The Public Relations Society of America was established in 1948 as a result of a merger of
the American Council of Public Relations and the National Association of Public Relations
Councils. It absorbed the American Public Relations Association in 1961. As a society of
professionals in business, industry, counseling firms, trade and professional groups,
government, education, and health and welfare organizations, PRSA is today the largest
public relations organization in the world, with thousands of members and associates. Its
objective is “to advance the profession and the professional.” It maintains a
virtual resource center on its website; conducts a yearly international conference; oversees a dozen standing
committees; recognizes meritorious public relations campaign work in such areas as
international relations, education, and government with its annual Silver Anvil Awards
competition; and upholds principles of ethics for its members and, more broadly, the public
relations profession. The organization publishes Public Relations
Journal, a online open access research journal; Public
Relations Tactics, a monthly newspaper; and The Public
Relations Strategist, a quarterly journal for executive level public relations
professionals.
