How News Corp Uses Blogging & Social Media

In order to run any successful business nowadays, whether it be a Fortune 100 company or a mom n' pop store, utilizing the Web for social media and blogging is pertinent. News Corporation, well aware of this, incorporates its own blog/newsfeed on its Web site's main page. This blog-like newsfeed includes all of the updated press releases of the company, as well as a separate feed for "business unit news". More specifically,  the press release feed offers info regarding fiscal earnings and other financial matters of the company, whereas the business unit section informs readers on dealings of the specific companies News Corp owns, such as American Idol  and how it is now utilizing online voting. Neither of these blogs have a way to comment on the material presented, which takes away from any interaction with readers. Perhaps this was to deter any negatory commenting that could have arose.

Additionally, their is no official News Corp Facebook page, nor Blogger account. But various blogs exist by reputable companies such as Business Week and Reuters, who blog about current dealings of News Corp. 

On the other hand, News Corp does use Twitter  to link current press releases/ news the company wants to inform readers about. Topics can range from their newest innovations such as "The Daily," the first national daily news publication for iPads, to a memo about 2nd Quarter 2011 Fiscal Earnings. All tweets contain links that redirect back to newscorp.com, where the full release is located. Interestingly, this Twitter account is not being used to reply to consumers or communicate with followers either. The account's main purpose is to create a way to inform via a live feed. Therefore, one could expect to see a crisis management tweet rather than one enticing employee  engagement or customer service. 

Social media/blogging is a great way to build communities with consumers and allow one to see the company as being authentic and transparent. Therefore I suggest News Corp allow for a more interactive social media network rather than for fast news updates. After all. being transparent and interactive with the population helps consumers feel as if the company is apart of them, and that can insure a long-lasting relationship in the business marketplace and space. 

Intro to My Fortune 500 Company: News Corp.

As the world's third-largest mass media conglomerate, News Corporation or simply News Corp. is a business owning some of the most prominent and innovative media brands. Originally based out of South Australia, the company now also resides in New York City and extends to parts of the U.K. Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

News Corp. deals with managing media inside its eight segments including: Filmed Entertainment, Television, Cable Network Programming, Direct Broadcast Satellite Television, Integrated Marketing Services, Newspapers and Information Services, Book Publishing, and Others.

News Corp's financial breakdown according to the eight media segments

News Corp's financial breakdown according to the eight media segments

From bringing James Cameron’s Avatar to the big screen, to endorsing online media moguls Hulu and Myspace and fashion-forward magazine Vogue, News Corp.’s high-end caliber company is worth about $0.97 per share. News Corp.’s 2010 Annual Reports also revealed that their full year revenues rose 8 percent to $32.8 billion, achieving a net income for the full year of $2.5 billion. Additionally, News Corporation ranks 76 of 500 on the 2010 Fortune 500 company list proving not only to be a successful company financially but prestigiously.

As of 2010, News Corp. also sold bTV, its Bulgarian terrestrial television business, to Central European Media Enterprises (CME) and acquired Skiff, LLC. In turn, Skiff, LLC. is an advertising company that delivers digital editions of traditional print media outlets such as newspapers/magazines. Today, the company continues to thrive under its founder, Chairman, and CEO, Rupert Murdoch whose long term goal for the company as stated in the 2010 News Corp. Annual Reports, "...is to harness the power of technology and today’s devices to advance the consumer media experience in totally new ways. We are committed to “reinventing” how consumers get informed...".

So as I venture further into the "renivention" of News Corporation for my university public relations class blog project, keep in mind understanding the public relations motives of a Fortune 500 business is only a few mouse clicks away.