Public Relations Voice R.N.I. Reg. No. 68070/98 Vol. : XIV
Nos. : 3 & 4 April - December, 2010
Contents 13th Anniversary Issue
PR Toolkits & Tactics
Rs. 50/- US $ 15 Editor
Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi Editorial Advisory Board
Narendra Luther T.H. Chowdary Prof. A.K. Banerji M.B. Jayaram Dr. G.C. Banik Dr. Ajit Pathak Samir Goswami Yogesh Joshi Rajyogi B.K. Karuna Prof. Doug Newsom (USA) Marketing Consultant
R. Neelamegham Correspondents
Prof. C.K. Sardana - Bhopal Prof. G. P. Pandey - Silchar C. Ramakanta Sarma - Tirupati Editorial Assistance
❖ Editor's Voice..............................................................................
❖ Toolkits & Tactics - The Soul of PR Practice ........... 3-9 - Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi ❖ Selecting Tools & Tactics : A Case Study................. 10-13 ❖ The Humble News Release Goes Digital .................. 14-16 - Dennis L. Wilcox, Ph.D. ❖ Creating Social Capital - The Great
Opportunity for PR ...............................................................
❖ 32nd All India PR Conference .....................................
❖ Yogesh Joshi : A Multifaceted Personality.............. ❖ Heaven is 21-miles long and 6000 ft. deep
M. Krishna Rao Office
O.V.L. Narasimham Editorial Office "House of Public Relations" 8-3-978/4, Srinagar Colony Hyderabad - 500 073 Andhra Pradesh, India Tele : +91-040 -23745549 Mobile: 09246548901 E-mail : drcvn@hotmail.com Printed & Published by C. Ravinder Reddy on behalf of CVN Public Relations Foundation and Printed at Sravya Grafics 6-2-1/7, View Towers Lakdikapul, Hyderabad-4. Ph : 66519919, 23307606
"Public Relations is the management of a two-way communication process between an organisation and its publics to promote the corporate mission, services, products, reputation and gain public understanding". No part of this journal may be reproduced in any form or by any means or otherwise without the written permission of the editor.
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❖ ABCI Com. Fest 2010 ........................................................ 20-22 - PR Voice Bureau
Cover Design Pre-press
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❖ 2009 Gold Anvil Award Recipient ............................... 17-19 - Face-to-Face
P. Mohan Rao Sharath Nallanagula
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Rim-To-Rim Grand Canyon Hike ................................
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24-25
- Ramesh Kumar Chamala ❖ Effective Public Relations and Media Strategy
- Views of Dr. Doug Newsom & Prof. Joye C. Gordon
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❖ Golden Opportunities to PR Professionals
Interview with Prof. Joye. C. Gordon..........................
26-27
❖ Media Conference 2010 ..................................................... - B.K. Sarala Anand
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❖ Is Lobbying Public Relations? - Y. Babji
29-30
❖ 11th Andhra Pradesh PR Conference...........................
31
❖ Three Unique PR Workshops............................................ - Prof. P.L.V. Rao
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❖ Events in Pictures....................................................................
33
❖ Public Relations Vocabulary..............................................
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Next Issue CORPORATE ETHICS & ETHICS IN PR
EDITOR'S VOICE
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13 Years of Public Relations Voice [1997 - 2010] Born on October 2nd, 1997, with the cover story 'Mahatma Gandhi - the Father of Indian Public Relations', the Public Relations Voice, the journal is now 13 years old, always working for the cause of public relations discipline. The 44 issues brought out for over a decade now every quarter uninterrupted, reflect the contemporary practice of public relations profession forming part of its history. Public Relations Voice has received "Awards and Recognitions" from several PR and communication related bodies as well as Journalism & communication departments of some Universities, including the Chanakya Award 2010 for Best PR Journal from Public Relations Council of India and also best Professional Journal Award from PRSI. If the United States of America, as the oldest democracy has about 100 PR Journals, India, the largest democracy in the world, brings out only one journal on public relations. It must be said that this yawning gap does not augur well for the growth of public relations in India, which is moving towards becoming the world's largest developed economy. But even this only PR journal - the Public Relations Voice - is limping for survival with myriad problems, hence two issues have been combined with this issue. Very often the thought of closing down this would come up but like the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, my passion for the profession makes it possible for its continued survival, thanks to the support of a few dedicated professionals. Our debt of gratitude to such committed PR practitioners who have been patronizing the journal. We look forward to their continued support so that the journal reaches the age of sweet sixteen in its goal towards advancing the profession and lend a support to the professionals in this country.
Toolkits & Tactics - the Keystone of PR The success of public relations process depends on the way we use the appropriate toolkits and tactics. Indeed, they are the soul of public relations practice. It is against this backdrop, the 12th Anniversary issue is devoted to Public Relations Toolkits and Tactics. Media, the lifeblood of PR offer ample opportunities through the tactics such as press release, radio talk, advertorial, e-mail, puppet shows, corporate film, photo feature, house journal, e-mail, wall-calendar and so on. Undoubtedly they help in transforming public relations strategy to accomplish the corporate goals and gain better understanding of stakeholders. As strategists as well as tacticians public relations practitioners must update their knowledge and acquire professional skills in making use of PR tactics efficiently and effectively to achieve the goals. Towards this, your Public Relations Voice will act as a guide to you constantly. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year and a Prosperous Sankranti! Public Relationsly Yours
(Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi)
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Toolkits & Tactics The Soul of PR Practice Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi
P
ublic Relations as a distinct discipline is suffering from identity crisis, not only in India but all over the world. That is why public relations today is staggering under the weight of identity crisis as it is being called by different names such as publicity, propaganda, public affairs, public information, public communication, reputation management, corporate relations, corporate affairs and also corporate communications. When our sister professions like advertising, marketing, journalism are called only with their respective names, why is this discrimination for public relations profession? It arose among others, because of the nonperformance of public relations as strategic management function. When public relations was considered merely media relations, the corporate world in US coined the new term corporate communication instead of corporate public relations. Today these two terms - corporate public relations and corporate communications are parallel to each other in practice.
Relations Practice is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics.' Another definition of CIPR says 'public relations is about reputation the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you'. Public relations practice thus is the discipline of earning public understanding and support and influencing opinion and behavior. All this means that public relations is the discipline of relationships management based on performance, service and quality of product. It has to contribute directly to the success of an organization and its business.
Three-point Plan Any public relations campaign or programme can be implemented based on a three-point plan. (1) Public relations strategy, (2) Media approach and (3) Toolkits and Tactics. In the process, the job of public relations which is hazardous becomes very easy.
Definition A good starting point, when thinking about public relations toolkits and tactics, is to look at some of the definitions of public relations. According to this author: "Public relations is the management of a two-way communication process between an organization and its publics to promote the corporate mission, services, products, reputation and gain public understanding." The UK's Charted Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) defines 'Public
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Part-I
Corporate Strategy Any profession be it marketing or public relations can carry out the tactical requirements demanded of public relations practitioners, such as media relations, production of internal and external publications, including video, audio and film production only based on a strategy. Professional strategy is a pre-requisite not only for operation of the practice but also the use of professional tactics such as media relations, exhibitions, etc.
It is in this context, Public Relations Society of America brings out two professional journals - The Public Relations Strategist (quarterly dealing with public relations strategy) and Public Relations Tactics (monthly covering public relations, tools, tactics). Every public relations professional must keep in mind the linkage between strategy and tactics, while designing and implementing public relations campaigns. What is a Strategy? Reader's Digest Great Dictionary of English Language gives the meaning of strategy as " a plan designed to achieve a particular long term aim', 'the art of planning and directing military activity in a war or battle". Contrasted with tactics. J L Thomspson (1995) defines strategy as a means to an end. Bennett (1996) describes strategy as ' the direction that the organization chooses to follow in order to fulfill its vision, mission, goals. Mintzberg offers five uses of the word strategy, namely: ◆ A plan - a consciously intended ◆
◆ ◆ ◆
course of action A ploy - a specific manoeuvre intended to outwit an opponent or competitors A pattern - in a stream of actions A position - a means of locating an organization in an environment A perspective - an integrated war of a perceiving the world
Although, strategy differs from organization to organisation, it is common practice for strategy making to take place at the levels:
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â?‘ The corporate level strategy â?‘ The business unit level strategy (public elations strategy) â?‘ The operational (execution) level strategy
Corporate Identity Corporate strategy in its simplest terms is a corporate identity or an organisation's identity. Kenneth R.Andrews, one of the principal developers of the strategy concept defines organizational strategy as ' the pattern of decisions in an organization that determines and reveals its objectives, purposes or goals, produces the principal policies and plans for achieving those goals, and defines the range of - (activities of the organization) is to pursue, the kind of economic and human organization it intends to be and the nature of the economic and non-economic contribution it intends to make to its shareholders, employees, customers and communities. - (Dalmer Fisher2007) Corporate strategy as described by Andrews is the overall action plan of a corporation based on its vision, mission to reach the corporate goals.
