How to sift through it all

As newspapers make cuts in staff, skim down print coverage, and online news outlets become more mainstream, it seems everyone is a journalist these days. People now surf blogs and social networking sites to get their “news” and overnight some regular Joe in anywhere, U.S.A., is an authority. We are at a crossroads in the who, what and how we report news and target media. It’s exciting to know that anyone and everyone’s voices can now be heard, but at what cost?

Are we blurring the lines between what’s fact and opinion? Or are we creating a more realistic two-way communication in which we can really understand each other?

Are we teaching people to disregard structured, studied and responsible methods of journalism? Or are we empowering them to have a voice and express their views?

Regardless of the answers, there’s eternally more questions that keep getting lost in the next new thing that comes along. As a pr professional, I strive to continue to be relevant and keep up with trends, but still put it in perspective that I can’t jump on every bandwagon. Where does this leave pr people and those who trust us to guide them, to keep them top-of-mind and newsworthy?

I think each new method should be entered into with excited caution. We want to be trendy and interesting, but also want to make the best business decisions possible…as with stocks or the housing market the best laid plans utilize a healthy mix of caution and calculated risk.