KMT 2020 nr 1 Download PDF

Challenges and Tasks for the Press Spokesman and Public Relations Specialist in Crisis Situations in Institutional Communication in the Context of the Internet

Cite: , Challenges and Tasks for the Press Spokesman and Public Relations Specialist in Crisis Situations in Institutional Communication in the Context of the Internet, "Kultura - Media - Teologia", 2020( 40) nr 1, s. 8-26.

DOI: 10.21697/kmt.40.1

Today, the Internet is an integral part of the everyday lives of many people in the world, and some of the activities of modern man are almost entirely dependent on the virtual world. Many human relationships would not exist without social media because of the long distance or the lack of physical opportunities to meet; there would be no Google maps to facilitate travel to unknown places and one could not avoid traffic jams on known routes without the Web and GPS; we would not buy many things without virtual shops; the development of artificial intelligence would not be so dynamic without Internet resources. The list of activities that we could not undertake without virtual space is extremely long and we can no longer imagine life without communication. The Net, as the space of communication, today serves not only the purpose of obtaining valuable information, broadening knowledge or performing duties at work, but also (or perhaps above all) of communicating with other people. The Internet and mobile devices are present in human life for several hours a day. Thanks to the Net, people move into virtual space not only a significant part of their communication activity with friends, acquaintances and family, but also a serious part of their own existence – their experiences and reflections. It is often a task and a challenge for many institutions, because the orders of official communication and informal communication mix with each other on the Net. As a result, more and more questions are generated on the Internet, which in turn force institutions to undertake new communication strategies addressed to the environment and users of social media. A huge role in this communication is played by a public relations specialist and a press spokesman. The article is a review and its aim is to outline the issues related to communication in crisis situations and the role that the spokesman plays in crisis management. The research method is the analysis of literature available in this field, categorization of content and issues, as well as synthesis of conclusions.

About authors

Monika Przybysz

ORCID: 0000-0002-9794-4010