The internet has become an essential venue for public relations and its importance should not be overlooked. When asked to give examples of effective and ineffective online PR attempts two examples came to mind almost immediately. In regard to what I would consider ineffective I would first point to http://www.joewilson.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&Itemid=80. This is a press release from Congressman Joe Wilson regarding him calling President Obama a liar during a televised address to congress. First of all I found this difficult to find on his site and in my opinion this may still represent Wilson's largest and most public mistake. The release itself also comes across as disingenuous and extremely brief. Instead of focusing on simply apologizing Wilson chooses to continue to bolster his disagreement with the president. While this may be what Wilson genuinely feels in terms of this PR attempt may not be effective to continue to voice.
In terms of an effective use of PR online I would cite http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/. This is a blog started by Paul Levy the CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This blog allows Levy to take part in what he describes as a transparent hospital community. In this sense both positive and negative actions of the hospital can be discussed. This gives the hospital as well as its publics an effective venue for at least some degree of two way communication. The blog has proved extremely effective in the hospitals defense of attacks from the SEIU and other union organizations who question the hospitals stance on allowing its employees to unionize. This blog has been praised as innovative and effective. For all these reasons I believe that it represents and excellent example of PR online.
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