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Public Relations Review 35 (2009) 123126

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Public Relations Review

Research in Brief

Global activism and new media: A study of transnational NGOs online


public relations
Hyunjin Seo a, , Ji Young Kim b , Sung-Un Yang a
a
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, United States
b
University of Florida, United States

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: This study examines how transnational nongovernmental organizations make use of new
Received 8 January 2009 media tools in their public relation activities and what factors inuence their online public
Accepted 17 February 2009
relations. A survey of communication representatives at 75 transnational NGOs based in
the United States found that promoting the organizations image and fund-raising were
Keywords:
the two most important functions of new media for the NGOs. Organizational capacity and
Online public relations
main objective of the organization were signicant predictors of NGOs new media use in
Nongovernmental organizations
New media their public relations. However, organizational efciency and revenue did not signicantly
Internet predict NGOs use of new media.
Global activism 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

While increased use of new media is a growing trend in public relation s, this is particularly relevant for transnational
organizations. These media enable activists to mobilize citizens across the globe by efciently transcending national bound-
aries at minimal costs. In particular, the nature of open communications provides a normative approach to excellence in
dealing with social issues, especially for activist groups (Grunig, Grunig, & Dozier, 2002; Grunig & Huang, 2000).
This study examines how new media inuence the ways in which transnational nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
conduct public relation activities to promote their causes and raise funds. While the denition of new media is often con-
tested, this study connes its use of the term to digital media that allow interactivity and independent distribution of information.
Examples of new media include websites, weblogs (hereafter, blogs), podcasts, and wikis. Based on a survey of commu-
nication representatives at transnational NGOs in the United States, we analyzed which organizational factors objective,
revenue, efciency, or capacity best predicted NGOs use of new media with regard to type and function. We also examined
how NGOs make use of new media channels, and whether they use such modes to target the public directly, to forge two-way
interaction with the public, or to target mass media in an indirect manner.
This study contributes to enhancing understanding of NGOs use of new media and how that use affects global activism.
More generally, it can help public relation ofcials to have a better idea of how to make best use of new media modes for
publicity activities. This study helps to ll the gap between theory and practice by providing empirical data on what types
of new media NGOs use and what their main objectives are in using these media.

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 315 443 4078; fax: +1 315 443 8450.
E-mail address: hseo03@syr.edu (H. Seo).

0363-8111/$ see front matter 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.02.002
124 H. Seo et al. / Public Relations Review 35 (2009) 123126

2. Methodology

We conducted a survey with communication representatives of transnational NGOs based in the United States. The
survey included both closed- and open-ended questions. The sample was drawn using Charity Navigator, an independent
evaluator that has assessed over 5000 NGOs in the United States based on organizational efciency and capacity. We randomly
selected a total of 230 organizations from the International category on the Charity Navigator website (www.charitynavigator.
org).
The dependent variable for this study was the importance of different types and functions of new media tools for NGOs
public relations. To measure use of new media, we asked respondents to indicate on a seven-point scale how important
different modes of new media are for their external communication. The types of new media examined include websites,
blogs, podcasts, video casts/vlogs, and wikis. Communication ofcials were asked to indicate on a seven-point scale how
important ve different functions of new media were for their organization. These ve functions were promoting the image
of their organization, fund-raising, engaging and interacting with the general public, forging and facilitating networking with
other NGOs, and providing journalists with easy access to materials regarding the organization.
Independent variables for this study were (i) objective (aid, advocacy, or research), (ii) efciency, (iii) capacity, and
(iv) revenue. To measure organizational objective, we asked the participants to indicate whether their organization
focuses on providing direct aid and services, engaging in research and public education, advocacy, or monitoring and
assessing effects of policies. Measures of organizational efciency and capacity were obtained from the Charity Nav-
igator website. Organizational efciency is operationalized by how much funding goes to beneciaries as opposed to
programming, administration, and fund-raising. The scale for organizational efciency is based on four categories: pro-
gram expenses, administrative expenses, fund-raising expenses, and fund-raising efciency. In comparison, organizational
capacity tracks how well the organization has sustained its programs and services over time. To measure organizational
capacity, Charity Navigator considers three categories: primary revenue growth, program expenses growth, and working
capital ratio. The scales for organizational efciency and organizational capacity range from 1 to 4 with 4 being the most
effective.

