Posted on PR Mediums

Archiving the future of public relations

The International History of Public Relations Conference (IHPRC) at Bournemouth University again delivered much fascinating and thought-provoking insight into our past, present and future. None of the papers could be presented without extensive research – whether that involved interviews with those whose experiences are now valuable archive material, or investigating existing resources. It is also interesting to think about how we continue to create history and that even material such as PR Conversations itself could...

Posted on PR Techster

Nurturing Knowledge – a job for PR

‘Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge’ – Wikipedia’s blackout protest statement is a reminder of the value and reliance placed on repositories of online information.  How many of us turn to Google, Wikipedia, digital dictionaries, social media or online news sources routinely when we want to know something?  The English-speaking student population is apparently distraught that its primary place for ‘cut and paste’ assignments is offline for a day.  The Digital Natives haven’t been so...

Posted on Classic PR Conversations PR Techster

Using Twitter for PR events

How should you use Twitter for public relations events?  This is a topic we’ve pondered among the PR Conversations team (Judy Gombita, Markus  Pirchner and Heather Yaxley).  Twitter offers potential for conferences, launches, announcements, stunts and many other PR events – and we’ve seen it used well, and badly.  We’ve used Twitter at events, and participated remotely in real world activities and those that only exist online.  So we thought it would be worthwhile sharing...

Posted on PR Axis

PR rules not OK

For an occupation that depends on freedom of expression to operate, it seems there are many who relish nothing more than imposing rules on the practice – and even the conceptualisation – of public relations. First we have calls for a licence to operate, regulation, accreditation or registration of practitioners.  Even if you voluntarily join a professional body, there are codes of practice, guidelines, “best practice” mandates and a host of other prescriptive instructions on...

Posted on PR Techster

There’s no such thing as online or digital PR anymore…

That seems to be the message from Philip Young who, with David Phillips, is editing a special edition of the online journal, PRism on the topic: Beyond Online Public Relations (to be published early in 2012). Philip claims that “Today ALL PR is Online PR” and is interested in papers that support or challenge the view that it is no longer meaningful to discuss ‘online PR’ (abstracts of up to 500 words to be emailed...

Posted on PR Mediums

What do digital immigrants really know about social media? Part II

This second part of a conversation about the role of social media in PR moves on to reflect on the practices of organisations and their representatives in this ever changing terrain. Heather Yaxley and Judy Gombita share their views and offer some cautionary advice. Judy Gombita The previous post referenced the Pew Internet “Generations Online” report; this time let’s look at the Edelman Trust Barometer 2011. From the Edelman January 25, 2011, news release, “Skepticism...

Posted on PR Mediums

Online Public Relations: The adoption process and innovation challenge, a Greek example

By Philip J Kitchen, Dean, Faculty of Business, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada In the past two decades PR practitioners have become more involved with electronic activities that have allowed them to engage at different levels with clients, media and various online communities. Monitoring online interaction and presence has also become an important practice in addition to more mainstream functions including website development and communication through e-mail. Social media has helped shift the focus...

Posted on PR Nexus

Public Relations before, during, after acquisitions and mergers. Fascinating lessons from Poznan, Poland!

Ok… it took me more than 20 hours by van to return to Italy, while an Icelandic dust closed all of Europe’s airports… courtesy of two young polish drivers (found via the Internet the evening before by one of my benefactors Monika Bogdal from Poznan’s University of Economics… the power of social media…)… yet I was thrilled, honoured and inspired to have been granted the privilege by Prof. Ryszard Ławniczak to participate to the EconPr...