Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore: How the Communication Landscape Has Changed and Why Organizations Must Adapt
Abstract
In the early 2000s, new communication technology and social media platforms sparked a radical and irreversible shift in how humans receive and share information; how they communicate with each other; and how they form opinions and groups. No longer confined to a broadcast or narrowcast model, the communication environment is now best described as a massive network. This networked communication model, enabled by participatory media, has changed how people around the world communicate. Citizens actively create and share online content, mobilize group action, and seek news and information from digital sources at a time and place of their choosing. This democratization of information means that organizational communication has become exponentially more challenging, and that organizations have lost any ability to control content and information flow. Power and authority continue to shift to the individual and away from traditional sources such as governments, businesses, and other institutions. Credibility also has shifted as citizens become increasingly skeptical of what used to authoritative information sources. Despite these challenges, new communication tools provide organizations with benefits that include the ability to engage and dialogue with their key publics. Three case studies further illustrate these opportunities and challenges.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 22, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA601006
Entities
People
- Carrie Batson
Organizations
- Marine Corps University