The Magic Communication Machine

The concept for new media technology got its start in the 1960s. With the rise of modern computer technology, the idea of information exchange through the medium became a powerful application. Based from the review on “The Magic Communication Machine” the study of the internet as well other new technologies are having on three categories which are Public relation professionals, journalist and the general public. Besides that, perceived credibility of the Internet, and studies the impact the new technologies are having on relationships between journalists and those who practice public relations.

As the world's largest information source, the Internet provides the public relations industry with an exciting communication medium offering unlimited message dissemination potential. Based form the journal, new communication technologies and the internet are changing the way people live and for the journalist, internet made their jobs easier and enhanced the quality of their task. For today, journalists now rate e-mail equal to the telephone as the preferred medium for interviewing news sources as well journalists report they regularly use the Internet when gathering information for news stories.

The most important component in credibility and believability of internet information is the source of the information. Some web sites are considered more credible than others, and some sources are more believable than others. On the other hand, the impact of new media technologies is the way people communicate with one another. Through new media technologies people are freely to give their opinion either positive or negative but back to the communication feedback, there is no face to face communication but the ‘magic’ communication done all the communication process and this can led to low self-esteem of community in the future.  

From http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2001_InternetImpact.pdf

Reviewed by:  Nabilah Binti Mofti

Twitter as a Public Relations Tools

Public relations is a field concerned with maintaining public image for  high profile people, businesses and organizations, non-profit organizations or programs. Other define as the practice of managing communication between an organization and its public. Public relations provide an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that provide a third-party endorsement. (Grunig & Todd, 1984).

There are various tools that can be used by public relations practitioner in practice of their field. Nowadays, most companies are utilizing interactive social media as tools in their public relations campaigns. Unlike the traditional tools which only allowed only one way of communication, the social media allows companies to engage in two way communication and receive immediate feedback from their audiences.

Twitter, one of the social media nowadays has become one of the Public Relations tools because of the increase in Twitter use is outstanding and quite overwhelming. Public Relations sees as using Twitter as a public relations tool is now more significant than ever as Twitter is rounding up more users. According to the researchers, Twitter is not the only social media tool that allows public relations practitioners to reach their audiences, but the short, instant structure is new and useful. The real-time, one-on-one conversation is unprecedented in social media. The opportunity to instantly connect with an audience and often receive a rapid response offers a new way to communicate

The nature of Twitter communications provides public relations practitioners with the ability to create a conversation and a relationship with their audience in real-time. Botan and Taylor (2004) discussed the basic definition of public relations as relationship building. While industry professionals use this method to communicate directly with their target audiences as respondents discussed, an unexpected relationship-building opportunity with the media has grown out of the Twitter environment. This connection to the media provides an entrée into the journalism community that public relations professionals lacked in the past. Twitter provides the ability to respond directly to media requests and offer suggestions for articles that put their client’s names into the public’s eye.

Taken from : http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/PRJournal/Documents/2011Evans.pdf

Reviewed by: Muhammad Bunyamin b. Mohd Nordin  2009140973

Public Relations and Social Media by James L. Horton

Many of the traditional media user has shifted to the usage of the new media, the Public Relations practitioner now need to consider the role and thus learn the way to ensure that the new media as the essential communication tools for the audiences. The biggest challenges that the new social media is that the segmenting the audience is nothing like the old ways as everyone are expose to the information that they sought after. Conversely, because of its nature, the social media has also been divided into several segments meaning to serve also a different set of audience.

The biggest challenge that can be seen within the social media is the issue of return-on-investment. Practitioner might have a lot of effort but the result might not be as what as expected. Another challenge that occurs is influence. Practitioner need to determine which social media is the better choice of an audience. Research can be done in but there isn’t a finite guarantee that the message can be sent across.

The third challenge is time, as social media need to be used effectively in order one to gain trust from the required which is the least expected for the clients. Clients of the public relations practitioner need the later to have accomplished relationship and this is a continuous effort that needed to be done over some period of time. Despite the difficult challenges, penetrating the social media is worth it. Success user of the new media can then focus in communicating to respectable audience effectively and efficiently.

There are several tactics and technique that can be applied which based on common sense approaches and they are; to test the social media beforehand, to plan each event just like in the traditional media, identify each specific type of social media that needed for certain communication, to constantly monitor the used and desired social media, and last but not least, to respect and carefully approach your audience and remember that you are dealing with human behind every computer screen.

In launching social media campaign, practitioner must be all translucent as not to hide any essential information for the audience, as to also maintain a long term social media campaign. Social media campaign will never happened over night. The right thing to do is to always keep a database for any follow-on campaign.

There are more than results in building social media audience. Practitioner need to understand the flexibility of social media and one need to be prepared of changing the conventional way of how things are done. Essential changes can happen in split seconds. There are little different between the traditional and new media, the most important thing that should always be in the practitioner mind is that now, the practitioner are now loaded with any conventional gatekeeper responsibilities.

Taken from: http://www.online-pr.com/Holding/PR_and_Social_media.pdf

Reviewd by Mohd Siddek Arif Saleh ( 2009520841)

Air Asia

          Having a dedicated and a visionary CEO, AirAsia seem to be driving itself to a well performing volatility. In articulation of this fundamental performance, the low cost airline are utilizing the presence of the new media as one of the key factors that facilitate its business operation especially in the marketing site.

          

         Sited from AirAsia’s official website, it is stated that AirAsia’s facebook fanpage has more than 190,000 fans currently and making a record of being the first airline with 100,000 fans on facebook. Realizing the need of disseminating messages in the fastest way and able to reach a widely audiences, this airline really taking it seriously when it comes to the use of new media in their marketing strategies. The fanpage constantly updates on new promotions, discussion and notes shared by both employees and fans.

        

         Apprehended in becoming the pioneer of using new media, AirAsia has also created a link to twiter on the fanpage, inviting its fans to follow the company on Twitter for the latest news and deal updates. Currently, AirAsia’s twitter account has more than 20,000 followers which could be very positive and promising.  

           

         Not only facebook and twitter , AirAsia also up level itself to be the best among rest of its competitors by blogging their current updates and informations. This approach of blogging started in July28, 2008. The features include in this blog varies from contained travel-related stories and announcements posted by readers and employees.

           

           Not only focusing on positive feedback, in the use of blog, AirAsia also entertain constructive criticisms pertaining to their operation and customer service. This practice of exploitation of the new media especially the social network, proves in creating a platform for AirAsia to react and respond quickly  to customer’s displeasure, thus engaging and establishing a better relationship with its customers.

http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/130320/airasia-no1-on-twitter

http://www.airasia.com/my/en/followuson.page

MOHAMAD FADHIL BIN MOHAMMAD FAHROZI