'We the Media' is a call to PR pros, too

It's a brave new world for journalists and PR pros alike.

With the advent of online journalism and blogs, a new generation of scribes is transforming the influence of the media, and how the PR industry has to respond. Gillmor, a San Jose Mercury News columnist, sounds a wake-up call in this book. He provides fascinating examples of how online journalism has changed the game, from law professor Glenn Reynolds, whose online comments about technology and freedom made him a source for reporters, to campaign manager Joe Trippi, who nearly made Howard Dean the Democratic presidential candidate through creative use of the internet. Gillmor also cites many cases where bloggers have scooped the mainstream media. This is a must-read for PR pros trying to understand blogs, as well as those who want to take a look at how the journalism landscape is evolving. Either way, this book will teach PR people that if they ignore these changes, they do so at their own peril. ----- Title We the Media: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People Author Dan Gillmor Publisher O'Reilly & Associates (July 2004), 299 pages Reviewed by Andrew Gordon