The Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) has gotten off to a flat-footed start with its new PRTV online video initiative.
Firstly, the idea is a good one. Any professional representative organisation needs to be leading from the front, promoting its industry and sparking debate. Video, along with blogging and podcasts, are the perfect tools for this.
Unfortunately for the PRIA, its debut episode focusing on online engagement came quickly unstuck.
According to the popular media and marketing blog Mumbrella, one of the PR professionals interviewed for the video - Anthony Tregoning, managing director of FCR - was asked whether he would recommend to any of his clients that they engage in social media "such as blogs, LinkedIn and Facebook".
Tregoning replied: "Basically no. Because they tend to be used by people who are trying to undermine the company."
Not that you'll be able to see the quote in question because the original video featuring Tregoning was quickly removed from YouTube by the PRIA after Tregoning's negative comment was highlighted by Mumbrella's Tim Burrowes.
I saw the Tregoning piece and his comment certainly came across as pretty naive and 'old school'.
The story was posted yesterday at 12.33 pm - within half an hour, the comments started rolling in.
Anti-Social Media Stance
Some chided Mumbrella for taking a negative slant and highlighting Tregoning's seemingly anti-social media stance.
Others, however, were critical of Tregoning:
John Le Fevre wrote that Tregoning's comments showed "a total lack of understanding of the value of social media and the returns that can be gained from engaging with both supporters and detractors".
Con Franzeskos advised Tregoning to read The Cluetrain Manifesto.
By 5.30 pm that day, Tregoning had felt the need to defend himself, which is fair enough. He intimated the comments he made in the video had been taken out of context (his reply is comment #18, about two-thirds down the page).
The PR Warrior's View?
There is a definite need for the PRIA to be producing a regular online video blog (vlog) highlighting the issues facing the public relations industry.
Putting aside the Tregoning incident for a minute...
The PRIA's PRTV program is very current affairs-ish - a bit too 'polished' for my liking, featuring the obligatory overly-dramatic news-style music; its production could be a lot more energetic and imaginative.
As it stands, the video cements the industry's close ties to traditional 'broadcast' media and, in my humble opinion, it needs a massive shot of creativity.
The PRIA had a fantastic opportunity to bring in a team of talented contemporary producers to give the show a bit of vigour and edge. Alas, by falling back on 'old school' production techniques, the association has simply reinforced the long-held view within some quarters of the industry that it's old-fashioned and out of touch.
That said, the video is definitely worth a look to get a broad spread of local opinion as to how the PR industry thinks about social media and the new 'digital reality'.
Below is PRTV episode one - the, ahem, re-edited version.
