The Changing Face of Public Relations

Last week, Russell Beattie got really grumpy about PR professionals. Various people weighed in, but I found Tim Bray’s response most rational. He rightfully points out that traditional PR can be ineffectual, expensive and slow. He does, however, see a place for PR folks in the New World Order:

So, can we lay off all the PR people and shut down the trade press? I sure hope not. It seems like we should have room for people out there who make a full-time living observing, and writing about, our profession; but who aren’t whores.

As for Russell, I pointed out this irony in his comments: in terms of news, the mainstream media breaks the vast majority of stories. The blogosphere, as of yet, is mostly concerned with quoting from, commenting on and criticizing the media. Where does 80-90% of the mainstream media’s news come from? PR professionals.

Russell, Tim and I live among the technorati, where people care passionately about the latest software widget or Google app in Beta. It’s sometimes possible for the great stuff to rise to the top.

Most people live in a world of Britney Spears, the New York Yankees and CNN. In this world, people aren’t information omnivores. In this world, it’s exceptionally difficult to make the great stuff bubble to the top without serious PR and marketing juice. We may get there, but practically speaking we’re many, many miles away when the public’s attention is divided up in a transparent, organic fashion.