New guidelines for social media

The CIPR’s annual conference recently debated to update its code of conduct to take account of new media such as blogging. Social media offers new opportunities, but also new challenges and problems which raises questions about how PRPs should engage with this. The “social media paper” outlines specific codes that shall apply to social media, for example does the paper recommend that:

“Any CIPR member running a personal blog, whether or not it deals with PR related issues, should normally state on it the nature of their employment. When posting a comment on another blog it may also be advisable to state that
you work in the public relations profession … if a blog comment results in a complaint to the CIPR alleging a breach of the Code of Conduct, the onus will be on the member to show why he did not include that information”.

The paper emphasises that employees should be aware that posting information about their company on for example, their personal blogs, may not necessarily be isolated from their working life, as any information published online can be accessed around the world and will be publicly available for all to see. The consultation also considers a range of legal issues such as intellectual property and invasion of privacy.

The fact that the CIPR is setting up separate codes for social media does in my view certainly indicate that the rise of new media has a significant effect on the PR profession, and that the industry is in the process of facing the challenges new media poses. I believe it is a positive development, although, the current CIPR’s principles should certainly apply to new media as well, it is arguably necessary with specific codes that outlines how PRPs should deal with social media. What do you think? Have a look at the "social media paper" and have your say!

PRPs slow to surf the new media wave

I just read in PR Week that for most PR professionals, blogs are thought to be an important digital communication tool, but the majority (62%) have not yet adopted their communication strategy to include proactive outreach to blogs, message boards or other forms of social media. The research by Peppercom showed that more than eight out of ten UK and US PRPs admit that neither them, nor their clients have an official blogging policy, only a few are diving into social media and most are hesitant to start the process. I was really surprised when I read that, as I thought most PRPs had already adopted social media as part of their communication strategies.

During the last decade there has been a major shift in communications. The Internet has become a primary information source and social media such as blogs, syndication, social networking and podcasting have given individuals a voice. Nearly every major news organisation now has blogs, affecting the way they cover stories. The impact of social media, particularly in the breaking of major news stories, is increasing significantly. For example did 9 % of blogs on Dell get mentioned by the news media last year – an indication of how ‘citizen journalists’ are gaining influence and credibility. Big corporations are incorporating blogs into their communications and marketing strategies, one in five 16 to 24 year olds have their own blog and even politicians are blogging!

“Who could have predicted that in 2006, one of the biggest PR stunts would be
Tory leader David Cameron addressing a video camera from his kitchen? With 160
000 viewings in its first few days, webcameron demonstrated the new power of
blogs in the world of communication”. PRWeek 2006

The online expansion of traditional media and the new Web 2.0 environment of social media, blogs, citizen journalism etc have created a challenge for the PR profession. In this new environment, PRPs must shape dialogues with both traditional and new media; they must communicate with new communities of influential consumers, commentators and analysts that can be more critical of your company or organisation than before, as the www is to a large extent uncontrolled. Much of the material that reaches the public no longer passes through traditional gatekeepers, such as for example newspaper editors. This can be a threat, but also an opportunity for PR practitioners. It is a threat because bloggers rarely play by the same rules as mainstream media. A blogger does not necessarily source their quotes or check their facts and is certainly not expected to be objective. It is almost impossible for the PR practitioner to control the flow of information to the public. On the other hand, new media offers new analysis possibilities. By examine the web pages and blogs, PRPs can learn what clients, stakeholders and various publics are saying. Web 2.0 provides immediate access to opinion makers, consumers and influences that PRPs need to cultivate.

So why have the majority of PR professionals yet to embrace social media techniques? Has the industry not discovered any business advantages of social media? Do PRPs know how to engage with bloggers yet? Is social media, in the eyes of PRPs, only a threat?

Log on to http://www.euroblog2007.org/ to see what impact weblogs and social software are having on PR and communication practice (Results of survey available in March 07).

Are PR students prepared for new media?

New research has revealed that just seven of the 27 CIPR approved higher education PR and communications courses in the UK offer modules dedicated to new media. The poll, by tech agency Lewis PR, has raised concerns among PR practitioners, as it indicates PR students lack the appropriate skills required to use new communication technologies.
Patrick Barrow, director-general of the PRCA wrote in PRWeek that:

“The fact that new-media modules are not included in some courses is complete
madness. If the universities are not teaching the new generation of PROs, then
the agencies have to do it, and that adds to the cost of business”.

The growth of new media has altered new practices for PR practitioners, which means that good skills in the use of communication technologies have become a key quality of a PR practitioner. We have entered a “Web PR age” where PR practitioners are expected to integrate all kinds of
communication tools, from traditional media to blogging, into their practice. This arguably poses a challenge for higher education in that communication and PR students have to learn how to use new communication technologies.

Barrow’s concerns are certainly valid: PR students should definitely know how to use new media before they enter the profession. According to Lewis marketing manager David Cunningham, the growth of new media affects every sector of the PR industry, and 90% of their clients are coming to discuss blogging strategies for their organisations. This suggests that ‘social media’,
such as blogging, is likely to become an important PR strategy in the future, hence, the importance of adequate education in new media.

However, this research arguably gives a false picture. It implies that the only students who are fully equipped to enter the PR profession are the ones who graduate from the universities that offer a new media module. I am doing a master in PR at University of Westminster and even though the university does not run a ‘new media’ module, new media is part of every course
I take. In fact, making this blog is one of this semester’s core assignments! Mark Ramsdale, head of communication policy at the CIPR emphasised this point in PR week:

“This survey talks about new-media modules. While not all of these courses offer
an entire module on the subject, most, if not all, will offer it as part of a course”.

It is in my opinion “complete madness” to undermine the universities that do not offer new media as a separate module. What is important in this case is that the new generation of PR practitioners has the skills and knowledge to face the challenges new media offers.