Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (Research)

Department

Cork Institute of Technology

First Advisor

Emmett Coffey

Abstract

Public relations used to be only concerned with traditional media but with the rise of new media and new trends in communication there has been a shift in the public relations media environment. This study aims to look at the ethics of using product samples as public relations tactic in the blogosphere.

A qualitative research design was chosen, and semi structured and online interviews were used to carry out pnmary data collection. Interviewees were selected from both public relations and blogging backgrounds, to get a full understanding into their insight and experience of the research topic.

The research findings show that the blogosphere has become a new media platform for practicing public relations but it hasn‘t been embraced by all practitioners, and that the use product samples is ethical.

The use of product samples have both advantages and disadvantages as a public relations tactic, and using them in the blogosphere is leading to the creation of new media relations, which are being used to spread the messages of public relations.

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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