National Health Mission The National Health Mission of the Government of India, for example, is the overall national strategy to provide health for all. This is a strategy at the corporate level. Pulse Polio Immunization Programme to cover all children below the age of five years is a business level or activity wise strategy. And operational strategy covers the execution of Pulse Polio scheme by administering pulse polio drops to about 17 crore children in one of the national immunization drive rounds by opening Pulse Polio centres all over the country. Part-II
Public Relations Strategy A close link that we find between corporate strategy and the communi4
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cation strategy flowing out of the corporation to reach the stakeholders for effective implementation of corporate objectives and create better understanding between the corporation and its internal and external publics. In fact, carrying out strategy includes: managing the corporations' internal as well as external communication, a function that is earmarked for the discipline of corporate public relations or corporate communications. Public relations communication, in other words, provides a face and a voice for corporation through which the organization conveys its policies to both internal and external customers. Like marketing strategy or human resources strategy, there emerged public relations strategy out of corporate strategy to handle public communication or corporate communications. Public relations strategy may be defined as a "strategy of corporate public relations with managing the relationships between an organization and a much wider variety of stakeholders or audiences through media tactics as to accomplish public relations goals and also create goodwill among the public."
PR Operational Strategy Public relations practice is based on two broad strategies - the first is strategic management public relations strategy, which highlights overall strategy of public relations plan in tune with the corporate strategy. Though public relations is a strategic management function and that public relations strategy is evolved at board level with top management. Unfortunately public relations practitioners in India are not involved in board meetings as the practice in case of finance, HR or marketing. Public relations professionals are
being used at operational level only as technicians in releasing press notes, producing house journals and corporate brochures. The second one is public relations operational strategy which is based on media and public relations toolkits and tactics. Public relations is practiced in organizations ranging from small business companies, public sector undertakings, government, public authorities, transnational to multinational corporations with adequate manpower and financial resources.
Integrated PR Communications Operational public relations strategy adopts an integrated communication approach - combination of various media to reach a varied audiences of different educational and socioeconomic environment. A survey conducted by the Public Relations Voice of some of the in-house public relations departments and public relations firms in India indicate that they operate public relations functions through different specialisms or portfolios depending on the nature of stakeholders. The operational public relations portfolios or PR specialisms are: employees relations; shareholders' and investor relations; or financial PR; customer relations; business to business communication; product/ brand communications (marketing communication); suppliers' relations; distributors & dealers' relations; government relations and public affairs, social responsibility and community relations; corporate advertising and reputation management; environment protection; research and evaluation; special events management, quarterly annual performance reports; global public relations; crisis management; old and new media relations.
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Part-III
Media Strategy Public relations operational strategy is closely linked to media strategy. Media is the lifeblood of public relations. In fact, media comes first in the scheme of public relations campaign, because message cannot reach the target audience without media. It is said 'public relations practice without media is like winking at a young pretty girl in the dark'. You know what you are doing, but the target audience is in the dark because message has not reached them. The idea here is that no matter, how well planned or creative a public relations programme/campaign is, it will fail if no one in the audience sees it, no one hears about it, no one reads about it, no one speaks about it, no one writes about it, or experiences about it. It is in this backdrop and that to assure audience reach and to influence them, the first order of any organization is to evolve an appropriate media strategy to inform, to educate, to motivate and change the attitudes of audience towards organizational goals.
ITMN Theory of Gandhian Communication What should be the media strategy? Whatever be the media, it should be in tune with the Indian environment to meet the communication needs of the richest, poorest, literate and illiterate and in particular the disadvantaged sections of the society of 30 per cent of our population who are below the poverty line without any access to modern media of mass communication. Therefore, public relations practitioners should adopt the ITMN Theory of Gandhian Communication which is developed based on the communication techniques and media used by Mahatma Gandhi during freedom struggle to mobilize the public opinion against British Colonial Rule. 5
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I - stands for intra and interpersonal media (meditation, word of mouth) T - represents traditional folk art media (Bhajans, dance, drama, street plays, puppets) M - relates to Mass Media - old (press, radio,TV, film) N - covers New Media (internet, e.mail, blogs, twitter) Convergence of these four types: namely, interpersonal communication, traditional folk media, mass media and new media is best suited to the Indian conditions. Such media strategy alone wil bridge the communication gap between the information rich and information poor. Part-IV
From Strategy to Tactics Earlier, we have discussed about public relations objectives, public relations strategy and media plan. How do we translate both the objectives and strategy into practice as to give some tangible results to the organization. It is through media strategy, toolkits, tactics and public relations techniques. Public relations task is not that easy to accomplish. It is hazardous. However, it can be made easy provided you develop the required communication skills and adopt appropriate toolkits and tactics. The entire public relations process is dependent much on the tools and techniques that we adopt. This part therefore discusses the concepts of toolkits and tactics which is the key theme of this special issue. Toolkits and strategy should always go hand- in-hand. Tactics should always relate to strategy and objectives. Strategy provides the driving force. 'the how to do', while tactics give the general programme in detail, 'how you will implement the programmes'.
What is Toolkit or Tactic? Tactics also know as tools, are a set of techniques for achieving the public relations objectives. In the planning cycle, tactics come after the objectives and the strategy. Different PR campaigns need different tactics. It is therefore, important to make sure that the tactics chosen are appropriate to the target audience. The tactics are tools of influence and persuasion and are important communication activities for the public relations practitioner to adopt. Tactics have weaknesses as well as strengths and an efficacious communication programme should select a range of techniques which complement each other and that taken together offer a potent set of messages. â—† Tools
and tactics must appropriate to the audience â—† Tools must be deliverable. â—† Tools must be measurable
be
Pre-testing It is in this context, public relations practitioner should take care of tactics being used in public relations programme. Tactics, wherever possible should be pre-tested as to suit to the target audience. It is always advisable to find out as far as possible, if a particular tactic will work. You need to test its feasibility as far as possible. For example, if you want to educate illiterate people in rural India, the print media may not work. The best tactic in villages, is word of mouth, demonstration or folk media like street play or puppetry. Successful tactics send a clear message that targets publics values and interests even as it strives to achieve an organizations objective. In other words, successful tactics try to create win-win situations in which both the sender organization and the receiver publics benefit. Successful tactics are evaluated as they are performed and after they are executed.
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Strategy Vs Tactics A very clear example of strategy and tactics was demonstrated in the Kargil War, in which the Indian Army moved against Pakistain's encroachment into the Indian territory. The objectives of the Kargil war was to get the Pakistani Army out of Kargil area. The strategy was to defeat them in the war and get them out of the Kargil. The tactics to win the war included movement of ground forces to cut the Pakistanis off from Kargil, bombing, air-force support, use of tanks etc. Another example of relationship between strategy and tactics is: The objective is to publicise a new Lux Soap and to establish market leader. The strategy to reach the objective is to design a multi-media public relations campaign for the sale of new soap. In order to accomplish this objective, the public relations practitioner has to make use of various media tactics such as press release, press conference, interviews, advertising, competition, quality product literature, demonstration etc. In a nutshell, strategy is "how you will achieve" and tactics are "what you will do to implement the strategy".
Multi-media Tactics What tactics should you use? Each medium provides certain tactics. Press, for example, offers us the tool of press release, press photograph, press conference or letter to the editor. A multi-media public relations campaign with a variety of messages and diversified audiences and objectives will naturally demand a variety of tools and techniques.
Contact and Convince One way of looking at public relations programmes is to regard them as 'Contact and Convince' programs. First of all you identify and contact the relevant target publics, which entails 6
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selecting the publics and choosing a channel of communication through which one will contact them. Second, you convince them, through the power of your communications messages that they should think, believe or act in a certain way towards your objectives. The set of techniques used in a contact programme must reach a sufficient number of target publics and get the message across to them with enough impact so as to influence them in some way. And this must be done at a reasonable cost. So the public relations practitioner needs to select from a menu of tactics made available by different media. Careful choices have to be made about the combination of techniques to be used and the balance between the various activities selected. Each technique has its own strengths and weaknesses. The idea is to select a range of techniques that complement each other and which, when taken as a whole, provide a powerful raft of communication to the target group. Here, PR practitioner acts as a communication technician.
is yet another important tool to promote a new product.
Financial Information In another situation, where a company CEO wants to give detailed financial information to some key investors and shareholders, the visual and tactile aspects would not be so important. In this instance, it is important that the message is closely controlled, so a media campaign would not be the best method. The methods chosen might be meetings, distribution of literature and one-to-one or small group briefings. In these instances, the opportunity for one-to-one interaction to check understanding and support would be critical. Sometimes the type of campaign clearly dictates the selection of techniques. A campaign for new model car demands that the car manufacturer must take its new model to motor shows and allow journalists to test drive it. They also go in for full page advertisements with photos of a new car models.
Three Tests Physical Qualities An example will illustrate the point. If a company wants to launch a new and highly visual product, such as a new range of expensive cosmetics, it is important that techniques selected must allow the physical qualities of the product to be demonstrated and where there is some opportunity for some two-way communication. Techniques employed in this case might be exhibition, sending brochures with high-quality photographs of products to journalists and a coupon response that can be followed up by sending samples, a multi-media campaign on product for consumers, sampling opportunities at retail outlets, and demonstrations at a fashion events. Free publicity of new products with pictures in newspapers and magazines
Having brainstormed your ideas for your campaign, how do you then finally select the toolkits from the range of techniques that are open to you. There are three tests to apply: â—† Appropriateness : Will the technique actually reach the target publics you are aiming for. Will they have the right amount of impact? Is this a credible and influential technique to carry the message you are waiting to relay? Will the message get through using this technique? Do the techniques suit the message (content, tone, creative treatment). Is it compatible with other communication devices that you are using? â—† Practiability : Can you implement these techniques successfully?
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Can it be done within the budget and to the required timescale? Do you have the right people with the right expertise to implement the techniques? can you handle them practically.? ◆ Measurable : The ultimate objective of a public relations campaign is to give some tangible results to the organization on the money it spends. Therefore, tactics or toolkits selected as far as possible should be measurable of the impact on the audiences. Impact of a press conference can be measured in terms of the media coverage and reach of the audience?.
