Being almost halfway through the year 2009, we can only anticipate that with so many technologic advancements, our society will soon be completely dependent on the internet. Many could argue that its websites and “open information,” truly dictate many people’s actions. In specific, over the decades we have seen how public relations have changed. Anywhere from hand delivered telegrams, snail mail or even press releases at one point were effective ways of communicating.
Currently, Americans are seeing the online side of public relations. Using the internet to communicate to large groups of people comes with its positives and negatives. First, the internet can be useful when trying to communicate your key message (s). For example, companies are able to cater their website to what they believe people want to see. Still, with the internet’s massiveness, it is near impossible to communicate ones key messages to just one target audience. In other words, anyone with access to the internet can see whatever they want.
A good way to understand the current status of public relations in America with regards to technological advances is by looking at what happened in 2008. Wired.com ranked the top 10 technology advances of 2008 and they are listed below:
10. Flexible Displays
9. Edible Chips
8. Speedo LZR
7. Flash Memory
6. GPS
5. The Memristor
4. Video-Capable SLR’s
3. USB 3.0
2. The Android
1. Apple’s App Store
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news/2008/12/YE8_techbreaks?currentPage=
Although many of these do not directly relate to the point I am trying to make, I want focus on numbers five, three and one. The memristor is a technological breakthrough that could “change how we compute.” This discovery makes it possible for computer systems to remember what is stored in its memory even after it has been turned off. Essentially this seems as if all computers will begin to know everything thus making information even easier to access.
Next, we have the USB 3.0. The USB 3.0 will be 10 times faster and has been eight years in the making. This will help us store and share more information.
Finally, the number one technology advance of 2008 is the Apple’s App store. This is interesting because with the newly released iphone, 2008 seemed to be the year of Apple. Its access to the internet and its applications really has dictated the way public relations and its practices are delivered and interpreted. We no longer have to open a newspaper or turn on the news to get the information that we need. Although it is unfortunate that we don’t depend on the things that really “shaped” communication and public relations it is important that, as a society, we adapt to change. In 2009, this means that we must accept and understand online public relations.
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