According to a recent McKinsey Report – the typical news consumer relies on 16 different branded online news sources a day – with many people spending between one and two hours daily surfing the Web for news.

“You are living digital right now.” Dave Senay, CEO of Fleishman-Hillard said when he made an official visit in Tsinghua University, Beijing, on Apr 2ed, 2008. Nearly 100 students joined his lecture at the School of Journalism and Communication.

Fleishman-Hillard is a leader in international marketing and communications, and one of the premier public relations agencies in the world.

Web media is becoming more and more popular. Both Yahoo News and Google News, the two most popular Web news media, add more than 20,000 unique stories a day.

“Media has changed and Relations has changed.” Dave said. He is the third CEO in history of Fleishman-Hillard.

Internet is the best and fastest growing and most populous medium platform from which people access information and share viewpoints in China. In a few months time, China will have 220 million internet users surpassing that of the US.

“We serve more than 1500 clients. And each one of them – from Huawei to Lenovo– expects us to evolve to the practice of Public Relations 2.0.” Dave Senry said.

“PR 2.0 teaches that you don’t target audiences, you draw an irresistible bulls-eye on yourself so audiences will target you.” The CEO introduced his conception of PR. 2.0 to his audiences.

“Word of mouth is one of the most important drivers of consumer behavior.” He said. Clearly, the most valuable form of communication today is relationship building within actual or perceived communities.

“Thanks to the Web, the 21st Century is shaping up to be the century of public relations. Public relations has become more relevant than advertising in the 21st Century.” He said.

“Getting news from Internet is an inevitable trend. In order to prepare for out career in Journalism or PR profession, we have to face the challenge and get ready.” Said Gao Song, a student from School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University.

Fleishman-Hillard and Tsinghua University has launched an internship program in September, 2007, which selects 15 top students every year to work in Beijing Office of Fleishman-Hillard for two months.