Media Landscape Newspapers Indian press is 230 years old. James Augustus Hicky started the first newspaper, a weekly 'The Bengal Gazette' or 'The Calcutta General Advertiser' on January 29, 1780. He is therefore, called the Father of Indian Journalism. When India became independent in 1947, there were 3000 newspapers including 300 dailies. Over the years the number of newspapers has considerably increased. According to "India 2010", a 'Reference Annual', there are over 70,000 newspapers today including 7,700 dailies, 23,414 weeklies and 9,053 fortnightlies. The total circulation of newspapers was over 21 crore copies and the readership might be over 30 crore .
Radio Radio is now 83 year old in India. The first regular broadcasting radio station was started by the then Viceroy Lord Irwin at Bombay in 1927. Today, the All India Radio has 232 radio stations and about 70 FM radio channels are in the private sector with a coverage of over 99 per cent population and a listenership of about 55 crore. 7
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TV Television in India is now 51 years old. TV made beginning in India on 15 September, 1959 when an experimental pilot TV Centre was established in New Delhi to transmit educational and developmental programs. Doordarshan network consists of 64 Doordarshan Kendras, 24 Regional News Units and 30 TV channels. There are over 500 TV channels in private sector. All these channels may have an audience of about 35 crore.
Films Cinema came to India on July 7, 1896 when the Lumiere Brothers' Cinematograph exhibited six silent short films at the Watson's Hotel in Bombay. Cinema therefore is now 114 years old. However, India's first fully indigenous silent feature film Raj Harichandra was produced by Dada Saheb Phalke and was released on May 3, 1913. There are about 13,000 cinema theatres with a viewership of 10 crores every week.
New Media As regards to new media, there are over eight crore internet connections and over 75 crore mobile phones and about 4 core landline telephones. In sum, the mass media in India reach about 60 per cent of our population with great potential of information, education and motivation.
Media-wise Tactics Media-wise tactics are given as detailed below. Each medium offers certain tactics that have to be used depending on the nature of the message and audience.
1. Intrapersonal Communication Media How people communicate with others is closely linked to how they communicate with themselves. The
then US President Harry S. Truman gave the order, after intrapersonal communication, to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and three days later on August 9, by a second bomb on Nagasaki. On August 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered unconditionally - the end of second world war. This was the result of intrapersonal communication which create either bridges of friendship or battlements. ◆ Meditation
(To know Inner Reality) ◆ Talking & Listening to oneself ◆ Self-view-self-concept or self insight based on internal and external stimuli
2. Interpersonal Communication Media ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Face-to-face techniques Public meeting Group discussion Speeches Lectures Whispering campaign Rumours - grapewine Seminars Annual general meeting Panel discussions Speakers' bureau Badges Public address equipment Social events Hospitality Roundtable conference Meet the customers Open house Event management Conferences - internal staff Information gathering - Interviews Grievance interviews Briefings Awards ceremonies Private breakfasts Lunches, roundtable dinners Telling-and listening Lobbying Community relations Third party endorsement
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◆ Quality circles counselling ◆ Telephone
3. Traditional Folk Media ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Puppets Songs Dances Drama Street plays Bhajans Keertans Magic Yakshagana (Karnataka) Burrakatha (Andhra Pradesh) Garba (Gujarat) Tamasha (Maharashtra) Balus ( West Bengal)
4. Print Media (Newspapers) ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
◆ ◆ ◆
Press release Features and articles Letters to the Editor Rejoinder or clarification Press conference Press interview-one-to-one briefing Press tour Press enquiries Press kit Press photo Factsheet Backgrounder Complaint with Press Council of India Press clippings service (Media monitoring) Advance copies of speeches with embargo Daily engagement column Curtain raiser Press reception Specialized columns and specialized newspapers(commerce, business, sports) Media advisories Guest editorials Advertorials
5. Electronic Media (Radio) ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
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News & Current Affairs Media Release(audio) Radio newsreel Talks Radio public service announcement Radio interviews PUBLIC RELATIONS
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◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Radio features Phone-in-programe Panel discussions Entertainment-Sponsored programmes Radio commercials Specialized audience programs women, children, youth, farmers, industrial workers, sports ◆ Script writing ◆ Audience research programme
6. Television ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
News & current affairs Video news release TV public service announcement Talk shows -magzine shows Talks Panel discussions Phone-in-programme Cable TV network Spot commercials Video films Feature films Magazine programme Documentary Specialized audience programme: Women, children, youth, farmers, industrial workers, sports ◆ E-media kit ◆ Script writing ◆ Audience research programme
7. Audio-Visual Media (Films) ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Corporate film Documentary film Feature film-short feature films Animation film Video film News magazines Cartoon films Quickies - (two-three minutes) Film strips Film slides Electronic sings Neon signs Script writing Film library PR films Ad. films Tele-films Film festivals Specialized audience films - Youth children, farmers ◆ Film shows
8. Photographs ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Press publicity photographs Product publicity photographs Photo feature News photos with press releases Photos for TV Photos in publications, exhibitions and ads ◆ Pictorial albums ◆ Photo contests ◆ Illustrations
9. Corporate Publications ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
House journal (internal & external) Corporate profile brochure Annual report Pamphlet Leaflet Newsletter Direct mail Posters, pictorials Stickers - badges Folders Catalogues Diaries Wall Calendars Table Calendars Pictorial albums Broadsheets Tabloids Wall newspaper Show cards Product literature Books Booklets Handbooks Greeting cards Reference annuals Manuals Corporate reports Research reports Sponsored books Bill inserts
10. Visual Media (Exhibition) ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Packaging Retailer display Product demonstration Exhibitions(pre-during-post exhibition publicity) ◆ Celebrity visits ◆ Bulletin boards ◆ Open House
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◆ Sponsorship (sports, arts) ◆ Specialized exhibition (shoe-tech,
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
homefair, household appliances, food fair, book fair) Trade fairs Mobile exhibition Information centres Product launches Corporate identity Road shows
◆ E.magazine / journal / e-zine ◆ Corporate Intranet ◆ Video news release ◆ CDROM ◆ Wikis ( quick) ◆ Really simple syndication (RSS)
(sharing digital content on web) ◆ Online conferences & debates ◆ Interactive websites ◆ Online message boards
11. Advertising
◆ Voice mail
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
◆ Text messaging
Corporate advertising Advertorials Product advertising Print media ads Electronic media ads Outdoor advertising Public service ads Classified ads Display ads
12. New Media ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
The computer The word processor The internet E-mail Video conference Internet news release Fax The website Podcasts Blogs Twitter Desktop publishing Discussion groups Portal Public kiosks Online journal
Folk Art Tactic in Rural India
◆ Hands (palms facing you positive
signal - Fists)
◆ Satellite media tours
◆ Legs (feet on desk is an attitude of
◆ Corporate Website
13.Non-verbal Communication (body language) (Transmission of messages using nonword symbols or body language, without talking is non-verbal communication.) ◆ Body angle (body posture towards
you) positive or negative ◆ Face (smile)
a - Eye contact and gaze b - Skin colour (redness is warning) c - Skin tautness (tight, anger) ◆ Arms (warning-indicate-attitude)
arrogance) ◆ Gestures (nail biting, foot shaking) ◆ Touching - handshake Public relations tools and tactics mentioned above are only suggestive but not exhaustive. It would be impossible to create a list of standard public relations tactics to fit every situation. Every public relations campaign is different and requires special or even sometimes unique tactics. But there are traditional tactics that every public relations professional should know because successful tactics are directed towards specific publics.
Public Relations Strategy & Tactics - Operational Process Corporate Vision & Mission Corporate Strategy - Goals Public Relations Strategy Multi-media Strategy Media-wise Toolkits & Tactics (Message Formulations for Internal & External Publics) Divergent Audiences
Tirupati Gopal - He has no village, no home, no property, no voting right. He survives on singing ballads from one place to another among the Shepherds community. How do we change his attitude towards better life? A challenge for PR Practitioners.
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Measurement of Public Relations Impact (Goodwill, Mutual Understanding, Better Performance & Reputation)
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Selecting Tools & Tactics : A Case Study
D
ifferent public relations campaigns/programmes demand different types of media and different tactics. Here is a case study of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to show that the appropriate media strategy and media tactics would give better results. APSRTC is biggest public transport corporation in India with a fleet of 22,000 buses and 1.2 lakh employees. Everyday about 1.36 core passengers are transported to different destinations covering about 82 lakh Kms. It is the biggest human organization, where public relations has a major role to play. Major accidents particularly the buses which fell into rivers like Krishna, Godavari and Hussansagar lake and that a bus was engulfed into flames led to corporation's reputation risk. In addition, the corporation needed the commitment of employees on the one side and the cooperation of passengers on the other in providing safe and comfortable travel. Thus the need for PR strategy.
Corporate Strategy The corporate objectives of APSRTC evolved based on its strategy that included: â—† To provide an efficient adequate
economical and properly coordinated system of public transport service in the State â—† To provide for its employees,
suitable conditions of service including fair wages and other amenities
management on the one side and over one lakh employees and over one crore passengers on the other. Transport public relations is a specialized corporate communications. Transport public relations strategy has three fold objectives. 1. To inform the public through all available media about the corporate strategy, objectives, programmes, services of the corporation including the passenger amenities 2. To motivate the employees for safe and courteous service on the one side and instill better traffic sense among passengers for smooth running of the corporation 3. To evaluate the impact of public relations both on internal and external publics and also gauge public reactions towards bus services and keep the management informed of the peoples reactions.
