The Future of Public Relations

Where is public relations heading any way? When we look down the road five, ten or fifty years from now, where will we see this profession? What will it look like? Will it continue being a growth industry? Will it still even exist? Will it continue being taught in colleges and universities? Will how practitioners define success be similar to what they view it as being today? What will public relations tools of tomorrow look like? The questions, all intriguing,  go on and on. Of course, when it comes to predicting the future, no one knows for sure answers to any questions. It is what makes them fun to raise and debate.

For myself, I sure do not even pretend to know what is around the corner for this social science and field that is nearing the completion of its first century. However, it is a safe bet that mankind will always have a need to communicate. As individuals we will always have a need to interact successfully with others, Organizations, agencies and businesses will continue be driven to elicit the support and cooperation of various publics. As a result, there will always be a need for those who have a talent for devising and implementing strategies to achieve those ends. I beleve these basic "givens," however, only touch the surface of public relations of the future.

One current trend in the field of journalism is a decline in the number of professionals and a rise in what are termed "citizen journalists." These men and women are not trained in the classic sense, yet through our technological advances are able to pass along their observations and perspectives, including photographs and video, to thousands and even millions of others. I see such a trend spilling over into public relations. While there will still be a need for the so-called professional, more and more civilians will be making their voices heard. Miore and more, these same citizens will be playing influential roles in all aspects of communication.