Abstract: This study set out to explore the current usage and knowledge of new media as a public relations tool and channel amongst practising public relations consultants in Australia. The research was motivated by a nationwide benchmarking study by de Bussy and Wolf (2009), which concluded that new media was an extremely low priority for Australian public relations practitioners. Taking into account the speed of change associated with new media adoption, the authors examine whether these findings are still true today. This study takes a qualitative approach, based on a critical analysis of semi-structured interviews with Western Australia (WA) based Registered Consultancy Group (RCG) members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) (n=7). Findings suggest a cautious attitude towards the benefits of new media amongst RCG consultants. This is largely based on the assertion that the dynamics of basic communication principles and theories have not changed and that there is consequently no perceived pressure to move into the new media sphere half heartedly. KATHARINA WOLF AND CATHERINE ARCHER,CURTIN UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA To cite this article: Wolf, K & Archer, C (2012) 'Shifting online: An exploratory study into PR consultants’ attitude towards new media', PLATFORM: Journal of Media and Communication 4(1) (June): 91-103. ISSN: 18365132 Online © Creative Commons 2.5 Australia licence SHIFTING ONLINE:AN EXPLORATORY STUDY INTO PR CONSULTANTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS NEW MEDIA INTRODUCTION US President Obama’s election win was largely accredited to the use of new media, in what is now referred to as Campaign Obama, which was recognised with two major accol- ades in the 2009 inaugural Cannes PR Lion Awards (http://www.canneslions.com). Aus- tralians may have watched the US presidential elections from the sidelines, however, recent data provided by Nielsen Media Research (Nielsenwire, 2010) highlights that they are rap- idly increasing their participation in the social media environment, including content shar- ing, with Twitter usage growing by 400 per cent last year. Close to three in four (73 per cent) of those Australians that are already online have looked at others’ profiles on social net- works. Most of the country’s federal politicians are now tweeting about their life in the pub-