Theme of the Campaign The theme of the campaign was developed on certain basic propositions such as: (1) Passenger is the Master - Passenger is Always Right; (2) Passengers Comfort is Above All Else; (3) Every Employee is Accountable to the Passengers. All these components were intended to educate the employees on five point golden service rules like: Safety, Courtesy, Punctuality, Reliability and Cleanliness. If these five golden rules are followed the corporation would have provided very safe, comfortable and courteous transport service.
Public Relations Strategy
Media Strategy
Public relations department in APSRTC forms a bridge between the
Since passengers represent different socio-economic background - urban,
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rural, literate, illiterate, tribals, students, women, children, an ITMN multi-media strategy was adopted. It includes : interpersonal media (meetings), traditional folk media (street plays) and mass media (Press & TV). (New media was not there when this campaign was in operation 1990s).
One Corporation: Two Campaigns Though the corporation is one, two campaigns one for internal public and the second one for external public were launched as to cover employees on the one side and passengers on the other. Depending on the nature of audience, different media and different tactics were adopted as to suit the communication needs of the target publics.
Employees' Public Relations Employees are the first, for it is they who provide service to the passengers. The media tactics used for motivating the employees included: (1) House Journal (Prasthanam); (2) Handbooks for conductors and drivers with Do's and Don'ts; (3) Drivers' Poster; (4) Poster for all Employees; (5) Corporate Publications; (6) Stickers; (7) Video Cassettes; (8) Audio Cassettes; (9) Audio-visuals; (10) Suggestion Scheme; (11) Interaction of MD with line staff; (12) Meetings; (13) Public Relations Training; (14) Bulletin Board; (15) Miracle - Mini Poster for Employees at the time of strike notice; (16) Personal letters ( appreciation).
Actions Action oriented tactics were employed. Among others, a few tactics are detailed below to tell how they were used to influence the minds of employees.
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
◆ 'Prasthanam' - House Journal :
The house journal was mostly management oriented with more contents mainly focusing the views of management and pictures of CEO and Senior Managers. The format has been changed by providing more scope for expressing the views of employees and trade unions. Employees, alongside senior officials were given due importance in photographs. The inside and backside covers of the journal always carried the photographs of workers at the work place. Drivers and Conductors were projected on cover pages. The central spread of the magazine carried pictures of a particular bus depot showing the various facets of its functioning and also depicting the action oriented photographs of workers from the cleaner, mechanic to depot manager. Another interesting feature of the journal was that the management decided to pay remuneration to the employees who contribute articles for the journal. In fact, the journal became as 'of the employees, for the employees and by the employees' with management orientation. ◆ Drivers' Poster
Poster is an excellent tool tactic in the Indian context to attract the attention of both urban and rural, audiences including the illiterate. As many as 45000 drivers work in APSRTC whose proper driving alone result in the safety of passengers. How do we educate drivers towards their commitment for safe travel?. A poster was brought out with a persuasive message "safe driving will not only enable the driver to reach home safely, but also the bus passengers and pedestrians". An attractive PUBLIC RELATIONS
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illustration was added to the message. It depicted the wife and children of the driver including his pet-dog awaiting the driver's arrival in a joyful mood on the one side and the driver entering his home with a smiling face to join the family on the other. A 60 watt bulb was giving shining light as if to welcome the driver.
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These posters were displayed in all the depots of the corporation where drivers report for duty and sign the attendance register. Not only were these posters displayed at bus depots but a photo of the poster along with a press note was also released to the press which gave prominent coverage to ensure that APSRTC was taking all care to provide safe travel.
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◆ Bulletin Board
The 'Bulletin Board', an improvised public relations display Ad, is an effective media tactic of internal communication which served twin purposes: Talking to employees in the corporate office and also listening by employees to management with the contents of the 'Bulletin Board'. The contents of this Bulletin Board covered: media releases, management's welfare measures and policy decisions, corporation's major accomplishments. Photos of important events, press clippings, house journal, corporate literature, news flashes CEO's appeals, employee's notices. When Sanjay Gandhi was killed in an air crash, the news clipping displayed on the Bulletin Board, spread the news like wildfire among the employees of the corporation.
Other Tactics ❙
A -10 Point Code of Conduct for Conductors
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A sticker 'Do Your Duty with Commitment and reach your home happily Employees Motivation Poster 'comfortable travel is our objective' Miracle-Mini-Poster - Strike is not advisable. Await the decision of the pay revision committee Interaction of CEO with lower level staff in depots, workshops and bus stands.
Campaign for External Publics "Customer is the Master. Customer is Always Right their Comfort is Above All Else" has been the theme of passengers relations programme. Good customer relations are the roots of public relations. However, the customer's satisfaction that accrues from a good product or service is only the beginning of good customer relations. Customer satisfaction certainly creates good reputation. Good customer relations also spring on finding out what customers want or would like. What problems does the service have to solve in order to promote customer satisfaction? Thus the customers' public relations.
Bus as a Medium The APSRTC bus itself was the major medium between the corporation and the passengers. Over 22,000 buses which move into the nook and corner of the State carried educative slogans that could educate about one crore passengers. The slogans included: 1. 'Follow the 'Q', while Boarding; 2. Ticketless Travel is an Offence- Fine up to Rs.500; 3. Pay Correct Change for the Fare; Cooperate with the Conductor; 4. Respecting Women is Our Tradition - Allow Women to sit in the Seats Allotted for Them;
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
department in a circular reiterated the advice of CEO - 'the managers should take up the onerous responsibility of mass contact programme with commuters to explain about the reasons of fare hike due to increase in the cost of materials, tyres, chassis, fuel etc. The managers met thousands of passengers in person, for the first time, in its history, which not only created great awareness about the fare hike but also they were convinced with the fare hike
5. Footboard Travel is Dangerous; 6. Smoking is Prohibited It has been the practice to sell the space inside and outside the bus to private advertisers for commercial ads and earn revenue for the corporation. However, the management conceded to the proposal of public relations department and gave some space for public relations slogans, that created great impact on passengers.
Bus Timings It was the practice of newspapers to publish only the railways and airways timings. But no attempt was made earlier to get the bus timings published in newspapers. Based on the good media relations, the newspapers in Hyderabad published two types of bus timings 1) Inter-State Bus service timings; 2) Bus Services to Important Pilgrim and Tourist Places. The newspapers included the the Hindu, the Deccan Chronicle, Indian Express and all other Telugu dailies. All the newspapers gave free space every week worth Rs. 50,000 in terms of advertising space. When it was submitted to CEO, who endorsed ' 'Good. Please Keep it Up'. This was a good recognition for the innovative work done by the public relations department. Such a tactic, a few public relations practitioners commented, was never used by any transport corporation in India. Feature The corporation introduced a scheme 'A Bus to Every Village'. Komi a tribal woman at Choutpally bus stand in Krishna District had been living by doing manual labour with an income of Rs.2/- per day then. Even this income was not regular only seasonal. But the bus to every village, changed
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PR as Eyes and Ears
her life for the better. Komi used to take the bus every day to go to Kanchikacharla, the nearest market centre where she used to buy vegetables and sold them in her own village earning Rs.10/- per day then. A feature on Komi as a human interesting story was contributed to the media. About 20 newspapers in Andhra Pradesh in English, Telugu, Urdu & Hindi languages carried this story, which not only promoted the reputation of the corporation but also the significant role of novel idea of 'bus to every village'. Mass Contact with Commuters When there was bus fare hike, the CEO of the corporation evolved a unique method 'mass contact' of contacting individual passengers at the grassroots by the officials of the corporation with humility to explain 'why fare hike?' The public relations
As ' eyes and ears' of the corporation, the PR department regularly interacted with conductors and drivers to find out their problems. An interesting incident came to light when the Director, PR was discussing with a few conductors. Conductors with one voice represented about the discourteous behavior of Checking Inspectors with the conductors inside the bus before the passengers. Their view was that the conductors who were guilty could be punished but they should not be illtreated within the bus in the eyes of the passengers. This was brought to the notice of the Management and a circular was issued - "All Regional Managers are advised to instruct the checking officials to exercise utmost care while dealing with the defaulter conductors and not to give scope for creating of the impression amongst the conductors that they are ill-treated in the presence of the passengers." This act of PR gave solace to conductors and developed a feeling of belongingness in their attitude towards corporation. Curtain Raiser â? For all important events like
inauguration of bus stations, bus depts., the PR department used to send a ' Curtain Raiser
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The views grievances culties of detailed to
or a 'Scene Setter' a story providing background material to the forthcoming event. It was indeed, 'Food for Thought' for media.
others problems. At the end of the meet, a spirit of
Feature
brotherhood and mutual understanding was visible.
❁ Feature on rural cargo service
to tell how, a woman used to transport her farm vegetables to the nearest market by APSRTC cargo bus for better price
Evaluation The public relations efforts in APSRTC undoubtedly yielded better
T.V. Slogans
results! The rate of redressal of complaints has considerably increased
❁ Both TV and radio carried
educative slogans free of cost that could create great impact on passengers. 'Pay correct change for the fare' cooperate with the conductor' was a boon to the corporation as many passengers developed the habit of giving the correct fare with change ❁ Bus to every village - was also
telecast on Doordarshan.
