Harold Burson talked to Fudan Journalism school on "Public Relation: A Status Report for the First Five Years of 21st Century" this morning. Here is some interesting highlights from his speech.  

- Four jobs a PR professional should do:

1. Early warning specialist of social political change on the horizon, to differentiate real change from temporary change, and explain how the change could affect business.
2. Serve corporate conscious
When something is not right, re-examine the position. This requires great deal of trust on the management side.
3. Communications of internal employee and outward customers/suppliers/community/government/general public.
Internal audience should be more important, PR should bring about understanding – what is happening, what staffs should do, why all this and what action should be taken.
4. Monitor conversation and try to make judgment

- Three defining moment of PR

1. (Changing) Legislative and regulatory environment that define corporate responsibility
2. Proliferation of media.
24hr Cable News. Internet as a massive news distributor. Competition made news media more hostile to business and government.  
3. Changing competitors environment in globalization
Discipline + technology, to realize that a corporate should speak with a same voice around the world.