PR 2.0 New Media, New Tools, New Audiences

What I feel I have learn the most from this technology class is the need to keep up-to-date on the latest technological forms entering the PR sphere. One way in which we can accomplish this task is by involving ourselves in the technological environment (blogs, virtual realities, etc..) and also by reading. Public Relations professional and author Deirdre Breakenridge has recently publish a book called, PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences. A great tool to understand how the Web changed everything in the PR domain.

MOBILE DEVICES IN A PR WORLD

As Dave Forde indicated on his post, PR Newswire one of the world’s largest text and multimedia distribution services has partnered with Vancouver-based Contec Innovations to deliver content via mobile devices. This means that PR Newswire customers’ press release will be made available on a mobile publishing service. ‘This distribution will give customers the opportunity to reach new audiences around the world,’ commented Joshua Cohen, director of Content Licensing & Distribution of PR Newswire. With an estimated 3.3 billion mobile phone subscribers it is no surprise that PR has tapped into this resource. In many countries, mobile phones outnumber land-line phones and thus the “always on” stream of individuals exist making it a PR communicators dream. Messages can be sent and received anywhere and anytime. Mobile devices have engaged individuals who do not have access to the internet. Using the mobile device as a communication stream…viable option for the future of PR.

http://www.princanada.com/pr-newswire-contec-innovations-partner-to-deliver-news-to-mobile-devices

ENGAGING WITH FANTASY JOURNALISTS….SERIOUS STUFF

In what way could PR contribute to life in a virtual reality? I have thought about this question since listening to a presentation on virtual realities. It seems as though people go ‘into’ Second Life (for example) to escape from reality. Why on earth would they want to be bombarded with publicity and PR messaging? Unless... we view it a different way (spin??) and reflect on how public relations contributes to dialogue. PR isn’t just about forcing a message onto unknown civilians? It is about creating discussion and Second Life, World of Warcraft and other virtual reality sites do just that. In an interview on Beet.tv PR junkie Steve Rubel comments on virtual realities and how engaging with fake journalists is very real. Steve goes onto to emphasise that virtual reality is serious business. ‘Big marketers are paying big buck to be in the world, so PR people better start cracking’. It seems that if there is a demand….then it is a viable PR option!

Video depicts how Dwight Shrute lives in Second Life!