Face-to-Face ❁ At your service' face-to-face
with passengers on TV by CEO ❁ Corporate
Advertising; APSRTC bags five national awards
of management, passengers diffiemployees were understand each
❁ Audio-visual - A day with
APSRTC ❁ 'Meet the commuters' - Almost
all depots of the corporation had organized 'Meet the Commuters' half-day session when four segments of the public namely management, employees, passengers and media interacted on the problems of mutual interest.
and the passenger amenities also improved. Better media coverage of the performance of the corporation. APSRTC bagged five national awards in the fields of safety, fuel efficiency and better productivity'. The corporation recorded the lowest accident rate in the country at 0.18 per one lakh Kms. In sum, the corporation's reputation as a good public transport service has increased on the one side and the work of public relations department was recognized and given due importance on the other side - thanks to the public relations strategy and media tactics.
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The Humble News Release Goes Digital Dennis L. Wilcox, Ph.D.
T
he basic news release has been around for centuries in various shapes and forms. Carved messages on stone were probably the first prototype of the news release.
Stone Pillars The Rosetta Stone of ancient Egypt was basically a publicity release touting an Pharaoh's accomplishments, and Emperor Asoka communicated with his subjects using large stone pillars erected at major crossroads. Today's basic version of the news release, commonly referred to as a press release, goes back more than a century when Ivy Lee wrote one for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1906.
Death of News Release Indeed, the news release continues to be the most commonly used public relations tactic although the advent of the Internet and social media have changed its basic purpose and format. Some social media gurus have even pronounced the death of the news release. Fuat Kircaali, CEO and publisher of SYS-CON Media, flatly states "The press release business already belongs to the Stone Age." But, as Mark Twain is reported to have said, "The news of my death is highly exaggerated." A 2009 poll of corporate communicators by Ragan Communications and Poll Stream, for example, found that 50 percent of the respondents believed news releases "are useful as ever." Another third said they were a necessary evil that would not go away anytime soon, primarily
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due to government regulations regarding disclosure of financial information. Another survey by Arketi Group of business journalists found that 92 percent of the respondents used news releases for story ideas. "Traditional tools won't go away," says Lauren Fernandez, Marketing Director of American Mensa. She told Ragan.com, "I can't say that something is new and shiny and I'm going to forget everything else. I don't think they're (news releases) are dead; most effective brands are using both."
Unpaid Reporters The traditional media rely on basic news releases for two reasons. First, the reality today is that reporters and editors spend most of their time processing information, not gathering it. Second, no media enterprise has enough staff to cover every single event in the community. Consequently, a lot of the more routine news in a newspaper is processed from news releases written by public relations practitioners. As one editor of a major daily once said, public relations people are the newspaper's "unpaid reporters." It must be remembered, however, that a news release is not paid advertising. News reporters and editors have no obligation to use any of the information from a news release in a news story. News releases are judged solely on newsworthiness, timeliness, interest to the readers, and other traditional news values.
Planning a News Release Before writing any news release,
several questions should be answered to give the release direction and purpose. A planning worksheet should be used to answer the following questions: ◆ What is the key message?
This should be expressed in one sentence.
◆ Who is the primary audience for
the release? Is it journalists in traditional media, bloggers, or consumers looking for information via a search engine? ◆ What does the target audience gain
from the product or service? What are the potential benefits and rewards? ◆ What objective does the release
serve? Is it to increase product sales, enhance the organization's reputation, or increase attendance at an event? ◆ Is a news release the best format
for the information? These planning questions should also include an ethical component. Is the information accurate? Can the claims for the quality of the product or service be documented? Is the information misleading in any way? After determining the purpose of the news release, the next step is to structure the content and format.
The Basic Online News Release The vast majority of news releases today is distributed via email, electronic news services, or is downloaded from an organization's website. The format and content of
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
news releases for distribution via e-mail and the Internet is somewhat different than the traditional doublespaced format that was mailed or faxed only to media outlets. The basic format of an online news release is as follows: ◆ Use single spacing ◆ Keep the news release to 200
words or less ◆ Use
the inverted pyramid approach; the most important information is first followed by less important details.
◆ The top line should be the name of
the organization and perhaps its logo ◆ The second line should be the date
(i.e. December 21, 2010). ◆ The third line should be the
headline in boldface with a slightly larger font than the text. This often serves as the subject line in an email so it should give the key message in 20 words or less. It's also important to include a key word or phrase for search engine optimization (SEO). ◆ Provide the city of origination at
the start of the lead paragraph (i.e. New Delhi) ◆ Write a succinct lead of only two or
three sentences that gives the essence of the story. ◆ Use a pull quote as part of the news
release. This is a quote that is highlighted in a box that gives a major point about the story. ◆ Provide links in the news release so
readers can easily click on sites that provide related information. ◆ The last paragraph should provide
basic information organization.
about
the
◆ The release should end with the
name, telephone, and email address of the public relations contact PUBLIC RELATIONS
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person so a reporter or blogger can easily contact them for more information.
Social Media Release The major change in the evolution of the humble news release is the multimedia release, which has also been dubbed the "smart media release" (SMR) and even the social media news release. These releases, pioneered by the major electronic distribution services such as Business Wire, PR Newswire, PRWeb, and MarketWire, now make it possible to embed a news release with high resolution photos/graphics, video, and audio components. In addition, these services have teamed up with search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN to promote maximum exposure of the news release through search engine optimization (SEO). Essentially SEO is the process of carefully selecting key words for the news release that makes the content easily retrievable. For example, a food company may want to use the term "agricultural biotechnology" in a news release as opposed to "genetic modification" but people will more likely use the latter term in a search and completely miss the company's news release. A search engine looks for certain terms in a document to help it understand how to classify or categorize the content in terms of title, tags, summary and hyperlinks. Robert Niles, writing in OJR: The Online Journalism Review, adds, "If you're publishing online, Google style (i.e. SEO), always trumps AP style." Michael Lissauer, Executive Vice President of Business Wire, told PR Week, "The most important thing to
our clients is seeing their news release on these search engines. They know consumers go there. If they write a news release effectively, they can bypass the gatekeepers, the journalists, who always had the opportunity of interpreting the release how they wanted." In other words, the SMR has expanded the audience beyond just the traditional media outlet. The popularity of social media has also been incorporated into the SMR. A news release will also include social media tags so the content can be circulated through Digg, Technorati, del.icio.us and other social bookmarking sites to increase search engine rankings of your release and also drive targeted traffic to your Web site. Other links will be to blogs, an organization's newsroom link, and even a space so readers can post a comment about the news release. Market Wire, in particular, has added services to address social media. According to Craig McGuire writing in PRWeek, "The service includes social bookmarks and tags, news channel distribution, audio headline summaries, search-engine-friendly permalinks, social video hosting on Photobucket, photo hosting on YouTube, and more." According to Paolina Milana, Vice President for Market Wire, "Social media releases are generally formatted so information is easy to scan, utilizing bullets and lists of ready-made quotes Instead of dense text." PR Week reporter McGuire gives some technique tips for the using smart news releases that also incorporate social media:
DO's ◆ Include links to pages where
multiple instances of your key words/phrases reinforce your message.
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
◆ Place terms in key positions like
headlines and first paragraphs. ◆ Distribute a release through a
service that carries hyperlinks to downstream sites such as Yahoo Finance, AOL News, and Netscape.
DON'Ts ◆ Go link crazy. Too many links will
confuse journalists and draw focus away from key messaging. ◆ Use low resolution images. Opt for
high-resolution multimedia that can be easily used by layout pros. ◆ Use all tools, all the time. Focus
first on the message. Use the bells and whistles to complement the campaign.
Interactive Tool The smart news release fulfills the prediction of Manny Ruiz, president of Hispanic PR Wire that "The press
release of the last century is dead," He enthusiastically adds, "In its place Is a dynamic service that is more of an interactive marketing tool, more relevant and compelling for journalists; the difference is It's not only for journalists." This may be true, but it's still worth remembering that the vast majority of news releases, even those carried by the electronic distribution services such as BusinessWire are still basic releases about mundane activities that don't require photos, videos, and audio components. An increasingly number of product news releases do include embedded photos, but more elaborate SMRs are remain a fraction of the total market because of cost. On the other hand, the number and variety of channels receiving news releases have expanded considerably beyond traditional media outlets.
Indeed, today's organizations are posting their news releases on their websites, sending them to bloggers, linking them with social media sites, and using key words so search engines can easily index them. The result is that the humble news release is no longer subject to the whims of editors, but can now by-pass traditional media gatekeepers and also be accessible to consumers. Dr. Wilcox is Professor Emeritus of Public Relations at San Jose State University in California. He is the author of several public relations texts, including Public Relations Strategies & Tactics, which is available in India from Pearson Education, Delhi.
Creating Social Capital - The Great Opportunity for PR support to financial capital? While marketers are well suited to generate financial capital, they are ill-suited to generate social capital. It is therefore, for public relations professionals to create social capital through public relations tools and tactics
If marketing department help create financial capital through movement of products, services and sales for a company, the public relations department has a golden opportunity to create social capital. How is financial capital created? The rupee value a company receives from its ongoing relationships with its stakeholders, allies, collaborators and other publics. The bottom line in the creation of financial capital reflects in your company's store house of social capital. The stronger your network of relationships is the larger your reserve is and the more you gain from cooperation, information, collaboration and endorsements that result from your organization's social capital network.
