BUSINESSWIRE observes the 100th anniverary of the first press release today. The American offices will hold a panel discussion in New York entitled "Centennial Celebration of the Press Release: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Public Relations." Most people accept that Ivy Lee put out his first press release in 1906. Research suggests the PR industry itself is older, perhaps emerging in the late 1890s when American railways made the first reference to the term "public relations" in its external documents. Stuart Bruce says, "The outlaw Jesse James used the media to bolster his reputation as a brave ex-Confederate guerilla, rather than a desperate outlaw - on several occasions he left 'press releases' behind at the scenes of his robberies." Bruce always considered Edward Bernays as the founder of modern public relations, rather than Ivy Lee.
Stuart Bruce -- "Businesswire commemorates 100th anniversary of Public Relations Industry"
Businesswire original release.
