Communications budgets are averaging $3.8 million a year for $1 billion-plus companies, according to a first-time study by the Public Affairs Group of 539 companies in 26 sectors.
The study will be released in full in February. Results indicate that communications/PR departments employ an average of 5.2 professionals, a figure considered low because it doesn't take into account communications professionals spearheading human resources, philanthropic or customer service efforts.
Perhaps one of the most interesting findings is that PR is becoming an outdated term, with communications taking the lead as the No. 1 descriptor.
The study, which PR NEWS will detail in our Jan. 25 issue, delves into a wide span of issues and areas, including how many top communication officers report to CEOs (51 percent) and what functions demand the most attention from communications departments (e.g., media relations, 58.8 percent; corporate communications, 52.88 percent). (PAG, 202/466-8209)