Building Network
Who creates the social capital as a
There are two types of social capital:
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In the words of Vilma Luomaho, a researcher in organizational communication and public relations at the University of Jyvaskyala, in Finland. 'Public relations profession could profit from a redefinition. Public relations could be understood as the practice of creating organizational social capital'.
the first type is bonding social capital, which is the shared identity that provides a cultural bond among the members of an organization. The second kind of social capital ' bridging social capital', this is the social capital that reaches across divisions, and distances to build on going relationships between disparate organizations. It is to establish a system for creating these meaningful conversations, dialogues and collaborations between the corporation and its key publics. It is here media including internet and social media, play a significant role based on the performance of your company in creating social capital to generate both human capital and financial capital.
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
2009 Gold Anvil Award Recipient Michael L. Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA Carries on the Tradition Michael L. Herman
Face-to-Face
M
ichael L.Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA, Chairman and CEO of Communication Sciences International, received the 2009 Gold Anvil Award during the PRSA 2009 International Conference in San Diego. The Gold Anvil for lifetime career achievement, first awarded in 1948, is the Society's highest individual honor. Herman is recognized as one of the profession's leading practitioners, mentors and champions. He personifies the leadership qualities and reflects the values that PR professionals seek to communicate in their work. The Strategist asked Roy Vaughn,APR director of communication for BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee and the 2007, chair of the Counselors Academy, to interview Herman. Excerpts from that conversation follow: You started your PR career in 1970. What changes have you seen since then? Public relations was looked at as more of an art than a science, PR programmes at the University level were kind of the stepchildren of the journalism schools. The United States as a whole, and certainly the business community, was very insular with regard to the world beyond our borders. There has been quite an evolution since then, or may be I should say a number of mini revolutions. When we talk about the evolution of our profession, too often we view it through the same perspective that young people use when they talk about history, which is to say we personalize it and force it through the prism of our own experiences without studying the broader scope‌ the overall changes in the world around us over time. Those who came before us had one thing that is quickly disappearing an uneducated - or may be less-educated public and, more important, control of the message and the distribution channels. Mini Revolutions Whether it was the invention and acceptance of the printing press, newspapers and magazines, the telephone,
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radio, television or the internet and social media, these mini revolutions have consistently taken away that control. Such changes also place demand on PR counselors and communication professionals to add to their knowledge base, to learn to use new tools, techniques, methods and means. But we shouldn't forget that our primary job remains the same; to build relationships and to understand and manage the changes that are foundation of our continually evolving society. What can PR professionals do to continue to underscore the strategic importance of public relations at the management level? To be counselors to management and to be respected by other disciplines, we must understand the world in which we operate, to speak the language of business, to understand the demands that our co-workers experience in their jobs and their lives and effectively provide creative solutions to the challenges we all face.
Message Deliverers We define ourselves as communications professionals or media relations experts or PR people, and then we are surprised when we are looked at as message deliverers usually called in after the decisions have been made. Even now, we spend unconscionable amount of time in sessions learning about social media. Twitter, Face book and other tactical delivery tools. And while it is important to learn about these things, we must remember that, for the most part, they are just that: tactical tools for message delivery. We must help senior management understand that change will come to every organisation in its time. That time is upon now, whether in the theater of changing media, or the need for organizations to truly understand the changing environments in which they must operate. We must raise the bar of our professionalism and change the perception of what we do and who we are and what we can bring to the organisation. Our future demands that we expand our horizons.
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
Futurists 'How can we do that?' the answer is simple - by doing it. We have to think, plan and act-not just react. We must think strategically instead of tactically. We must become futurists, anticipating and envisioning courses for our organisations and clients based on a thorough understanding of business plans, financial realities and a changing reality in our surrounding political, regulatory, legal and social environments. To become change agents, we have to be able to provide the tools and strategies that can help our organisations and clients manage and control those changes, not just communicate the approach and impact of these forces and changes after they happen. If we do not make ourselves the owners of change within our organizations, then we will find ourselves outside looking in as the changes are taking place and others decide the future. What challenges do you see in being a leader of this change in perception, and how do you define leadership? Our organizations, institutions and business, here in the US and around the world, are at a crossroads. The environment in which we must grow and prosper is defined by cynicism, mistrust and even disgust on the part of the public. This cynicism is primarily, the result of our actions and those of our peers in business, government and even nonprofits. It is causing increasing factionalism and division ‌ on the part of the young people from which the next generation of both PR and business leaders must come, about whether it's even worth the effort. Clearly this is not a sustainable situation for business, for that matter; our society and our profession. What's clear is that we have a responsibility to change this perception by demonstrating effective leadership. Effective leaders must create an emotional, not an intellectual bond with those they wish to lead. A true leader has to exhibit tangible and measurable skills and talents, including an ability to get to know people and genuinely care about them.
Vision of Ideas I believe that true leaders have an inherent need and a self-imposed responsibility to mentor. They are defined by those who trust their judgement, seek their counsel and listen and follow through on their ideas. To be true leaders, we must have a vision of the ideas and ideals for which we have a passion. We must share that PUBLIC RELATIONS
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vision with others in a way that builds strong relationships that transcend petty politics, divisive actions and personal aggrandizement. We must lead, not by consensus, but rather by conviction, and we must be mindful that our job is to lead public opinion, not follow it. The mass mind is virtually never as clear, concise and visionary as that of one who thinks deeply and sees clearly. We have a big job ahead of us, because it seems that today, everyone makes decisions based on the latest public opinion.
How can PR professionals create a better understanding of what we do within our organizations and with our clients, especially in the C-suite? Act Rather Than React : I mentioned earlier that we must be strategic, and we must act rather than react. A big portion of our job is education. A great segment of corporate and organization managers go through their entire education, especially in business and engineering schools, never learning or appreciating what public relations is .. let alone what it does. We consistently see senior level managers who still think that public relations is 'free advertising' or the ability to 'get our name in the media'. I usually tell clients that it's no problem getting your name in the media - just do something stupid or wrong. I'm still amazed at the number of people in our profession who see their job as pitching stories. We must be able to help others understand that public relations is really about creating mutually beneficial and respectful relationships with those whom the organization is dependent upon for a good reputation and overall success. It may be employees, suppliers, customers, regulators, or even the neighbors in the communication in which we operate, but there are many myriad audiences that must be nurtured and educated. To communicate effectively with those audiences, we must understand their attitudes, their knowledge base and, most important, their motivation. In helping organizations deal with change, we must think ahead, continually educate ourselves and plan for what might be. CEOs can be educated on the importance of having a chief communication officer. CEOs need to be shown how all communication functions - marketing, advertising and other groups that change management depends on- can work better as a single entity and positively affect productivity, reputation and return on investment.
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However, (the ability to affect) such education depends on being knowledgeable and capable of speaking the language of business and management, and being able to show the facts and figures to substantiate our claims.
Speaking of education, yu've spent many years teaching at the university level and often talk with PRSSA students. What's your impression of the next generation of PR professionals? The students today are so much more sophisticated than even those I taught 20 years ago. They are enthusiastic, hungry for knowledge and ready to conquer the world. They are extremely competent in their knowledge of electronic and social media, at least from a tactical standpoint, and they have high expectations for their future. All of this is good for the profession. I attribute a lot of this to the ongoing efforts of the schools to obtain accreditation for the PR sequences and the dedication of the faculty to upgrading their curricula. The one thing that remains constant is the need for improved writing skills and a broader understanding of public relations in a changing society. There is also a lack of
language skills other than English, and even there, I keep hearing from the professors about their frustration concerning the lack of solid writing skills on the part of students. They also point out that the lack of knowledge of the English language - grammar, punctuation and spelling is being further deteriorated by the 'shorthand' that texting seems to engender.
Be a Constant Reader The need for basic skills never changes. You have to have a broad knowledge of the world, be well-read and have a global perspective and knowledge of the world. You have to be a constant reader.. because if you don't read, you can't write, and it's imperative to write well.
What is next for you? I'have always said I' d rather wear out than rust out. I still find each day to be a new opportunity, and I believe that for all that the profession has given me, I' m still not quite through trying to champion the changes that I believe can continue to help us grow and prosper. Courtesy : The Public Relations Stratagist
32nd All India PR Conference An Important Milestone in the History of PRSI If the First historical, All India Public Relations Conference, with the theme ' Professional Approach" was held 42, years ago in New Delhi on April 21, 1968, the 32nd All India PR Convention will be held in Kolkata on December 1618, 2010. Between these two conferences many public relations events local, national and international that were held at different places in the country bear an eloquent proof to the fact that public relations in India has come of age. PRSI as a national PR professional body was not only instrumental for the growth of the profession but also promoted the history of Indian public relations. To commemorate the First All India PR Conference, April 21 is being observed as a National Public Relations Day every year since 1986.
Theme Since economic liberalization and globalization, Indian public relations has grown phenomenally in all sectors be it government, private industry or NGOs. There has been an upswing in PR activity to meet the global competitive marketing environment and trade wars. Therefore, communication compulsions have become the most important component of corporate strategy, to promote brands and create better understanding between corporations and their publics. The new age communication, therefore, calls for inclusive communication strategies, thus the theme of the conference "Inclusive Communication Strategies for Responsible Business Excellence".
