The more I read in the news about the lay-offs and closings of newspapers around the country, the more I see people starting to question the future of the PR industry. While I understand the concern, the truth is that the PR industry is not going anywhere—if anything, this newspaper collapse will weed out the unworthy publicists and bring about a PR era of truly talented specialists.
Yes, the media industry is the channel through which PR effectively communicates. But, the more technology changes and adapts the media industry, the more everyone needs to change with the times and keep up with the newest mediums.
PR is here to stay. The medium through which we channel our clients’ information is going to continue to evolve; so we need to continue to use our current print media channels, while incorporating the newest avenues to become a part of the ongoing communication evolution.
PR specialists will be tweeting, friending, and following clients, journalists, and the like to get their stories out to the people. The trick here is to understand how to effectively inform through these new mediums, NOT STALK. You see, most people have not quite mastered the concept of using social media outside the realm of personal use. This will be the ultimate challenge for the future of the PR industry, as survival of the fittest (meaning communication effectiveness) will turn out the worthy PR specialists.
-Posted by Tiffany Morgan @TiffanyMMorgan