Where the hell do we go now?

Grim piece in the Guardian on regional journalism today. Raises at least two major issues for PR.

First the need to build relationships directly with stakeholders which does not involve the media as in some areas there may not be a local media which carries the authority and credibility which it once had. This is something which PR has been doing for some time and moving away from a media relations model but the pressure is on to develop this faster.

Second it is going to require a high (higher?) ethical code for PR, as for example some local authority PROs might be operating in areas where there is no longer a strong independent media to act as a counterbalance and to hold the council and local authority to task. Will the gap be filled by newer, leaner media operations entirely based on the web? Or will the local authority PRO have to build much stronger links and relationships both online and offline with local citizens so that new forms of checks and balances are created? Certainly Habermas' public space looks under threat at least at least at the local level.