I recently read this article at wordtracker.com that is insightful of what is happening in the area of Public Relations due to the changes in the web.

In summary, the article says that the Internet has changed the rules of public relations (PR). Now anyone can break a story via Facebook or Twitter.

The question “How should the PR industry adapt?”, “Has the press release become obsolete?”, “Is the press embargo dead?” often surfaces.

Press embargos used to ensure benefits for both journalists and PR consultants. Now, the Internet is speeding up
the news cycle. Stories break quickly,  resulting in serious threats to controlling the flow of information.  Anyone can set up an RSS news feed, a Google Alert or have their Tweet Deck open on their desktop to track the latest news, every second. Some PR consultants are not able to recognize new opportunities in the form of Social Media as they follow the traditional “one size fits all” approach and haven’t embraced the spirit of “Internet community engagement”. PR consultants should be replaced by SMRs (Social Media Releases), for a more holistic approach enabling smooth flow of information.

Press embargoes can still be useful as long as they are used sparingly. It can still allow advertisers to review or write client’s services or information. It’s time for practitioners to use press release & embargoes to engage with people and opening new conversations.

The full article is at: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/online-pr-press-embargoes