But back to your article, for me the social media world provides us with so many more ways to engage and communicate with consumers, to have a great dialogue and to entertain and have fun with them. I definitely understand some people’s fears about jumping in, but there are some easy baby steps that can provide assurances along the way and show how much fun it can be.

It all does go back to some core PR basics – what is the message, why should people care, how can it be relevant and where do we engage people that is part of a natural conversation. I hope more of us jump in to try out this new world, my bet is everyone will have a refreshed approach to tackling challenges and learning new ways to have fun in the process.

I think that there is way too much urban myths and legends surrounding how both bloggers and journalists work. These require clarification and bringing them to light.

For a start, I agree that nobody can control what either journalists or bloggers say. However, one can manage the outcome to the best of one’s ability by applying the right principles in fostering professional relationships, as well as understanding what drives or motivates them. Information – the right kind – is certainly a key motivating factor, as well as timeliness.

The other point is that we have become far too fixated with channels and platforms, be they in traditional media or new media. Seth Godin’s point (and I have just started reading Meatball Sundae…haha) is that we should be obsessed with our ORGANISATIONS and PRODUCTS first before looking at how we should spin the yarn for different platforms. If we want to align ourselves with social media networks, then our organisation and our people must be aligned to them too. At the same time, we should ask ourselves if our products are really suited in the first place for a blogger preview.

On Ivan’s point, I tend to both agree and disagree. Bloggers are individuals that are usually not motivated by a pay packet, although there is recently the rise of professional bloggers (including those dudes who died on the job) who are paid on a per word basis. However, they can also be convinced to do something positive if given the right reasons. I don’t subscribe to the view that all bloggers are like cowboys who shoot their mouths off at the heat of the moment.

In the same vein, not all journalists are as easily manageable. There will be those who have an agenda to pick, and they will find ways and means to weave in that streak of vigilante journalism into their articles despite your cajoling, negotiating and win-win-thinkingisms! Still, there are ways to get them on your side if you can convince them.

fact: it is hard to control bloggers and what they say.

fact: it is hard to control journalists and what they say

blogs offer a micro-target, audience specific, easily searchable audience source. And they have something that is lacking in mainstream media, that “biased, honest-to-goodness what i really think about this” that arguably provides a stronger influence than mainstream media.

something is wrong with our media industry, if your friend thinks its easier to ‘control what journalists say’. in both cases, it should be equally difficult. have we become pampered by certain idiosyncrasis of our own industry?

great post Pris, social media goes a long way, and the fact of the matter is, we cannot control what bloggers are going to say.. we can guide conversations like moderators, but if our products don’t stand up to stringent public scrutiny, that makes us more accountable to the publics we serve -)