Ah, what not to write . . . what not to write. There’s so much that can be said about the profession, science and art of public-relations that it’s difficult to know where to begin. Every time I turn around, I see something to write about.

This will be dangerous fun.

As one is prone to do on a blog, I’ll start with writing about good old me. I’ve been blogging on my observation on and experiences in the world of Highland bagpiping for more than three years. Because piping for me is a hobby, a passion and an avocation, I haven’t had a shortage of things to say on “Blogpipe.”

Since the 1980s I have published a magazine on piping and drumming, and in that quarterly print publication composed the requisite editorial in each issue. In 1996 I started an online version of the magazine, recognizing that I can get out news far faster than waiting three months for the next print issue.

The online edition of Piper & Drummer became so popular that in 2006 I took the very successful magazine all-online, and, after a terribly boring dispute over the name, launched pipes|drums. Upwards of 5,000 of the world’s pipers and drummers read it every day.

So, I guess in addition to being a public-relations professional, I’m also a media hobbyist – both traditional and social.

But do my first-hand experiences in print-, online- and social-media alone qualify me to counsel clients on these areas? No, they do not.

I believe that, just an automotive beat-reporter must be first a good journalist, and maybe second or third or fourth an expert on automobiles, public-relations professionals must be first an expert on public-relations.

It certainly helps to have a thorough understanding of the subject matter, but I would much rather receive counsel from a PR professional who has proven experience and expertise and sound judgment in PR. And understanding the topic and the desired audiences is a prerequisite to having those abilities.

I have read sweeping pronouncements that those who do not participate in social-media are not qualified to offer counsel on it. I disagree. I have not been a retail reporter, but I am confident that I can provide expert counsel to clients who want to communicate with retail reporters. I don’t know how to build a processor, but I can provide excellent counsel on communicating a processor’s features.

A disquieting trend in my profession is that of the people providing advice to clients on social-media-relations without much or even any experience in public relations. I believe that the essential tenets of sound PR counsel hold true when it comes to social-media counsel.

Besides, social-media, like everything else popular and new, eventually assimilates. It’s media redefined, easier for anyone to practice. Get over it. It’s just media.