Social Media and Public Relations

Social Media and Public Relations

Social Media and Public Relations

Social media is having a profound, but not yet fully understood impact on public
relations. In the 24/7 world of perpetually connected publics, will public
relations
function as a dark art that spins (or tweets) self-interested variations
of
the truth for credulous audiences? Or does the full glare of the Internet and
the
increasing expectations of powerful publics motivate it to more honestly
engage
to serve the public interest?


The purpose of this book is to examine the role of PR by exploring the
myriad ways that social media is reshaping its conceptualization, strategies,
and tactics. In particular, it explores the dichotomies of fake and authentic,
powerless and powerful, meaningless and meaningful. It exposes transgressions
committed by practitioners—the paucity of digital literacy, the lack of understanding
of the norms of social media, naivety about corporate identity risks,
and
the overarching emphasis on spin over authentic engagement. But it also
shows
the power that closely networked social media users have to insert information
and opinion into discussions and force “false PR friends” to be less so.


This timely, challenging, and fascinating book will be of interest to all
students, researchers, and practitioners in Public Relations, Media, and
Communication Studies.

Judy Motion
Robert L. Heath
Shirley Leitch