Udderly fantastic online communities : how organisations are using online social networking for community relations and issues management

From empowering consumers and citizens, through to sharing party photographs and organising social events, social networking has transformed the way most people communicate. The Australian dairy industry, wracked by ten years of drought and increasing numbers of activists questioning its environmental and social costs, has established a closed-wall social networking site, called Udderly Fantastic, exclusively for internal stakeholders such as farmers and dairy manufacturers. This case study demonstrates that organisations wanting to engage their stakeholders in an open and transparent way can use social networking as a way of providing information and, importantly, a platform for dialogue in which issues can be raised and discussed.

Finding voices: authentic learning online in the field of public communication and citizenship

A creative re-acculturation of teachers and students is occurring in virtual classrooms as traditional learning resources, pedagogy, and technology intersect in unexpected ways. This paper reports on a case of authentic, experiential, and constructivist learning developed for tertiary public relations  students. A subject titled ‘Public Communication and Citizenship’ (PCC) at  Deakin University in Australia asked students to examine the problematic and contentious areas of self interest, persuasion, power, and ethics in  contemporary contexts of mass media and globalisation. Feedback from  those students suggests that, in this case, online teaching strategies  successfully integrated with the total learning environment to achieve  higher-order learning. PCC is one example of PR pedagogy combining  theory and technology to move beyond ‘skilling for jobs’.

Media relations training: the shifting focus

Media relations, and training in this area, is now an integral aspect of the public relations practitioner's role in most organizations. This training, often provided by former journalists now operating as media consultants. can cost hundreds, up 10 thousands of dollars a day. There has been a shift in the focus of this education in the last few decades to include different strategies and to address changing technologies. This paper tracks the shifts in the main objectives of these programs and includes interviews with trainers regarding media training.

An exploration of the components of relational bonds to an arts festival brand

This research investigates the nature of the bonds that consumers form with a brand that provides highly uncertain outcomes, and is only available intermittently. The research model draws upon elements of Keller’s (2001) conceptualisation of brand resonance, and extends McAlexander, Kim, and Roberts’ (2003), and Muniz and O’Guinn’s (2001) brand community construct, testing these in an atypical service environment. Qualitative research suggested the need for a broader view of the bond formed in these circumstances, specifically one comprising measures of anticipation of usage, social attraction, commitment, loyalty, and trust. This paper reports on analysis undertaken to develop such a construct, which has been labelled “brand affinity”. Tests for discriminant validity suggest that the brand affinity construct is a distinct construct that can be used to measure consumer attitudes toward a highly uncertain, intermittently available product.

Second life first hand: a teacher perspective

The professional landscape in public relations is changing as new communication and social networking technologies are integrated into day-to-day professional practice. Whilst adoption of such technologies by public relations practitioners is certainly on the increase, their use can still be regarded as limited and application experimental to some degree. However, few could argue that these technologies will be increasingly important to public relations practice in coming years.
In this context, public relations educators must strive to deliver a contemporary curriculum reflective of industry expectations and best practice principles but which also provides students with exposure to new communication contexts and technologies.

The advent of persistent virtual worlds generated by Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) and Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) offer new realms for public relations practitioners and educators alike. Virtual worlds potentially provide public relations educators with novel but relevant training grounds for their students. These 3D worlds offer dynamic and authentic learning environments which have the capability to foster deep learning and engender a sense of community within a student cohort in a way that many computer-mediated classrooms sadly lack.

This paper will present the experiences of two tertiary educators’ journey towards a conceptual understanding of the persistent virtual world, Second Life, from a teacher perspective. The paper argues that the successful adoption of new online technologies like Second Life need not be inhibited by preferences for technology or prior ICT skills as long as teaching staff are given the necessary support and training by their institutions coupled with opportunity for familiarisation and experimentation.

Speaking up : changing social relations in south-west Victorian grassroots activism

This research of three grassroots activist communication campaigns makes a significant contribution to knowledge in socio-political and communicative fields. It demonstrates how to conduct effective, ethical and sustained communication campaigns that lead to wider social benefits and provides new perspectives about public relations and its role in contemporary society.

Proud to be a public librarian

A public librarian discusses her work experience at Wyndham Library Service which developed her public relations and conversation skill.