Host The Kolkata Chapter of PRSI which was established in 1969 has so far hosted five national PR conferences in 1972, 1980, 1989, 1998 and 2004. This conference is sixth in series being hosted by Kolkata chapter. Narendra Ranjan Mukherje as Chairman of the Conference is the guiding star behind the conference. PRSI National President, Dr.Ajit Pathak has appealed to all regional chapters and PR professionals to make the conference a grand success with active participation. He said that there were 24 Regional Chapters throughout the country with a membership of over 3000. The PRSI is also an associate of International PR Association, UK. PUBLIC RELATIONS
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ABCI Com. Fest 2010 Communicator : The Change Leader
I
ndia, in past decades, has been the world number one in starvation deaths, imports, foreign aid and that it was even considered by Westerners as a nation of snake charmers, saints and ' Sanyasis'. In the 2000s, our country was transformed from a chronic underperformer to a potential superpower. India will overtake China as the fastest growing economy and that it will be world No.1. economy in 2020 according to Economic Times. This will also take India's GDP Growth to 10 per cent.
World's Biggest Communication Network What is the secret of this success? May be many! However, ABCI Com Fest 2010 organised by the Association of Business Communicators of India as part of its 50th Annual Awards function in Mumbai on November, 10 & 11, 2010 proved that 'the Communicator as the Change Leader' has been the key promoter, and persuader par - excellence behind the spectacular success of India in the field of economy. Being the largest democracy in the world, we should not forget that India also has the biggest public communication network in the world, that facilitates the growth rate. Against this backdrop, innumerable issues such as creating innovative industry leaders, emerging India as an economic super-power, dimension of business communications, positioning of brand Indias, public information infrastructure for global leadership, communication support in solving PUBLIC RELATIONS
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R. Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, TATA Sons Ltd. seen delivering inaugural address at ABCI Com. Fest 2010
problems confronting the nation as a big challenge were discussed at length by well known CEOs and communicators.
Five Great CEOs R.Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, Tata Sons Ltd, who inaugurated the Com Fest said that in the 140 years of history of Tatas only five CEOs who headed the company were responsible for its success. They had long term vision. The five great CEOs were 1) Jamsedji Tata, 2) Dorabji Tata, 3) Sir Ratan Tata, 4) Jahangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (JRD Tata), and the present CEO Ratan Tata. What is needed today is of good industry leaders with great commitment, vision and the ability to communicate and influence the stakeholders. The greatest ability of a leader Gopalakrishnan observed was his communication skills to persuade and influence the people without authority. While dealing with public communication, the Executive
Director, Tatas said that, Actions must always precede the communication effort. 'Act First, then Communicate' for better impact was the slogan given to communicators. Gopalakrishnan advised the communication and public relations fraternity that they must bring to the notice of the management the reality of consumers' viewpoint about a product or service including the corporate brand.
Good Communicators In the session 'creating industry leaders through communication', Sanjay Chowdhury, Chief of Corporate Communications, Tata Steel, said that basically change leaders have to be good communicators. The world is crying for good leaders. Business organizations need leaders at every level to sustain the growth and meet the global competitive marketing environment. Ability to deal with the people is the greatest attribute of an industry leader which can be imbibed only through communication skills.
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Dr. Mathew Hibberd, Director, Communication Studies, University of Sterling, Scotland, UK who dwelt on ' "How can Communication Professionals create outstanding leadership in Industry", observed that education and communication are some of the attributes that make great industry leaders.
Expectations from Corporate Houses, Kumar Ketkar, Editor, Loksatta said that business media in India developed because of globalization; more coverage then was given to the corporate world in business media. Dealing with what media expects from corporate houses, the editor Loksatta observed that business media is keen to publish the socio-economic change taking place after liberalization. In this context, the corporate world must feed the media with the latest infrastructure and technology being used for the development of the country.
worms in Cadbury was not due to defect in manufacturing but the problem was that of cold storage. Retailers, later were advised to store in refrigerators.
Public Communication Infrastructure
Speaking on 'Creating and Leveraging Communication Infrastructure for Global Leadership'; Economic Super Power Sam Pitroda, Adviser to Prime A session that attracted Minister on Public Information considerable attention was the one Infrastructure, that attracted the addressed by Dr.Narendra Jadhav, attention of the delegates the most said Member, Planning Commission, who the Indian information infrastructure spoke on ' Is India Emerging an with over 70 crore telephones and P.M. Sinha, Chairman, Bata India Economic Super o t h e r P o w e r ? telecommunication Describing India gadgets, provide as the fastest information growing economy network to 100 in the world, crore people. D r. N a r e n d r a Describing Jadhav detailed as Mahatma Gandhi to how India as the greatest which faced communicator, Sam macro economic Pitroda advised crisis in 1990s, public relations transformed itself professionals that into a global they should adopt economic player G a n d h i a n Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member Planning Commission who spoke on "Is India Emerging as Economic Super Power?" receiving memento from ABCI President Yogesh Joshi with several techniques of achievements to its communications to reach the people at credit. Four achievements indicated Ltd., who spoke on Communication the grassroots, with public information by him included: 1.Growth rate Fundamental for Turnaround' has network available in the country. heading to 8.5 per cent; 2. Incidence of pointed out that employees should ABCI Com Fest-2010, with the Poverty line came down; 3 Foreign come first in the corporate theme - Communicator - the Change exchange reserve improved with about communications strategy, for it is they Leader' is indeed a trend setter and it 300 billion dollars; 4. India today who act as ambassadors of the could be a model for professional became a net lender to International company with external stakeholders. bodies to design a new communication Monetary Fund (we purchased 200 And every manager must become a strategy in making India as a global tons of gold). However, negative area good communicator by adopting economic player. The entire credit for of Indian economy is that in human global marketing strategy with the the success of Com Fest 2010 and development index our country ranks principle Think Globally and Act ABCI 50th Annual Awards Nite goes at 134 out of 174 countries. This could Locally. to Yogesh Joshi and his committed be improved by spending more on Gerson DaCunha, renowned media team who gave a new dimension to education and health services, he expert who dealt with the crisis of ABCI as the strongest professional added. pesticides in Co-Ca-Cola and worms body in India. In the session devoted to Media in Cadbury, told the delegates that PUBLIC RELATIONS
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India is also going to be the largest English speaking nation surpassing USA. If every manager is a communicator, corporate communication with a suitable strategy and appropriate toolkits and tactics has a vital role to play in the success of every organization be it government, private or an NGO. The greatest challenge for today's communicator is how to use the public information infrastructure and PR tactics in reaching the stakeholders.
interpersonal media, folk arts media , mass media and new media 3. Integrated public relations communication strategy as to reach all the stakeholders - primary, as well as secondary publics 4. Adoption of professional code of ethics based on professionalism moral ethical values and spirituality 5. A strong professional body in ABCI, PRSI, PRCI, GFPR to professionals the discipline
Eminent Communicator Awards
In addition to 32 categories, ABCI also presented 9 individual awards to renowned communicators of India in different fields. 1. Promising Business Communicator - Ms. Mitu Samar, Head Market Development & Communication, CRISIL; 2. Business Communicator of the Year - Prof. D. Udaya Kumar, Designer of Rupee Symbol; 3. Communicator of the Decade - Piyush Pandey, Chairman, O&M; 4. Excellence in Business 50th Annual Awards Nite Are we true professional with Journalism - Kumar Ketkar, EditorApart from the Com Fest, the in-Charge, Loksatta; 5. Excellence in communication skills to meet the challenge of global communication?. ABCI organized its 50th Annual Financial Communication Awards Nite which was a star According to one Dr. Narendra survey Indian J a d h a v , public relations M e m b e r , communication P l a n n i n g profession has Commission; 6. g r w o n Excellence in 'quantitatively' Marketing & but it is yet to B r a n d g r o w Communication 'qualitatively'. It from a Nonis in this context, B u s i n e s s Com Fest 2010 Communication clearly indicated Professional that if the M.V. Nair, communicator is CMD, Union the change M. Ramadorai, Vice-Chairman, TCS Ltd. seen presenting Lifetime Achievement Award to Sam Pitroda Bank; 7.Strategic (first from the left), Chairman, Knowledge Commission at ABCI 50th Annual Awards Nite leader, the change B u s i n e s s to showcase the Communications - P.M. Sinha, leader himself or herself must be true attraction of ABCI in professional with all communication professionalism Chairman, Bata India Limited; recognizing the talents of Indian skills,- reading, writing, talking and 8. Global Business Communicator listening. Media strategy is yet business communicators. ABCI is the Dr. Dinesh Keskar, President, Boeing another important aspect for public first professional body in India to India; 9. Lifetime Achievement Award communication which should be in organize 50 annual awards nites one - Gerson Da'Cunha; 10. Lifetime tune with the Indian environment. each in a year since 1960. In fact, it is Achievement Award - Sam Pitroda, a mark of prestige to get an ABCI Public Relations Voice suggests a five award, which is considered an 'Oscar Chairman, National Knowledge point strategy to professionalize Indian 11. Lifetime of Indian Communications' industry. Commission; public communication set-up: Achievement Award Vasant Sathe, Awards were presented in 32 1. Public Relations Education, categories from internal magazines, Former Information & Broadcasting Training & Research wallpaper, photo feature, annual Minister, Govt. of India. reports, e-zine, corporate website to 2. Adoption of Multi-media strategy Public Relations Voice Bureau digital media. with the combination of
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Yogesh Joshi : A Multifaceted Personality 'A Modest Public Relations Man' sounds a bit of an oxymoron. Our country is in need of leaders who could galvanise professional bodies to give a new look to public relations communication discipline. A strong professional body is, therefore, a prerequisite to the growth of public communication profession.
