New communication technologies: An issues management point of view

Abstract

New communication technologies offer many opportunities and several threats to the efforts organizations expend to build mutually beneficial relationships with key publics. The benefactor of these emerging technologies may be those interested publics who want information and evaluations from all participants in public policy issue debate. Taking an issues management approach to new technologies, this article explores the rich dialogues that can occur on the Web. There, because of the low costs of information and opinion delivery, companies, governmental agencies, and activists are more on par. Deep pockets do not play a key role in getting information out to interested readers. To demonstrate this point, this article examines the public issues debate between Shell Oil Company, UK and Greenpeace which engaged in a town meeting regarding the best financial and environmental solution to the decommissioning of the Brent Spar.