3. Findings

3.1. Characteristics of NGOs under study

A total of 75 transnational NGOs participated in the survey. This represents a response rate of 32.6%. In regard to organi-
zational objective, 54.7% of the participants said they focus on providing aid and services, 33.3% said they focus on advocacy,
and 12.0% indicated a focus on research or public education. Concerning their main area of activities, 29.3% said they focus
on sustainable development, 25.2% humanitarian relief, 21.3% human rights, 10.7% education, 8.0% conict resolution, and
5.3% the environment. According to efciency and capacity ratings of Charity Navigator, the NGOs participating in the survey
were generally high on those scores, with the mean for efciency rating being 3.33 (SD = .74) and capacity rating being 3.33
(SD = 1.00) out of 4.

3.2. NGOs new media use

The results show that the organizations website (M = 6.65, SD = .67) is perceived as being the most important new media
tool for NGOs, followed by blogs (M = 3.96, SD = 1.98), videocasts (M = 3.81, SD = 1.85), podcasts (M = 2.92, SD = 1.84), and wikis
(M = 2.35, SD = 1.65). In particular, there was a statistically signicant mean difference between importance of websites and
importance of blogs (t = 11.51, p < .0001) as well as the other types of new media. This indicates that the website is the major
new media tool for NGOs at this time.
However, it is likely that NGOs will broaden their use of new media tools. In their responses to open-ended questions,
some NGOs said they are currently conducting research on how many people in their target audience use which specic new
media modes so they can reallocate resources accordingly. In addition, they are investing more time in social networking
sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Therefore, it can be argued that tomorrows NGOs may well have enhanced their use of
new media after investigating what will be the best use of their limited resources to reach the most people in their target
audience.
Next, the respondents said the most important function of new media is to promote the image of their organization
(M = 6.35, SD = 1.08), followed by fund-raising (M = 6.05, SD = 1.33), providing information to journalists (M = 5.72, SD = 1.21),
interaction with the public (M = 5.56, SD = 1.53), and networking with other NGOs (M = 4.31, SD = 1.33). This indicates that
for NGOs, which generally operate under a tight budget, their online public relations are geared toward enhancing the
organizations image and tapping into current and potential sources of funding. It is also interesting to note that for NGOs, new
medias function of providing information to journalists was more important than that of interacting with publics. Therefore,
it can be argued that NGOs still put more emphasis on relations with mass media than on two-way communications with
publics in their public relation activities that make use of new media. This suggests new media have become an essential
part of the media relations of NGOs.
H. Seo et al. / Public Relations Review 35 (2009) 123126 125

3.3. Factors predicting NGOs new media use: organizational objective

Two hypotheses about factors predicting the importance of new media for NGOs online public relations were tested
through hierarchical regression with the independent variables entering the regression model block by block: rst, organi-
zational objective, and second, efciency rating, capacity rating, and revenue.
Hypothesis 1 projected that the objective of the NGO would be a statistically signicant predictor of the importance of
different types or functions of new media. This hypothesis was supported. The objective of the organization signicantly
predicted how important the organization perceived blogs to be (R2 change = .11, p < .05). Advocacy NGOs regarded blogs
as important to a greater extent than aid and research NGOs ( = .50, p < .01). In comparison, organizational websites were
signicantly more important to aid NGOs than to advocacy and research NGOs ( = .38, p < .05). This may stem from the fact
that generally websites are geared more toward fund-raising and offering basic facts, which may be more relevant to the
activities of aid NGOs. In comparison, advocacy NGOs may pursue nuanced discussions on the issues they advocate through
their blogs.
Organizational objective of the NGO was also a signicant predictor of the importance of the different functions of new
media: interaction with the public (R2 change = .21, p < .001) and promotion of the organizations image (R2 change = .07,
p < .05). Interaction with the public was more important to aid NGOs and advocacy NGOs than to those focusing on research
and education ( = .69, p < .001). The new media function of promoting the organizations image was signicantly more
important for advocacy NGOs than for aid and research NGOs ( = .41, p < .05). This seems reasonable because aid and advocacy
NGOs need more active public support for their campaigns than other types of NGOs.

