Talk about time flying. It’s been about a year and a half since the first of a handful of pundits began sounding the current death knell for the public relations industry. The suspected cause of death? Social media.

Like previous reports of our industry’s demise, this one has been greatly exaggerated. Public relations isn’t declining at the hands of social media; it’s gaining, as social media provides opportunities to build relationships in new ways, and as companies seek guidance on effective and credible ways to leverage the new tools.

Continue reading " The Nine Lives of Public Relations? "

May 8 update: A letter to the editor was sent to the New York Times to present facts that counter the article’s premise.

Writing for Sunday’s (May 3, 2009) New York Times, Eric Pfanner reports (a bit too gleefully, it seems) that the public relations industry is suffering in the current economic slowdown. As evidence, he cites financial reports showing a decline in public relations revenue at major communications holding companies WPP, Omnicom and Publicis.

The extent of the revenue drops at those companies are consistent with industry findings put forward by the respected USC Annenberg Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center (SCPRC). In January, the SCPRC surveyed nearly 200 senior level public relations and corporate communication professionals at U.S. corporations, non-profits and government agencies; it found that organizations have reduced their public relations spending 3.9 percent relative to their planned 2009 budgets, after starting the year already having pared such spending by 7.4 percent when compared with 2008 expenditure levels.

Putting the data in context, however, the SCPRC says damage to the public relations profession as a result of the recession is “relatively modest.”

Continue reading " The New York Times’ Half-Empty Report on Health of PR Industry "

One of PRSA’s many strengths is its unity of purpose — thousands of members contributing their time, contacts, thought leadership and passion in pursuit of a common goal to strengthen the public relations profession. Our unity does not signify uniformity, however; determining how best to assess, prioritize and assimilate the various opinions of our members is one of our ongoing challenges.

Over the past year, we have increasingly relied on formal research to help us solicit and evaluate member feedback and chart appropriate courses of action. Last spring, we surveyed our members to gauge their attitudes and beliefs toward PRSA National and measure their overall satisfaction with the membership experience. Our Professional Interest Sections are all now using research to refine their programs and product offerings, and we regularly poll our other member communities, as well. This blog, in fact, is the result of last year’s member survey — which revealed that our members wanted another forum to engage in a dialogue with PRSA leaders, exchange viewpoints and share perspectives.

Continue reading " Researching “Future” Chapters "

In her article, “Dizzying PR Binge,” which currently appears under the “Considered View” banner on breakingviews.com and on The Huffington Post, Correspondent Lauren Silva Laughlin takes AIG to task for having multiple public relations agencies on retainer.

Ms. Laughlin suggests that hiring a public relations firm is just another prime example of AIG squandering government bailout funds and sticking taxpayers with the bill. She seems to view public relations as a corporate frill, just like a management “retreat” to a fancy spa, or a private jet, or a million dollar bonus given to an overpaid and unrepentant top executive.

Continue reading " An Ill-Considered View of AIG and Public Relations "

The Rocky Mountain News published its last issue today.

The venerable daily is a victim of the terrible economy and the current upheaval in the newspaper industry. Its closing is not good news for Denver, and it’s certainly not good news for the publication’s staffers, some of whom were said to cry at the news.

I can identify with the pain they’re feeling. Newspaper closings and newsroom layoffs always fill me with a sense of loss. My father, prior to starting his own public relations firm, worked for the Newark Star-Ledger. I spent many early mornings as a child delivering that paper and, all these years later, my mornings still begin with the rustle of newsprint and ink stains on my hands. 

Continue reading " Public Relations Stares Down the Shrinking News Hole "