Public relations is the conscious organisation of communication. Public relations is a management function. The task of public relations is: To achieve mutual understanding and to establish beneficial relationships, between the organisation and its publics and environment, through two-way communication.

The most important public relations tools are:

• Personal communication

• Events - group communication: Different events, presentations, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, congresses etc.

• Publications: Printed and electronically published publicity materials

• Audio-visual public relations tool

• Printed and electronic media

• Others

What is ePR, electronic public relations?

ePR includes all forms of communication, where the participants communicate electronically, internal (intranet) or external (Internet).

The role of ePR:

• Informing the public and environment

• Positioning an organisation through understanding and the persuasion of the environment and the public

• The co-ordination of behaviour. The co-ordination between the organisation and the public and the public and the organisation, through interactive dialogue.

We could speak about the ePR only if the above three criteria exist simultaneously. The new information and communication technologies have opened up totally new communication channels for pr practitioners on the field of public relations. The ePR is one of the most effective tools of direct communication, not only in business but also in wider society. ePR is a tool to reach and communicate with new and existing partners.

ePR takes the following forms:

WEB PR

Web PR = Interactive web site, homepage 
From a public relations standpoint, the web provides an excellent opportunity to distribute information to the public speedily, efficiently and cost-effectively.

NET PR

Net PR includes chat rooms, e-mail (Net) Press Releases and the use of interactive Intranet.

The forms of interactive Net PR:

• Net communications
• Chat rooms
• Forum – lists
• E-Newsletters
• Intranet
• Virtual organisations, Job finder etc.
• Net media services 
• Net press release (video-, audio- or audio-visual presentations. b-rolls, video-press release films etc.)

ON-LINE PR

The forms of the On-line PR:

• On-line media

>> Off-line – on-line media: On-line edition of magazines,   newspapers, radio- TV stations
>> On-line - on-line media: Electronic magazines, radio - TV stations  
>> Portal sites: Access to more than one off-line and on-line sites
>> On-line press room: Media only section of the web site or dedicated site. 

• On line conferences

>> On-line voice and/or video conferencing 
>> On-line database
>> On-line libraries

• E-education (distance learning)
  
  >> On-line education real time
  >> On-line education on demand

ePR effects on PR practice

• The intranet can be one of the most effective tools of Internal PR

          >> Informing employees
          >> Shareholder (Ownership) relations

• Interactive communication interdepartmental, inter-site, global

>> The interactive web, net and on line PR is effective external tool   
>> Consumer relations - product-, services-, activity PR
>> Financial relations
>> Professional relations
>> Industrial relations
>> Public Affairs – Community-, Minority Relations, Government Affairs  
>> Issue Management
>> Media relations
>> Organisation Aid-, fund raising- policy, philanthropy

The ePR also effective in every day public relations work

• Counseling
• Planning
• Research
• Evaluation
• Monitoring
• Events organisation etc.

What is the future of public relations?

Access to information is now demanded as a right: The days of limited access and push communication are over. In every field of public the pr experts collect and send information they want to be available, simultaneously with the birth of information. The challenge for further relations’ pr practitioners is to use the new Information communication technology tools to satisfy the demand.