Public Relations & the Impact of New Media
Public Relations & The Impact of New Media
Public Relations is a pivotal part of any business because it is the most direct communication between the business and the public. For a business to enjoy long term success it has to have the ability to evolve and adapt with the ever changing trends of the public in order to understand the needs and concerns of the general public. Author and entrepreneur Deirdre K. Breakenridge (2008) states in her book 'PR 2.0 New Media, New Tools, New Audiences' that "It’s critical for PR professionals to read, be knowledgeable, and stay extremely well versed about the markets their brands try to reach." The 20th century brought TV, radio, and the Internet, which greatly impacted the practice of Public Relations. But just as these media channels brought impact and change to the practice of public relations then, so will the rise of new media in the 21st Century.
With the emergence of many new online communication tools and channels due to the technological advancements of our time, public relations practitioners can no longer rely solely on traditional media to channel their messages. Today new media has been recognised as one of the strongest forms of channelling messages across to the public. It is extremely vital that PR practitioners learn, explore, and understand the use of new media and the roles it can play in public relations campaigns. This essay will examine the roles new media play in public relations campaigns and what the prevalence of new media imply for PR practitioners.
Today new media is at the heart of companies' public relations and marketing initiatives. One of the roles of new media in public relations is to build efficient and effective communication between public relations practitioners, or an organization they represent, and the different specific public groups they are trying to reach. Public relations practitioners rely on the tools and channels that new media provide for different purposes, all
Public Relations is a pivotal part of any business because it is the most direct communication between the business and the public. For a business to enjoy long term success it has to have the ability to evolve and adapt with the ever changing trends of the public in order to understand the needs and concerns of the general public. Author and entrepreneur Deirdre K. Breakenridge (2008) states in her book 'PR 2.0 New Media, New Tools, New Audiences' that "It’s critical for PR professionals to read, be knowledgeable, and stay extremely well versed about the markets their brands try to reach." The 20th century brought TV, radio, and the Internet, which greatly impacted the practice of Public Relations. But just as these media channels brought impact and change to the practice of public relations then, so will the rise of new media in the 21st Century.
With the emergence of many new online communication tools and channels due to the technological advancements of our time, public relations practitioners can no longer rely solely on traditional media to channel their messages. Today new media has been recognised as one of the strongest forms of channelling messages across to the public. It is extremely vital that PR practitioners learn, explore, and understand the use of new media and the roles it can play in public relations campaigns. This essay will examine the roles new media play in public relations campaigns and what the prevalence of new media imply for PR practitioners.
Today new media is at the heart of companies' public relations and marketing initiatives. One of the roles of new media in public relations is to build efficient and effective communication between public relations practitioners, or an organization they represent, and the different specific public groups they are trying to reach. Public relations practitioners rely on the tools and channels that new media provide for different purposes, all
References: Aronson, M, Spetner, D and Ames, C. (2007). The Public Relations Writer 's Handbook: The Digital Age. Breakenridge, D. (2008). PR 2.0: New media, new tools, new audiences. Fitch, K. 2009. New Media and Public Relations in Chia, J. and Synnott, G. An Introduction to Public Relations. Gogoi, P. (2006, October 9). Wal-Mart’s Jim and Laura: The real story. BusinessWeek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/oct2006/db20061009_579137.htm?campaign_id=rss_innovate Gregory, A. (2004). Scope and structure of public relations: A technology driven view. Public Relations Review, 30, 245-254. Macky, M. (2011). Corporate Communication & The New Media Theaker, A. (2008). The public relations handbook. Chapter 20: Using New Technology Effectively in PR