The challenge and some answers

The challenge -- PR people have to build consensus around a product or point of view and PR people are overwhelmed.

Answers -- truly begin to understand your audience. What determines an audience? They will ask questions, they will engage, they will send criticisms, they will send suggestions -- an audience will care. For too long PR people thought "the media" was an audience. "The media" was (I emphasize, WAS) a channel. Now the channel is disbursed. It is important to realize who the audience is and the impact that audience has on your product or point of view.

Meaning that for most practitioners, spend the time to get to know your audience, then engage them, ask them questions and take their advice. In today's world, only the insecure don't ask the audience.