If anyone still doubts that blogs are an effective corporate communications vehicle, just look at GM's recent use of its FYI blog.

I was reading Steve Rubel's fine Micro Persuasion blog this morning when I saw his link to an Automotive News story titled, "GM posts column rebuttal on blog."  Here's how the story described what GM was using its blog to address:

GM is responding to a May 31 column by Thomas L. Friedman, headlined "A quick fix for the gas addicts." In the column, Friedman took GM to task for offering prepaid gasoline debit cards as an incentive.

In a posting on the GM FYI blog titled "The ban on 'rubbish' in The New York Times," public relations staffer Brian Akre says the newspaper rejected the letter because, at 490 words, it was too long. After negotiations, GM resubmitted a 200-word letter. Then the newspaper edited the letter.

Akre said GM rejected suggested rewordings from editors at the newspaper, including taking out the word "rubbish" - referring to GM's one-word summary of Friedman's letter.

In his FYI blog post, Akre published not only the letter in its entirety, but the e-mail trail back and forth between himself and The New York Times. 

Just look at the power the ability to post such items provides to communicators of companies large and small.  If you don't like something being said or written about you, you can address it on your own forum!  No one will edit your words.  And you can use the power of links to support your argument -- such as Akre's original letter and the e-mail trail.

I'm not suggesting here that everyone pick go out and pick a fight with The New York Times.  However, I am suggesting that when you've developed vehicles to reach out directly to your audiences, you are no longer beholden to anyone to get your message across.