Is anyone there?

Picture from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1076973

Blogging seems to me a solitary sport, unless of course there is someone really out there commenting on what I am writing. This led to me thinking that I might just be completely wasting my time blogging. So do blogs have any use as a public relations tool? In search of an answer I stumbled upon Michael L. Kent's article in the Public Relations Review: Critical analysis of blogging in public relations. Even this learned academic appears to have no answer to my question, concluding that "...many professionals are suggesting that blogs have tremendous potential as tools for online communication and reaching diverse publics. They do. Interestingly, however, scholars have been saying the same thing about the Internet for almost 10 year and most organizations have not yet figured out how to use their Web sites well except to sell things. Ultimately I believe that the jury is still out on blogging."

So what really is the answer? Am I just talking to myself? Should I just stick to speaking to myself in front of the mirror? Perhaps blogging is just the green ink brigade finding a new arena in cyberspace? So is there a real point to blogging? I think that there is only a point if someone is out there. Is anyone listening?

Introduction

Welcome to Kevin O'Hare's PR blog which will look at the influence that technology is having on public relations theory and practice.

In my first post I should just like to introduce myself.

Before studying at Stirling University I worked for the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency as its Head of Strategic Communications. The SCDEA leads the fight against organised crime in Scotland.

I had spent the previous 15 years working as a journalist in Glasgow at Scotland's leading quality broadsheet newspaper, The Herald, where I was the Chief Sub-Editor.

Last year I co-wrote a biography of my former boss at the SCDEA. The Enforcer: A Life Fighting Crime was released last October by Black & White Publishing.

When I'm not studying or working as a journalist I am most likely to be found playing my piano. Last year I played in Glasgow for a BBC piano festival, pianothon, a celebration of amateur piano playing. I hope you enjoy it: