What does PR own?

Mason Cole has an interesting post on his Vy Blog about a recent article by Buzz Metrics stating that PR has missed the word-of-mouth marketing boat because it’s been too heavily focused on media relations. Cole agrees, but thinks PR practitioners need to concentrate on communicating with the public, rather than following marketing trends.

PR should help companies relate to their publics. Find out who’s important, decide what to say to them, decide how to say it to them, then say it. For all the talk about the blog revolution, WOM marketing trends — all that crap — PR is still the same thing. Have something good to say, say it well. Say it in the places people put their eyes to read. Then, you’ll have results.