The Blog Is The Message

"Public relations should first understand that to the extent that its art is a form of 'spin' - whether it's reasonable spin, accepted spin, good spin, bad spin, terrible spin - it is selling a service for which there is less and less value, and less mind is paid to it. Spin was possible in the era of few-to-many media, and a small number of gatekeepers who could be spun," media critic and Press Think blogger Jay Rosen tells Micro Persuasion blogger Steve Rubel, who also takes part in Global PR Blog Week 1.0, an online forum on PR and blogs. With the rise of participatory journalism, which has been facilitated by the Internet and weblogs, Rosen says journalistic bloggers create a "second wave" effect that has an impact on the traditional press. "A little orchestra of interpreters instantly comes along and does something to journalism, plays back its significance, but first editing out all the noise. It's like a reply. Smart journalists are tuning into that because its an intelligent use of their work - and a departure point, a place where criticism flashes," Rosen says.