PR’s early response to the "information superhighway": the IPRA narrative

Tom Watson

doi:10.15581/003.28.35964

Tom Watson e-mail

(Login required)

PDF (

74)

View in DADUN

Published: Mar 1, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15581/003.28.35964

How to Cite

Watson, T. (2015). PR’s early response to the "information superhighway": the IPRA narrative. Communication & Society, 28(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.28.35964

Authors

Tom Watson e-mail

(Login required)

Bournemouth University.

Abstract

187

Before the Internet, social media and searchengine optimisation, there was the “information superhighway” and the “Megachip age” in the 1980s. This paper, drawing on the archive of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA),reviews early discussion and adoption of innovative technology by practitioners through the application of historical method. It finds they were slow to appreciate the benefits of technicaladvances in communication and held doggedly to print-based models of mediated communication. Practitioners and thought leaders did not foresee that information would be available tomore people through ICT developments. Practice responses,developed by reference to Rogers’ Diffusion Theory, were in three categories (in descending order of frequency) of Ignorers,Cautious/Sense-makers and Modernists/Adopters.

References

Arber, K. (1986). The practice of public relations: A review of the current state of the art. International Public Relations Review 10(2), 40.

Baran, S. J., & Davis, D. K. (2000). Mass communication theory: Foundations, ferment and future (2nd ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Black, S. (1984). Global trends in public relations – the profession in the 1980s. IPRA Review 8(1), 26-30.

Boiry, P. A. (1989). Les relations-publiques ou la stratégie de la confiance. Paris: Eyrolles.

DeFleur, M. (2010). Mass communication theories: Explaining origins, processes, and effects. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Ford, T. M. (1984). Talk is too cheap – Information fallout pollutes communications. IPRA Review 8(4), 16-18.

Hearle, D. G. (1984). Adapting to a paradox – an international public relations challenge. IPRA Review 8(4), 18-23.

Hesse, M. (1985). Advancing public relations education: A recommended curriculum for graduate public relations education. IPRA Review 9(4), 4-7.

Hietpas, Q. J. (1984). Opportunities provided by the new communication technologies. IPRA Review 8(1), 22-25.

Hunter, B. (1984). Public relations in a megachip age. IPRA Review 8(2), 11-14.

IABC International Association of Business Communicators (2014) ‘About IABC’, Retrieved from http://europe.iabc.com/about-iabc/history-vision-and-mission/, 28 November 2014.

IPRA International Public Relations Association (1995). A commitment to excellence. Sweden: GormanGruppen.

IPRA International Public Relations Association & NGPR Netherlands Association for Public Relations and Information (1985). Between People and Power – a geography of public relations trends. 10th World Public Relations Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 3- June, 1985.

Jackson, P. (1984). The future of public relations – and maybe the world. IPRA Review 8(4), 13- 14.

Lesly, P. (1983). The future of public relations. IPRA Review 7(3), 20-24.

Lesly, P. (1985). The future of public relations. IPRA Review 9(1), 13-17, 23.

Linning, R. (1995). The dis-information highway. International Public Relations Review, 18(3), 13-16.

Maisonrouge, J. G. (1984). Putting information to work for people. IPRA Review 8(3), 23-35.

Matrat, L. (1981). The future of public relations. IPRA Review 5(1), 20-25.

McKeone, D. (1989). How computers can help PR professionals manage information more effectively. International Public Relations Review 12(4), 28-31.

McPhail, T. L. (1987). The impact of the computer age on the public relations field. International Public Relations Review 11(1), 13-15.

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail's mass communication theory, (6th ed). London: Sage.

Newsom, D. (1984). Public relations and the question of provinciality. IPRA Review 8(3), 30-31.

Plank, B. A. (1983). The new technology and its implications for the public relations profession. IPRA Review 7(2), 35-38.

Ploman, E. (1982). The Communications Revolution. IPRA Review 6(2), 25-30.

Rogers, E. M. (1962). The diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.

Sharpe, M. (1985). Public relations education: Its needs and advancement. IPRA Review 9(1), 4-7.

Sharpe, M. (1986). A look at public relations as an emerging profession necessitated by changing world conditions. International Public Relations Review 10(2), 8-11.

Sjoberg, G. (1983). Economic and Political Factors – the Role of Public Relations in World Social and Economic Development. Paper presented at IPRA Seminar, Cairo, Egypt, 1 March 1983.

Stonier, T. (1985). Gold paper no. 5: The Communicative society - a new era in human history. London: Foundation for Public Relations Research & Education.

Watson, T. (2011). The archive of the International Public Relations Association. The Media School. Bournemouth University. Retrieved from http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/historyofpr/files/2011/11/IPRA-ARCHIVE.pdf, 10 October 2014.

Watson, T. (2012). The evolution of public relations measurement and evaluation. Public Relations Review 38(3), 390-398. doi: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.12.1018.

White, J., & Blamphin, J. (1995). Priorities for research into public relations practice in the United Kingdom, International Public Relations Review Academic, 3, 1-12. [Supplement in International Public Relations Review, 18(3)].

Wilson, R. (1996). Life on the internet. International Public Relations Review 18(1), 10-13.

Xifra, J. (2012). Public relations anthropologies: French theory, anthropology of morality and ethnographic practices. Public Relations Review 38, 565-573.

Metrics

Details

Issue

Vol 28 No 1 (2015)

Section

Articles

RIGHTS TRANSFER

By submitting the article for evaluation and subsequent publication in Communicaton & Society, the AUTHOR grants exclusive economic and/or exploitation rights: reproduction, distribution, public communication, transformation/translation/creation of derivative works, and commercialisation to the University of Navarra through its Publications Service, for the maximum legal period in force -the author's lifetime and seventy years after his or her death or declaration of death-, in any country, and in any of the current and future publishing modalities, both in print and electronic versions.

In the event that the article is not accepted for publication , this transfer of rights lapses with the communication of the refusal to the AUTHOR.

The AUTHOR affirms that the article is unpublished, that it has not been sent simultaneously to another publication medium and that the rights have not been transferred exclusively previously. He is responsible to the University of Navarra through its Publications Service for the authorship and originality of his work, as well as for all pecuniary charges that may arise for the University of Navarra through its Publications Service, in favor of third parties due to actions, claims or conflicts arising from the breach of obligations by the AUTHOR.

Article Sidebar

Main Article Content