Week 1 ::Mapping the Consequences of Technology on Public Relations::

By: Nurul Ain binti Hanas  2009620222

I’m didn’t touch totally on this topic; it’s just review from what I know on this topic. Nowadays new media are important to us. Everyone has communicated through the new media networking such are Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, Youtube and so on. Publics always use the internet to get the new information. Since the new media has become famous among the public, due to many organizations use the new media to spread company’s news and activities.

Regarding of ‘Mapping the Consequences of Technology on Public Relations’ by John V. Pavlik. On this article, he said the new media have become standard tools that continue to influence public relations practices. It is because new technology presents significant implications for public relations. According to Patricia Sturdevant in Corporate Communication said the internet is a very effective new weapon for the consumer (Argenti, 2009). Public always believe totally on what they read in the internet, it is responsibility for public relations of any organization to monitoring the new media networking for spread any information carefully.

On his article these have four broad areas (impact/implication), I can describe that the new media give the impact on public relations work.  As we know before the technology become famous, they are using the old method to spread the info such as write the memo on the paper, using the letter to communicate the people outside there, it’s take a longer time for them to receive. But now, it becomes easy to them because of new technology. In the new era, public relations just seat in front of computer and type what they want, once typed and only click send, the press release will released on the internet. It is simple and easy for public relations. Many press releases are produced on a computer and delivered via email.

Today, social networking is important for those always use it to communicate with others. Let say twitter, it allow us to post short messages. Twitter can nevertheless provide extremely up-to-the-minute updates to blogs even though although limited about 114 characters to type. Example Air Asia Bhd, always update their status in the twitter. Sometimes the messages updated by Air Asia didn’t publish in newspaper and television news. It is one of example that public relations take the new technology opportunity to spread their organization’s information.

The second of impact from the usage of the technology for public relation is about relationship with public. The percentage of usage internet by public has increase, it’s important to public relations to handle the situation because public search in the internet. Public relations should to evolve with them to sustain the relationship. The example the organization did something corporate responsibility towards the public, as a public relations you should know this event was successful or not. So, you can do the online forum to give the chance for public to talk. From this forum you can get the negative or positive feedback from them. The relationship was being growth and public relations at the same can maintain the organization’s reputation.

The next is implications for content or messages. Technology has many significant implications for the content or messages developed and utilized in public relations. Text messaging via cell phones has emerged as a viable means to reach mobile publics, especially youthful targets. Short messages such as BTW (by the way), GR8 (great), and CUL8R (see you later). Public relations must know the phenomenon of short messages, it’s because you can understand what the public type.

A notable example of how technology has influenced public relations messages is the video news release (VNR). VNR has evolved into a sophisticated digital public relations tool and a frequent part of television news, particularly at the local level.28 Further, new technologies have made it increasingly effective to distribute VNRs in digital format via satellite or other broadband technologies (John V. Pavlik).

The last is the implications for organizational structure, culture, and management. The organizational more open to facilitate towards among various groups. Organizational openness and transparency are increasing as online technologies have become everywhere and powerful. The organization will be communicated through the medium with their suppliers, consumers, and so on. It’s become easy for the organization to expand their function and sell the services. The material of organization will be read by the public. Many organizations use the internet as a medium to connect with the public. One of the examples is organizations in Malaysia mostly use the online media to communicate with the public. Like public can pay the entire of bills via the online system. The government portal has providing many services on their portal. Thus, many of organization adapt the technology as their culture to communicate with the public.

Lastly, public relations must know everything in the new technology to become a successful. They need to monitor on their sites to giving the new information for public. Public always find the new source, as public relation must be alert and faster to find the new source to publish on their sites.

http://www.institueforpr.org/mappingtheconsequnecesoftechnologyonpublicrelation