Ms. Chiu mastery of information pertaining to the museum and its plans informs the readers increasing their understanding and awareness of contemporary art. The reader regardless of his familiarity or otherwise with contemporary art acquires a grasp of contemporary art and its place in Washington and the world in general.
The article also draws light to the museums steps toward attaining its objectives of providing a national platform for artists. Ms. Chiu is seen to have added a curator at large based in New York to utilize the developments in the city and internationally. The museum also has Ms. Chiu highlighting that major art centers such as Paris and New York are facing competition from other areas such as Latin America and China.
In conclusion, the approach taken by the museum served its purpose well. Nevertheless, it may have been more effective had the model of communication used were two-way symmetrical model. Here the article could have been aimed at understanding how the reader perceives contemporary art and their knowledge of the museum and its plans. Once the understanding is obtained, the article could then have had a wider impact even on the people completely new to contemporary art.

Works Cited

Bowley, Graham. "Bold Aims for Art in a Staid Capital." The New York Times 30 October 2013: 23. Print.
Cornelissen, Joep. Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. New York: Sage Publishers, 2014. Print.
Hirshhorn. "Hirshhorn Mission and Board." 28 August 2014. Hirshhorn Museum. Online. 7 January 2015.