Why I hate PR 2.0...

No, I don't hate social media. I just don't like how the practice is being labeled by some as PR 2.0 (I don't like a lot of labels, as anyone who has had the misfortune to listen to me rant about the 'Red State' label knows all too well).

Why don't I like the term PR 2.0? I believe it does a disservice to all those who have come before us, giants such as Ivy Lee and Arthur Page etc., by lumping them in one category of PR 1.0. I believe it ignores game changing events such as the news release, press conference, newswire, Internet, etc.,

But I am a tech PR guy at heart. I first cut my teeth on enterprise software, and remember the arguments over 14.2.5 or renaming the product so it could be 1.0.

So let's have a little fun and collaboratively come up with what dot rev we are really on.

My list is by NO means complete. I am sure it will change and change dramatically, but lets start off with this for now. (And yes, it is very U.S. centric)

PR Alpha - 1800 B.C. - the pamphlets cited in almost all PR textbooks I have ever read to help educate about the best ways to plant grain and deal with field mice

PR Beta 1.0 - 1622 - Catholic Church founded the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide

PR Beta 2.0 - 1788 - The Federalist Papers

PR Beta 3.0 -- Amos Kendall, a member of Andrew Jackson's kitchen cabinet, served as the first U.S. presidential press secretary.

PR 1.0 - 1850 - The birth of press agentry (yes, its bad now, but so are most 1.0 products *except those by companies that I represent of course). Widespread.

PR 2.0 - 1889 - The first reporters come to the dark side and begin press agentry at Westinghouse. Significant change.

PR 3.0 - 1897 - The American Association of Railroads first uses the term Public Relations (I toyed with having this be 1.0, but it wasn't dramatic enough, and introducing the term deserves more than a .5)

PR 4.0 - 1900 - The first PR Agency (Publicity Bureau) is founded in Boston. Introduction of the agency model.

PR 4.5 - 1906 - Ivy Ledbetter Lee introduces the "Declaration of Principles" (It's very significant but internal and process/standards oriented so it gets a .5)

PR 5.0 - 1906 - The first news release is issued. And they are still being issued today. From one-to-one to one-to-many

PR 5.1 - 1923 - Edward Bernays coins the term PR Counsel

PR 6.0 - 1927 - Arthur Page hired by AT&T as first corporate VP of public relations. This only intensifies the debate that still ranges today about getting a seat at the table. Elevation of the recognition of the importance of PR.

PR 7.0 - 1947 - PRSA is formed - Founding of a professional organization/standards body is important.

PR 8.0 - ? - The first commercial newswire begins operation, creating what will later be called the first spam - one-to-many exponentially

PR 9.0 - 1995 - Companies really start to use the Internet and Web in public relations. (Yes, I realize some happened well before that, I was on GEnie and had an MCImail account).

PR 10.0 - 2006 - Social Media and public relations takes off

So. What key compelling events am I missing? I want to add radio and TV into the mix, but am debating where to put them.