CHAPTER ONF.: INTRODUCTION

This section introduces the background to the problem area, which is then followed by the statement o f 

ihc problem, research objective, research questions, significance, justification and study limitations.

l.| Background

PR practice is facing challenges in the era o f new media. There are multiple platforms offered in the dissemination o f information and technology is at the disposal o f a highly demanding public. New media has changed the way in which information is produced, distributed and displayed. Broom (2009. p.266) 

observes that the internet represents the most ubiquitous leading edge o f communication revolution in that nearly all new media are internet based For public relations practitioners, 

the new media environment offers at least three new challenges: 

( 1) staying abreast o f technological developments in new media 

(2) conducting media relations with untraditional “journalists” and 

(3) representing organizations in the new media environment.

Jeikins (1998, p.6) defines public relations as consisting o f planned communication, outwards and inwards, between an organization and its publics for the purpose o f achieving specific objectives concerning mutual understanding. Public relations practitioners have traditionally used “old media” to communicate to its publics but “new media", a relatively new phenomenon, has gained currency as a tool to be used for communication in many organizations as technology is rapidly changing too.

New media has been defined in many ways but this study will focus on social media as the new media According to Broom (2009. p.58), the public relations practitioner as a communication facilitator is a sensitive listener and information broker. Communication facilitators serve as liaisons, interpreters, and 

mediums between an organization and its publics. They maintain two-wuy communication and facilitate exchange by removing barriers in relationships and by keeping channels o f communication open. The 8^*1 is to provide both management and publics the information they need for making decisions o f mutual interest.

tyroom argues that practitioners in the communication facilitator role find themselves acting as information sources and the official contacts between organizations and their publics. I hey referee interactions, and help participants diagnose and correct conditions interfering with communication relationships. Communication facilitators occupy boundary-spanning roles and serve as links between organizations and publics. They operate under the assumption that effective two-way ommunication 

improves the quality o f decisions that organizations and publics make about policies, procedures and actions o f mutual interest.

Social media has changed this landscape o f public relations practice in the sense that public relations practitioners no longer act as information sources since social media like laccbook. YouTube and Blogs afford organizations and publics a multiple array o f information sources.Ihis paper focuses on how social media has impacted on public relations practice.It is imperative to know what scholars have said about new m edia According to Dizard (2008. p.16) new media are not simply an extension of the old. The old and new media both offer information and entertainment resources to large audiences, conveniently und at competitive prices. Dizard continues to explain that the new media are dramatically expanding the range o f resources that are available to consumers through the internet and oilier channels.

ew media includes hut is not limited to blogs, podcasts, online video and social networks (Facebook. Twitter)

New media and old media arc not mutually exclusive as there are areas o f convergence o f the two.

1*2 Statement of the problem

The overall research problem to be addressed in this study is looking at the impact o f social media on public relations. Although many Public Relations practitioners recognize that new media technology has changed the industry’s environment, the changes arc so rapid that the practitioners arc scrambling to adjust. 

2 One of the challenges that laces public relations practitioners as identified by Broom (2009, p.267) is representing organizations in the new media environment.

This study will explore the social media phenomena and the impact that it has had on public relations practice.