The Other side of the story.

I think the corporate sector may be a bit worried about the advent of new media.

They are worried (rightly so) about how their business practices are viewed by consumers and activists?

The first reason of this worry could be that the internet has long been a powerful medium for anti-corporate messages. Moreover, material posted on these websites often remains accessible via search engines long after it is first published. A Google search for "Nike", now considered a leader in managing labour conditions in its factories, still brings up a "Boycott Nike" website.

The second reason could be that a blogger has zero accountability, he has no advertisers, infrastructure or cost model to worry about and nobody's going to sue him.

I think new media forces the business towards a new level of transparency, since the online users are quick to uncover "flogging" (fake blogging) and to deride companies for any differences that emerge between their rhetoric and their actions.

The business organizations need PR more than ever in order to constantly gauge reactions of consumers and create a favourable image of the company in the minds of the stakeholders.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e2800f2-6ecd-11db-b5c4-0000779e2340.html?nclick_check=1

New Media and PR

How do PR practitioners prepare themselves from this onslaught of internet? Should the practitioner start getting worried about this phenomenon and kind of look for other jobs as citizen journalists take the role of advocacy? (Sounds extreme, may be!!)

In our class we discussed the advent of new media and the role of PR. It was a relief to understand that new media/ social media(SM) may not pack us off hunting for jobs during recession!!!! And not anytime at all.

The reasons for not hitting the panic buttons are.

1. Media management serves as the mainstay of PR

2. PR has more than 100 years of history in traditional media.

3. Pitching story ideas to a journalist is a vital skill for a PR practitioner.

4. Third party endorsement differentiates PR from advertising. It helps in creating credibility.

The new media may actually be used as complimentary to the traditional media. PR practitioners can now connect directly with the consumer and create better and more effective campaigns. People/ customers discussing issues on blogs actually may give the PR practitioner an edge.

In order to achieve this edge, we no doubt, have to learn new skills to use social networking sites. What can be better for us than to read the thoughts of people and then masterfully react to them?

The underline principal is : we have to learn, accept and change.