Beginning 2008: The Year Of New Media

Happy New Year!

Last year, we rang in the New Year with a living communication crisis case study occurring at a Seattle company. While unfortunate, I am sure there will be many more crisis communication case studies this year.

Most of them will not be all that different — communication that spirals out of control and erodes consumer and employee confidence until someone is ousted, reprimanded, or worse.

I’ll likely be critical as they occur, offering solutions as they are often apparent, but not because I enjoy being a critic. On the contrary, I’d rather communication professionals learn the easy way through wisdom than the school of hard knocks. This blog is meant to be as educational as it is sometimes (I hope) entertaining.

In fact, many of the subjects I cover here are inspired by several classes I am teach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Right. Although some people miss the occasional mention, I also teach at UNLV.

This year, I’ll be infusing more emphasis on new media. I will be, not only because I believe it’s a viable communication tool that we’re deploying for several clients at Copywrite, Ink., because the changing communication landscape demands it.

Whether companies realize it or not, they are already engaged in social media, or new media, as some prefer to call it. There is not a single company on the planet that can truthfully claim none of its employees blog, micro-blog, participate in a social network, or are completely uninfluenced by some aspect of new media.

Even someone who never connected to the Internet is being touched by new media on daily basis. It’s on the news. It’s in the paper. It’s talked about by friends and colleagues. And almost always, there is at least one co-worker who has been influenced.

The way I see it, if there is one question to be asked in 2008, it isn’t when your company will enter social media, but when will your company recognize that it already is in social media. And, knowing this, when will it consider managing the new media message that already exists. Here are three ways to find the answer.

UNLV Class Schedule — Richard Becker

Writing For Public Relations — 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Jan. 17 – March 13

Writing For Public Relations is a skills development class that focuses on the application of strategic communication into public relations with an emphasis on practical writing skills. Students learn a variety of writing styles and how to best apply them to: news releases, fact sheets, biographical sketches, feature stories, media kits and social media/new media. (CEUs: 2.00)

Editing and Proofreading Your Work — 9 a.m. to noon, March 1

Editing And Proofreading Your Work is half-day day session that focuses on improving clarity, consistency, and correct usage in personal and business correspondence. It includes essentials such as language, mechanics of style, spelling, and punctuation.

Social Media For Communication Strategy — 9 a.m. to noon, May 2

Social Media for Communication Strategy focuses on increasing the use of online technologies to share content, opinion, insight, and experience. Collectively, these technologies shape more opinion than all other media combined and have changed the communication landscape. (CEUs: .3)

Of course, you can always read this blog from time to time. I cover slivers of class topics right here. My company also provides a custom new media analysis in our proposals upon request. And, we are well seasoned in providing words, concepts, and strategies in every industry.