The Role and Implications of New Media for PR
Introduction
With the introduction of the internet comes new media, which in recent years have seen PR practitioners having to adapt and change their approach to cater to the online community. According to Dewdney & Ride, new media can be described as “the preferred term for a range of media practices that employ digital technologies and the computer in some way or another (James, n.d.). New media also provides a wider reach than traditional media, being portable and easily accessible. This essay seeks to explore the opportunities and threats presented to PR practitioners with the introduction of new media.
Using a local case study, this essay will also discuss how new media has changed the way
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Because of its wide reach, organizations can now use new media to launch a direct dialog with their stakeholders with ease. Platforms such as forums and blogs allow for PR practitioners to establish a two-way communication, allowing them to better understand the feedback of the public. When the public is engaged in this process, it creates brand awareness and a word-of-mouth effect. It is also easier for the organization to rally support from the public, by empowering them to make certain decisions. This will result in a higher number of people who would champion the organization’s cause.
When there is a need for fast transfer of information, like in times of crisis, organizations can harness the use of new media to get their messages out. This allows for control of the situation on the organization’s part. The organization can even garner the public’s comments and come up with better solutions to solve the
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Joseph STRAUBHAAR and Robert LaROSE (2001). Media Now. Communications Media in the Information Age. 3rd Edition. Belmont, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
South China Morning Post. "Chronological events of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370." South China Morning Post. N.p., 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. .
Are technology and the media shedding the very fabric of the existence we have known? As technology and the media spread their influence, the debate over the inherent advantages and disadvantages intensifies. Although opinions vary widely on the subject, two writers offer similar views: Professor Sherry Turkle, director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, in her article “Can You Hear Me Now” and Naomi Rockler-Gladen, who formerly taught media studies at Colorado State University, with her article “Me Against the Media: From the Trenches of a Media Lit Class.” Turkle asserts that technology has changed how people develop and view themselves, while at the same time affecting their concepts of time management and focus (270). Similarly, Rockler-Gladen believes media and its inherent advertising have had a profound effect on the values and thinking of the public (284). I could not agree more with Professor Turkle and Ms. Rockler-Gladen; the effects technology and media have worried and annoyed me for quite so time. The benefits of technology and media are undeniable, but so then are the flaws. People are beginning to shift their focus away from the physical world to the virtual world as they find it easier and more comfortable. The intended purpose of technology and media was to be a tool to improve the quality of life, not shackles to tie people to their devices. I no longer recognize this changed world and long for the simple world of my youth.
Being able to speak across multiple platforms while creating a standard PR plan is the solution for 2043. Understanding a variety of publics is important now and will be even more important in the future. To understand your target audience better, you should know their current attitudes, opinions as well as interests. On the basis of this information, public relation practitioners should formulate public relations campaign in such a way that it caters to the need attitudes of its publics ("Public relations essentials-understanding," 2009). However, when there is no longer a majori...
Many organizations have had to change the way they operate because social media has become such a powerhouse that has to be implemented in their marketing and communication strategies.
The discipline of public relations is a modern profession which has been in existence for only close to a century; however, it has already taken an important role in the fields of business, government, entertainment and non-profit organizations including educational institutions and healthcare organizations. Public relations professionals are required to have excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills and have the ability to persuade the public. It is imperative for PR professionals to effectively communicate with its public in order to establish and maintain a positive relationship. Furthermore, public relations professionals must have the ability to work under pressure and effectively manage crisis which may have detrimental effect on the company and the public it serves. State purpose of paper and an overview of what will be covered in the introduction
Steyn, P., Salehi-Sangari, E., Pitt, L. and Berthon, P., (2010). The SocialMedia Release as a Public Relations Tool: Intentions to Use Among B2B Bloggers. Public Relations Review, 36(1), pp.87-89.
Social media is an imperative public relations tool for companies to utilize in their business practices. Social media cannot be regulated so anyone can say what they please about the company, whether it is good, bad or ugly. Social media is developing rapidly and there are new platforms
The Malaysian Government allocated a huge sum of financials support for this project to commence. The reason for this project to take place was because of the growing population at certain developed areas and the increase in the number of vehicles each year that made travelling by car or motorcycle quite inconvenient. The Malaysian Government believes that the MRT project is the best solution for these traffic problems in Malaysia as people prefer to travel by MRT and reach their destination on time rather than being stuck in a jam and reaching late to their preferred destination.
Joseph STRAUBHAAR and Robert LaROSE (2002). Media Now. Communications Media in the Information Age, 3rd edition. Belmont, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
Social media sites including Twitter and Facebook are in their infancy yet play an increasingly important role in the response to a disaster. After all, “one of the basic tenants of emergency management is mass communication and being able to deliver pertinent information to those who need it” (Gould, 2012). Social media offers an avenue to obtain up to the minute information on a given situation right in an individual's hands thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices. “Each disaster sparks its own complex web of fast-paced information exchange. It can both improve disaster response and allow affected populations to take control of their situation as well as feel empowered” (Maron, 2013). While traditional forms of media, print, radio and television in particular, have been the standard since the inception of the emerg...
Furthermore, a public relations career is much more closely grouped with media relations these days than journalism. In the book, Making it in Public Relations: An Insider’s Guide, it is said that Media relations is the most dominant function of public relations. Its basic role is the origination of press information and the handling of requests from the media about a specialist’s subjects and activities. After all, the main goal of specialists is to present a positive public image of their client to the public (Mogel). The possible types of clients and fields vary wildly from each other. Some specialists can work in public relations consulting firms and hold campaigns for many clients. Other specialists can work in the advertising departments of major brands and w...
Today, public relations is a complex profession by thousands of thousands of people all the world to practice. Almost all large and small organizations have their own public relations department or they need to outsource their public relations to a company. Public relations practitioners work for schools and universities, companies, governments, professional and trade associations, hospitals, hotels, non-profit charities, and other else more (Grunig, 2001). Therefore, PR is an important department for organizations.
Public relations is everywhere today. It is a practice that has become an important aspect of any business venture. Whether an organization is not for profit, for profit, or governmental, they still need and desire to communicate their purpose within the community and public relations allows this to happen. There are several publics in which the PR practitioner must correspond with and each requires a different means of communication. Internal publics are inside the organizations such as clerks, managers, and stockholders. "External publics are those not directly connected to the organization: the press, government, educators, customers, suppliers, and the community" (Seitel, 2004). Each public plays a key role in the PR of the organization. The many functions of PR can also be categorized based on what purpose they serve the organization.