According to a recent CNN poll, nearly three quarters of Americans believe that we have entered a recession. With unemployment on the rise, a declining housing market, the credit crunch and high fuel prices, it's easy for businesspeople to become discouraged and begin pulling back on their marketing. That's where PR comes in.

Freedom of the press continued to decline around the world for the sixth year in a row, according to the latest report from Freedom House. The decline in press freedom-which occurred in authoritarian countries and established democracies alike-continues a six-year negative trend.

America's most senior executives are voracious users of all media channels - including digital media - to fill their information needs according to results of a recent study, The Business Elite Study, from Ipsos MediaCT. In the past two years, the Study has tracked the rapid adoption of the Internet by business executives, with significant growth in usage of print media websites. It also shows that the Internet has not reduced their usage of other media types.

According to a recent study from Fellows of the Society for New Communications Research, "The 'new influencers' are beginning to tear at the fabric of corporate communications and marketing as they have existed for 100 years, giving rise to a new style characterized by conversation and community." The profound impact of new media on the PR landscape was analyzed and the findings were significant.