In what ways has the growth of participatory culture and interactivity changed your profession in recent years?

To quote the movie ‘The Social Network’ – “The Internet isn’t written in pencil … it’s written in ink.” This must be remembered by people participating in the culture that is the Internet, but also by those who’s reputations can be destroyed by the Internet – this is where public relations comes into play. The partakers within this culture are creating, contributing and connecting with one another, sharing their views on everything from political standpoints to a preferred brand of microwave popcorn. This blog will define this participatory culture and discuss the implications for public relations, in relation to ethics and the court of public opinion.

Henry Jenkins states that a participatory culture is one:

“1. With relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
2. With strong support for creating and sharing one’s creation with others
3. With some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices
4. Where members believe that their contributions matter
5. Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they care what other people think about what they have created).” (Jenkins, 2006, p.1)

So what does a participatory culture mean for public relations? The area of ‘citizen journalism’ is a key concern for public relations practitioners, as liaising with the media has always been a main aspect of the profession. But when the public becomes the media, and the consumer becomes the journalist – with whom do we communicate? How to we stop the leaks from companies that, thanks to citizen journalism, are comparable to kitchen sieves? And who is held accountable for defamatory, damaging and negative comments on the Internet, masquerading as news? Two key concerns presented by this participatory culture are ethics and the court of public opinion.

Ethics

Jenkins states that a major concern for this emerging industry is the lack of established ethics. “In professional contexts, professional organizations are the watchdog of ethical norms. Yet in more casual settings, there is seldom a watchdog. No established set of ethical guidelines shapes the actions of bloggers and podcasters, for example.”

In Australia, journalists must abide by the MEAA Code of Ethics, which states that “members engaged in journalism commit themselves to honesty, fairness, independence and respect for the rights of others.” (2010). Without this established set of ethics, training within correct journalistic practices and experience with ethical journalists, citizen journalism becomes the wild west of journalism – which spells bad news for public relations practitioners, trying to show their clients in the best light.

The Court of Public Opinion

Although the legislation is catching up to the Internet age, public relations does not take place in a court of law. While in the court of law restitution can be made, and public apologies offered, public relations takes place in the court of public opinion. It is the job of public relations practitioners to shape how people perceive and view an organisation, and if proper journalistic ethics are not followed then companies can be defamed on the Internet. While the battle may be won against the defamers in the court of law, the court of public opinion is not so easily swayed – rather than relying on facts, emotions are brought into play and can manipulate the public’s view of a company.

In public relations, making your client appear in the best light possible is one of your main priorities. As people who regularly liaise with the media (and often are the first point of contact for any media relations), it is important to understand who you are dealing with and the best way to handle them. However, as the participatory culture of the Internet grows, it is imperative that practitioners find a way to deal with and anticipate the movements of this culture – as to not do so could cause irreparable damage to a clients reputation, and in turn, the practitioners.

References

Jenkins, H. (2006). Confessions of an ACA-fan: Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21^st Century (Part Two). Retrieved 02/11, 2010 from: http://www.henryjenkins.org/2006/10/confronting_the_challenges_of.html

MEAA Code of Ethics (2010). Retrieved 02/11, 2010 from: http://www.alliance.org.au/media_alliance_code_of_ethics/