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<h3>The rise of the public in PR </h3>
<p>The Internet also created the ability to have instant, two-way conversations. With TV, radio, or newspapers, readers or listeners could write in or call in to the media. Their response might be published or aired at a future date.</p>
<p>With the internet, the public could post comments on stories in real-time. This created a shift in the balance of power, as well as the role of the audience.</p>
<p>It also created a shift in the role and responsibility of PR professionals. Their role has now morphed from crafting and pitching a story to monitoring stories around the clock and be prepared to do damage control if the public reacts adversely to a story.</p>
<p>Social media expanded the number of channels and formats available for public relations. It also expanded the reach of the internet and the role of the individual in the PR conversation. Individuals could host blogs, YouTube channels, websites, Instagram stories, Facebook posts, Facebook live videos, and podcasts – some of which have become as popular as major networks. In other words, individuals could become the media or comment on, like, and share stories on major media platforms. Both cases helped further expand the functions and responsibilities of public relations, with the unique requirements needed for each platform.</p>
<p>Thanks to the internet and social media, stories now have the potential to go viral very quickly. Stories can be shared from offline to online and across various social media, as technology has made it easy to click and share. Comments optional.</p>
<p>The negative side of this for companies and their PR teams is that a story can quickly garner negative feedback and backlash, which can also go viral. Damage control can feel like trying to stop a tsunami with a few sandbags, as the speed of news and information travels rapidly. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://learn.g2.com/hubfs/group-journalist-paparazzi-2479946.jpg" alt="paparazzi " width="600" style="width: 600px; display: block; margin: 0px auto;"> <em>Image courtesy of Pexels</em></p>
<h3>Social media and smartphones in the PR industry</h3>
<p>Another way that the internet and social media have transformed PR is that journalists and media professionals, producers, and so on use them to find story ideas and identify sources (e.g. topic experts). </p>
<p>Smartphones with internet access have given us the ability to be reached wherever we are. People carry their phones with them everywhere, so access to the audience is instant. </p>
<p>Additionally, the advanced technology in smartphones, specifically the imaging and internet access, has advanced citizen journalism rapidly. The enhanced quality of the image capturing capabilities of phones continues evolving. This makes it easy to capture high-resolution photos and videos in a flash. News in this high-resolution is now being broadcast by everyday citizens as it occurs; there's no longer even a 30-second delay. </p>
<p>Smart PR firms and practitioners still craft and pitch stories in multiple formats on various media outlets and channels. They also find ways to invite the public to help create their stories. The latest media outlet is smart speakers. News is now being doled out in one or two minute segments called Flash Briefings on Amazon Alexa devices. </p>
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<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>TIP:</strong> Did you know smart speakers are powered by voice search? Check out our statistics roundup of over 40 <a href="/voice-search-statistics" rel="noopener" target="_blank">voice search statistics</a> for 2019! </td>
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<h4><span style="color: inherit; background-color: transparent;">What to expect from PR for the future</span></h4>
<p>The fact that humans need to tell stories and companies want to manage their image and communications hasn’t changed. However, the how, what, and where the stories are shared continues to evolve.</p>
<p>While print publications still exist, many are disappearing in favor of online formats. It’s hard to know what technology will appear next and what shift it will create for public relations. Only the future will tell what new format it takes. </p>
<p><strong>Want to learn more about public relations? Check out our hub with over 30 resources to keep you engaged! </strong></p>
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