To Jump Or Not To Jump On The Bandwagon: Traditional Media vs. Social Media

It is clear that social media has reinforced the ideal two-way communication model back and has provided many other benefits to the practice of public relations; however there has been a hesitancy to discuss the potential downfalls of social media. As Bianca just previously discussed, it is apparent that as public relation practitioners we need to adapt traditional communication methods and tactics so that they are more appealing in the social media forum. But just how much is social media asking for public relations to change? Have we become so blind sighted by the potential benefits social media has to offer that we could be damaging the future of public relations?

Perhaps the most notable benefit social media has provided is an ally in the battle against media gatekeepers. Social media has helped to brake down the media hierarchy, and provided tools that allow direct access to key publics (Infuential Marketing Blog, 2006). Additionally social media has expanded the limitations on time and space. Newspapers and television have very precise constraints; where as social media is not restricted in any way. Social media tools can be large and posses a layered capacity for both submitting and receiving information, especially in regards to obtaining feedback. Collaborating public opinion can be limited, time consuming and effortful using traditional media tools. As discussed previously by Ashleigh Smith, social media has presented new and efficient ways to measure public opinion and the success of online public relations.

Whilst the above points highlight the notable benefits of the application of social media in public relations, many academics are quick to challenge these ideas. The recent claims that social media has a ‘dark side’ have caused many large organisations to hesitate jumping onto the social media bandwagon (Bardack, 2009). One the main arguments put forward is that social media essentially allows anyone with limited training or professional values to enter the public relations sphere. Such non-professionalism can jeopardise an organisations’ credibility, and can also damage the professional image of public relations. Additionally the credibility of social media has been put to question as most of the information provided through social tools severely lack news values and journalistic standards. Lastly traditional media generally have a large loyal based audiences, developed over years of relationship building, one aspect that social media is yet to achieve.

It is apparent that the induction of social media has revolutionised the management of public relations, however we must consider its possible implications in a global perspective. The transformation of the Internet has largely been to the advantage of Western countries, those of which who have benefited previously from such industrial revolutions. Hence as to why the development of the Internet has placed a huge ‘digital divide’ across the globe, separating those who have access to an abundance of information to those that have none. “91% of the worlds users of the Internet are drawn from only 19% of the worlds population” (Cameron & Wilcox, 2009). These figures highlight the problem if communication resources are devoted exclusively to social media channels, key publics can be lost.

Therefore we must not only adapt traditional communication methods to the social sphere but also continue to use traditional media channels that are so deeply embed in the history of public relations. It is apparent that public relations need to utilize both traditional and social media in order to successful get their message to key publics. As upcoming public relation practitioners, it is clear that we cannot rely on social media to achieve business objectives, especially in countries that are still behind on industry revolutions. The amalgamation of both traditional and social media provides their benefits to be utilized, maximising the success of any public relations campaign.

Ashleigh McLennan

Bardack, S. (2009, October 23). Penn Olson. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from Did Social Media Kill Off Traditional Media Relations?: http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.penn-olson.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/social-media-bandwagon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.penn-olson.com/2009/10/23/did-social-media-kill-off-traditonal-media-relations/&usg=__28PrOkUUEDyJgQbJVVlHle2bYxQ=&h=353&w=420&sz=43&hl=en&start=77&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=iTH4YkrFNIYOEM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtraditional%2Bmedia%2Bvs%2Bsocial%2Bmedia%26start%3D72%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Infuential Marketing Blog. (2006, October 16). The Dark Side of Social Media And 5 Ways to Avoid It. Retrieved April 15, 2010, from Infuential Marketing Blog: Refelections On Creating Compelling Marketing, Advertising and PR Strategy: http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/weblog/2006/10/the_dark_side_o.html

Wilcox, D & Cameron G (2009) Public relations: Strategies and tactics(9th Ed) USA: Pearson