Increasing Use Of Social Media Among Public Relations Practitioners

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Advancement in modern technology which resulted in building computer/internet in short information and communication technology (ICT) in the late 20 century and with more powerful and sophisticated ones in this 21 century which has transformed the world into a global village as postulated by a Canadian English professor, Marshal Mcluham.   This new technology has compressed the whole world into a single electronic to where information about far and near can be exchanged and shared with just a click of mouse.   Internet being the host of many other media tagged socio-media like: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Ebay, Ebuddy, Eskimi, 2go, Yahoo, Google e.t.c making information distribution faster, cheaper and easier. The arrival of this information and communication technology has affected and the usual shapes of every human activities ranging from education to agriculture, business, mass communication, politics, health.   However, the practice of public relation is not exceptional as ICT has influenced the PRS being practice in this century.   Carrying out project work relating to the effect of social media on the practice of PRS will lead to the definition of ‘core word’ like public relations from different perspectives.   According to the institute of public relations, “public relations are a deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintained mutual understanding between an organization and its various Public.   Therefore, there is no gain saying in the fact that, the practices of PR in this century has moved from manual to the digital public relations.

Digital public relations or an e-public relation is the latest concept in corporate reputation management.   It is the practice of public relations through the new ICT, it is an innovation concept that is computer mediated yet it is cheaper.   Today organization and clients are making greater demand as on public relations professionals that are more ICT creative, more innovation and more efficiency in service delivery.

1.2 Statement of the Problem  

The rise in the use of social media around the world has led to the introduction of social media into many public relations practices. It is unarguably true that this new form of communication is growing at an incredibly rapid pace, it is therefore important to analyze the impact that social and other new media have had on the overall public relations practice, as well as how universities are incorporating this new media into their curriculum. This study aims to examine how public relations practitioners are using social media; the impact and implications that this new media has had on the public relations profession, and how public relations professionals value these new media as a means to communicate with the public.

1.3  Objectives of the Study 

The main objective of the study is to examine increasing use of social media among public relations practitioners.

1. To investigate the potential roles of social-media in modern practice of public relations.  

2. To study the differences and similarity in terms of cost, and effectiveness while using social media and traditional media for message dissemination.  

3. To examine the public’s response attitude towards the social-media message.  

4. To investigate whether the social media are suitable for public relations practice. 

5. To show the strength and weakness of social media as a public   relations tool.  

1.4 Research Questions  

1. Does your company use social media in communication and sharing of ideas?  

2. To what extent has social media help your company solve problems and complains from its various Public?

3. Has social media enhanced the performance of public relations department of Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku?  

4. Does Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku face any challenge in using social media?