NEW MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

This article examines the importance of new communication technologies in terms of the development of a pluralistic public sphere and public relations (PR) as one type of communication. In a general social context, where the media have lost their primary importance, there is an increasing need for an independent and free communication system. New communication technologies, primarily enabled by the advancement of the Internet, create new development opportunities to communicate to the public. Blogs, web forums, web pages, online-magazines, e-mail lists, chat rooms, social networks, etc. are new forms of public communication, where citizens have equal opportunity to participate in the public sphere, where communication becomes a re-exchange of opinion. Such networks have the potential to be public hearings, a fundamental basis of democracy. These types of media are particularly important in the field of public relations because they improve communication and influence social change. The article highlights the significant impact of new communication technologies on public relations and suggests the possibilities of manipulation that result from them. Unlike traditional methods, the new methods are far more subtle. The article concludes that the only possibility to protect computer users is via proper education.