Does the rise of Web 2.0 spell the end of traditional media relations?

Where the Web 1.0 included traditional websites with some text, a few pictures, some search boxes and maybe a discussion forum, the rise of the ‘second digital revolution’ provides major challenges for people who work in media relations. The user is now in charge and the content is flexible and varied.
The ‘traditional rules’ of length and format is changing, and in that relation the rules of advertising regulation and format as well. Not only is this a challenge for broadcasters, especially through rights distribution, but PR professionals has to find an alternative route to capture the attention of the public.

The hot-topics any PRP's need to understand the importance of include blogs, user-generated content, digital broadcasting and citizen journalism. It has been said that the Web 2.0 so far has belonged exclusively to the smartest web-developers whereas now it’s public property. A survey conducted by the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom suggests that 16 to 24 year olds are spurning television, radio and newspapers in favour of online services. This group spend nearly three hours on the internet each week, and 70% (compared to 41% of the general population) have used some kind of social networking site, such as My Space, and one in five has their own website or blog.

This demographic group spend less time on the traditional media, and more time online. But this tendency doesn’t apply for this group exclusively. The trend shows that people seem more eager to choose what to watch, hear and spend time on. With the Web 2.0 they can do it together with their friends, from all over the world, whenever they want.

The exclusive world of the news correspondent is challenged by a new bread of reporters; citizen journalists and more specific; bloggers. How they produce the stories lays the basis for how others consume it. The “old” PR gatekeeper has in this sense lost a lot of the power in the new media age. Bloggers can spin around an issue and drive the debate beyond control of the mainstream media. Blogs can affect reputations, both positive and negative, and PRP's have to be aware and on top of the challenges this provides. The blogs reaches customers, potential customers, employees, voters, investors, and influencers. It would be stupid to neglect this. But at the same time, if you decide to start blogging you need to know what the outcomes can be and learn the ground rules for how to best inform, entertain and retain your audience.

One new blog is created every second of every day. The social network that My Space provides is growing in to massive proportions. People are using more time watching videos on You Tube than on TV. It seems that the days are gone when PR could be constructed around some media relations activity, a product launch or a press conference. The great challenge is; should PRP’s keep up by changing their infrastructure and being available 24/7. Or is the alternative of listening to the public in terms of taking a role that is less controlling and more of an enabling role in promoting the messages it wants its public to discuss a better choice; a place with the appropriate environment in which the intended audience can draw their own conclusions?