Examining the impact of digital media on PR practitioners’ capacity to network and build stakeholder relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study investigates PR practitioners’ capacity to build stakeholder relations during the COVID-19 pandemic and is guided by the fact that most PR practitioners were compelled to work remotely during the government-imposed lockdown. This qualitative research seeks to understand how PR practitioners were able to connect and network with their stakeholders using social media and other new media tools with little or no face-to-face contact throughout the pandemic. Through thematic analysis, it provides answers to the question: “How are PR practitioners building stakeholder relationships during a pandemic?”. This study also explores the importance of in-person contact in an industry which is heavily reliant on face-to-face contact for engagement. The findings show PR practitioners could build stakeholder relations online, by using new media tools and social media to connect with their stakeholders. The findings also show that most PR practitioners are not capitalising on social media for two-way or dialogical communication online to build new or to sustain existing stakeholder relationships. A direct consequence of little or no physical interaction in the PR industry made it impossible for PR practitioners to network. It is, however, clear that new ways of building relationships online are possible, but a phasing out of the traditional means of face-to-face engagement is not likely. Instead, a hybrid model of building stakeholder relations is more probable. Further research is recommended to include an evaluation of a far wider analysis of various forms of social media for networking and stakeholder engagement online. In addition, it is recommended that a large-scale survey be conducted among all members of the Public Relations Institute of South Africa (PRISA) for a more widespread finding on the topic.