3.4. Factors predicting NGOs new media use: efciency, capacity, and revenue

Hypothesis 2 posited that efciency, capacity, and revenue of NGOs would predict the importance of new media for
their public relations, even when controlling for organizational objective. This hypothesis was supported in regard to the
importance of videocasts (R2 change = .12, p < .05). The results show that the higher the capacity rating of the organization,
the more important videocasts are for its public relation activities ( = .27, p = .05). Organizational capacity rating also showed
a signicant positive correlation with the organizations perceptions of the overall importance of new media ( = .31, p < .05)
and the importance of podcasts ( = .26, p < .05). In addition, the organizations capacity rating positively correlated with the
importance of new medias image-promotion function for its public relations ( = .23, p < .05). The higher the capacity rating
of the organization, the more important new medias functioning to promote the organizations image. These statistically
signicant relationships indicate that making better use of new media modes may help NGOs to better sustain their programs
over time.
In comparison, organizational efciency and revenue were not signicant predictors of NGOs new media use when
controlling for organizational objective. This may indicate that online public relations has yet to become a decisive factor
in the effectiveness of an organization. It is also possible that NGOs, which generally work under tight budgets, do not have
enough resources to develop new means of communication. This possibility begs investigation, as new media can be an
invaluable toolbox for less wealthy NGOs. Promotion through the Internet is a lot less expensive than other ways of tapping
into pools of potential donors.

3.5. Increased emphasis on new media and lingering concerns

Organizations increased use of new media tools has also resulted in changes in approaches to traditional mass media.
Seventy percent of the 75 NGOs participating in this study reported that they had changed their strategies toward traditional
mass media since developing their own new media modes. Some respondents said their organizations had become less
dependent on traditional mass media as a means of communicating messages and indicated their organizations had discussed
whether or not they needed to substitute outreach to traditional mass media with outreach to a specic type of new media.
According to the survey, many NGOs have already begun reallocating resources to work on social networking sites such as
Facebook and Twitter. An NGO communication ofcial said of social networking sites, The up-side to this is garnering a new
audience who instantly trust the messenger because it is an opt-in system. Moreover, many of the respondents said their
organizations had put a signicant emphasis on website marketing and that todays communication plans and budgets are
more inclusive of new media forms.
Though the communication ofcials of the surveyed NGOs agreed on the importance of new media for public relation
activities, they were not without concerns about online public relations. Responding to an open-ended question about
the disadvantages of using new media for public relations, the practitioners identied concerns about reliability, message
control, and the scope of online audiences. Most of them said that the prestige of getting stories into the mainstream
media is still very important, as publics do not always think of new media modes as being as reliable as well-known media
programs. Some respondents expressed concerns that messages posted to blogs or other social media are easily modied and
misused by others. These concerns may keep some NGOs from more actively engaging in new media-based public relation
activities.
126 H. Seo et al. / Public Relations Review 35 (2009) 123126

4. Conclusions

This study provides empirical data on how transnational NGOs make use of new media modes for their online public
relations. The study also offers an important analysis of how characteristics of organizations inuence the ways they utilize
new media modes for external communication. This study suggests that NGOs should consider expanding their online public
relations to include more diverse modes of new media. They would be wise to recognize the potential of new media tools
for enhancing two-way communications with publics and lay out their public relation strategies accordingly. In particular,
organizations with less capacity and tight budgets should make more extensive use of new media modes, which can be more
efcient ways of promoting organizational image and raising funds.
Future research is needed to study actual use of new media by NGOs through direct empirical analysis of websites or
blogs. This would permit examination of functions, user-friendliness, and sophistication of new media tools used by NGOs.
Finally, a survey of citizens who have used the websites or other new media tools of particular transnational NGOs would be
a useful way to evaluate the effectiveness of online public relations.

References

Grunig, L. A., Grunig, J. E., & Dozier, D. M. (2002). Excellent public relations and effective organizations: A study of communication management in three countries.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Grunig, J. E., & Huang, Y. H. (2000). From organizational effectiveness to relationship indicators: Antecedents of relationships, public relations strategies,
and relationship outcomes. In J. A. Ledingham & S. D. Bruning (Eds.), Public relations as relationship management: A relational approach to the study and
practice of public relations (pp. 2353). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

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