Public Relations and Information Technology

Public Relations practitioners have an abundance of digital communications medium alternatives to communicate with their publics and establish beneficial relationships. From the advent of film, radio, and television in the 20^th century, to the proliferation of broadband access to information through computers and cell phones, there are now more ways than ever to engage an audience that is more fractured, yet can be targeted with greater accuracy, financial efficiency, and bottom line effectiveness. Twitter for example is a relatively new social networking website that allows users to post messages for free and that can then be viewed by others who have logged onto the site using their computer..

For example, Ron Artest, an NBA player known for an unorthodox playing style and with a controversial past in terms of penalties for offensive behavior on and off the court, had expressed an interest in playing for the Los Angeles Lakers for many years.

However, due to past experiences, the Lakers may have viewed his joining the team as a risky proposition. In addition, the organization had just won an NBA championship, and conventional wisdom indicated that the best move would be to keep the nucleus of the team intact for another run at a ring. Fortunately for Artest, a member of Twitter, he had a stellar performance during the playoffs against the Lakers and proved that statistically he was a major asset to his team. Although the Lakers would be giving up a starting player, in return they would get a superior performer and personality. To cap his campaign for the position, Artest agreed to accept approximately the same contract as his predecessor, and wrote about the above terms on his Twitter site for all the fans and media pundits to see. As a result of his openness and enthusiasm, the stakeholders generally viewed his signing with the Lakers as a positive move and his value as much higher than any competitors for the roster spot.

Artest was able to utilize his smartphone, much in the same way as professional public relations practitioners, from any location and at any time of day. In fact, on the day he agreed to the terms of the deal, he was riding a bus on his way to a media outlet's facilities. The ability to send wireless messages through the Internet to his followers, without any noticeable difference from using a computer, has allowed users of Twitter to provide constant updates about any activity, if desired. By simply downloading an App, for example form the iTunes store in the case of the iPhone, (which currently holds the largest market share of smartphone Internet traffic) professionals can constantly calibrate their messages to meet constantly evolving situations that unfold during the course of an event, crisis, or tour.