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Medialand has undergone a sea change in the last eight years.
When my two-year tenure as PR News editor ended in 2005, Facebook was just a pup, Twitter did not yet exist and global domination was still a glimmer in the eye of the top execs at Google. Yet the rise of social media and the proliferation of new media distribution models are just two of the dramatic changes that have engulfed the PR field in the last several years.
In a growing number of cases at both the corporate and agency levels PR execs are being tasked with marketing disciplines that were unheard of in communications circles just a few years ago, such as brand management, media planning and media buying. And, as with other marketing professions, the onus is increasing on you to show legitimate ROI to the C-suite, or risk getting the short end of the stick when it comes to doling out the budgets.
It’s with all of these dramatic changes in communications that I eagerly return to PR News, as Group Editor. As I hit the ground running, there’s no shortage of activities going on here.
In February we’ll publish our annual PR News’ “Salary Survey,” which PR pros will be eager to see. We’ll also be on the road frequently early in the New Year. Our SEO Workshop will take place Feb. 26 in San Francisco and our Digital PR Summit congregates a day later, also in the Bay Area. We have a slew of awards programs on tap, including our biggest awards show, the Platinum PR Awards (call for entries is on May 10).
In addition to all of our ancillary programming, every week (both in print and online) the PR News staff and I will strive to provide PR execs with the type of how-to information that will enhance the value of corporate communications and, ultimately, enable PR execs to do their job better and be viewed by their chieftains in a more favorable light.
Indeed, as a loyal PR News reader, we’re committed to providing you with comprehensive coverage on how to wed PR to the top and bottom lines, whether that’s via leveraging social channels to create lead-generation revenue or nipping a crisis in the bud that, if left unchecked, could cost your brand dearly.
In the year ahead, we’ll strive to provide you with more proprietary data regarding trends in communications and PR, as well as additional stats on social channels. We’re also eager to develop more media partnerships with associations and academic institutions.
But you are our most valuable asset and I’ll be taking pains to reach out to you with more frequency in order to get closer to your day-to-day concerns and see what’s on your mind. Is there an issue or area that you’d like us to ramp up (or dial back) the coverage? Give me a shout. I can be reached at [email protected]. I’m ready to rock and roll.