A Model Yogesh Joshi, a thoughtful, deliberate, inspiring, committed and self-effacing man who took over as National President of ABCI four years ago proved beyond any doubt that professional body, if moved with a good leader can do wonders for the growth of the profession. The successful conduct of Com Fest 2010 and ABCI 50th Annual Awards Nite held in November this year bear an eloquent proof to the fact that Joshi's professional efforts gave a new dimension to ABCI and that it became a model and trendsetter for other professional bodies. ABCI Brain Trust Fellowship to recognize the talent and service of senior Public relations professionals is his brain child. ABCI Awards became so popular and prestigious that in his welcome address at Awards Nite, Yogesh Joshi announced that as many as 892 entries were received for competition this year - the highest number in its history, ABCI award is now a mark of prestige which is considered an "Oscar of Indian Communication Industry" ABCI will shortly bring out a
Yogesh Joshi is seen receiving the 'Hall of Fame' Award in Bengaluru from the Governor of Karnataka
prestigious publication on 50 Eminent Communicators of India' which will be the Chief Window of Indian Communication 'Yesterday', 'Today' and 'Tomorrow'. Grand Function Bobby Sista who attended Awards Nite commented "I can't find words to express what a grand function you had organised. I am yet to attend any function where you had such a galaxy of very senior and elite persons that were actually present at the function. Your perseverance and your sincerety certainly showed in the results." The Past-President ABCI, Dr. G.C. Banik in a communication to Yogesh Joshi said "Well-done. You did definitely better than many of the past
presidents. ABCI and all of us will surely remember you for your good deeds in action and innovation". That is Yogesh with a difference. Yogesh Joshi, Manager, Corporate Communications, Tata Steel Ltd has a number of national awards to his credit for his accomplishments both within the organisation and professional body. He has been inducted to 'Hall of Fame' an international title in PR by PRCI and he was also the recipient of Golden Triangle Award of GFPR, Hyderabad. Public Relations Voice, congratulates Joshiji for his outstanding contribution to the growth of ABCI and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours to promote public relations.
"Life is for Learning and Learning is for Life. As We Live We Learn." PUBLIC RELATIONS
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Heaven is 21-miles long and 6000 ft. deep Rim-To-Rim Grand Canyon Hike Grand Canyon - Taj Mahal both wonders of the world are also the symbols of the Cultural Heritage of the oldest and the largest Democracies in the world.
Ramesh Kumar Chamala
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rand Canyon-one of the seven natural wonders of the world is earth's greatest geological showcase that is one mile deep, 18 miles wide, 277 miles long, over a million acres. Nowhere else in the world features such a dazzling display of powerful, colorful and inspiring landscapes. The Grand Canyon is a breathtaking act of geology, ecology, wildlife, history, the Colorado River, and it offers adventures like-hiking, river rafting, mule rides, scenic flightsGrand Canyon has it all. Teddy Roosevelt called it, "the one great sight every American should see." I would go even beyond, "every person in the world must visit the Grand Canyon." There is simply no other place in the world that looks quite like the Grand Canyon.
Five Million People More than five million people visit the Grand Canyon every year. However, many travelers choose not to stray beyond the heavily visited overlooks. Most first time visitors step out of their cars, bask in the view, and run off to their next destination. Las Vegas? Check. Hoover Dam? Check. Grand Canyon? Check.
One Canyon, Two Rims The South Rim is the most accessible part of the Grand Canyon and is open all the year. The South Rim, where 90 percent of the visitors stop to gawk down into the canyon, to find a world unimaginable from the scenic overlooks. A much smaller number of people see the Canyon from the North Rim. The North Rim rises a thousand feet higher than the South Rim, and is much less accessible. The North Rim PUBLIC RELATIONS
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Author Ramesh Kumar with his colleague Smita seen trekking at Grand Canyon
is open from mid May to mid October due to snow.
Best View The best view in the Grand Canyon cannot be seen from the rim. Hike to the inner canyon and your world will never look the same. The rim trails and the routes to the inner canyon offer solitude and beauty vastly different from a visit to the developed areas on the rims.
Challenge Hiking is the most straightforward way to see the Grand Canyon. The challenge; however is to tackle a 21mile route starting from the South Rim-South Kaibab Trail, the inner canyon, the Colorado River and to the North Rim via the North Kaibab Trail. Grand Canyon trails involve a downhill trip followed by a strenuous uphill climb.
Lodge The night before the big hike, four of us crashed at Red Feather Lodge near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to get a good night's sleep. Three of us could not sleep at all the night before. One person in the room snored so loud; the roof was ready to be blown off. I felt as if I was in Hells Canyon instead of in the Grand Canyon.
Hike We reached the trailhead shortly before 4am on Monday morning June
1, 2009. We saw warning signs at the trailhead. WARNING: Do not attempt to hike rim-to-rim in one day! However, it is doable. We started our 21-mile rim-torim hike from the South Kaibab trail at 4am. The trail begins on the South Rim, and descends to the Colorado River. Elevation change from rim to river is 5000 ft, along a 7-mile trail. No water is available along the 7-mile South Kaibab trail. The views of the canyon in the morning coming down the South Kaibab trail were just magnificent. We saw the glorious sunrise light up the temples and buttes in the inner canyon on the way down. We lost track of how far down we have hiked because of the wonderful views. We reached the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon at 7:30am. It was very nice down along the river at the bottom of the canyon. We hiked past the River Rest house, the Bright Angel Campground and reached Phantom Ranch. We had our breakfast at the Phantom Ranch. We decided to chill out under the shade of the trees at Phantom Ranch for sometime.
North Rim At 9 am, we started heading up to the North Rim via North Kaibab Trail. The North Kaibab trail is 14 miles
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from the Colorado River and 6,000 feet in elevation gain. The hard work was ahead of us. We hiked seven more miles and reached Cottonwood campground at 1pm. The section from the Phantom Ranch up to the Cottonwood Camp is uphill but only at a very gradual pace. The trail gains about 1,000 in elevation in 7 miles. We decided to have lunch and stay put for about an hour. By this time, the temperature was in the mid 90 degrees. We have 7 more miles to hike and
ascend 5,000 feet elevation. The trail from the Cottonwoo d Camp is where it begins its upward climb and the trail becomes steeper and steeper. It was a bit worrisome to look up, up, and up the walls, and realize how deep into the canyon we were.
Switchbacks As the trail ascends the canyon, it becomes harder and harder to figure out where it goes. The trail continues up and up with lots of switchbacks. The upper sections of the trail were
particularly nasty. Eventually, we made it to the top at 7:30pm. I was feeling exhausted, tired, and never wanted to go through this again. However, I already know I just cannot wait to go back to Grand Canyon to explore the richness of its beauty. There is no place on earth like the Grand Canyon. Heaven is 21-mile long and 6000 feet deep. Less than 1% of the 5 million visitors to Grand Canyon do a rim-to-rim hike in a day.
BOOKWATCH The book is a challenging product from a cosmopolitan and talented scholar with a richly diverse backgrounder in media, public relations practice and teaching EFFECTIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA STRATEGY C.V.Narasimha Reddi PHI Learning Private Limited, Patparganj Office: Rimjhim House 111 Patparganj Industrial Estate, Delhi – 110 092 Phones: 011–43031100; 22143344, E.mail: phi@phindia.com Rs. 350/"Dr. Narasimha Reddi's book, “Effective Public Relations And Media Strategy” is an important contribution to the global literature for the practice of public relations, especially because it comes from the world's largest democracy that supports free speech and open dialogue. As the PR field moves toward international standards of practice, especially with the 2010 Stockholm Accords, the scholarship of experienced practitioners, like Dr. Reddi, will offer valuable perspectives. Dr. Reddi's contribution with this book is exceptional for its comprehensive coverage. Theoretical and historical background provides a framework for clear explanations of strategy. Messaging and media useful information gives guidance for the application, and the final portion of the book offers case studies. The book is a challenging product from a cosmopolitan and talented scholar with a richly diverse background in media, public relations practice and teaching. Always a thoughtful, diligent writer and scholar, Dr. Reddi's openness to innovation and his creative imagination give depth to his book. Dr. Reddi's energy and industriousness are legendary, as this book reveals. As a colleague in PR for many decades, it is a special pleasure for me to see this contribution to our field of knowledge." Dr.Doug Newsom, APR, Fellow PRSA, Professor Emeritius of Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas USA.
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"Narasimha Reddi's contributionEffective Public Relations and Media Strategy to the study and practice of public relations during a time of rapid social and economic change in India cannot be understated. With this text comes the intellectual skeleton from which young public relations professionals will flesh out the new and dynamic world of strategic communication in the modern era. With both conceptual and practical content, Reddi's text is an indispensible part of the public relations professional's library." Joye C. Gordon Professor, A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Kansas State University, USA
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Being Largest Democracy in the World, India offers Golden Opportunities to PR Professionals Joye. C. Gordon
J
oye.C.Gordon, Ph.D, Professor. A.Q.Miller, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kansas State University, USA was in Hyderabad to organize three workshops in collaboration of Osmania University for Public Relations Professionals, Public Relations Teachers and Public Relations Students. In fact, these three workshops organized in August this year at Osmania University were not only unique in the history of Indian public relations education but also trendsetters and model to other Universities. Professor Gordon made presentations at the three workshops on Public Relations Education in US; Public Relations Practice; US Perspective. In an exclusive interview with the Editor, Public Relations Voice, Joye Gordon spoke about Public Relations in U.S. Q) Professional education is a
pre-requisite to the growth of any profession. What is the status of public relations education in U.S.? A) Public relations as a subject is offered in the universities both at undergraduate and graduate level. At the undergraduate level, a four year degree programme is offered with three majors; Public Relations; Advertising and Journalism. As part of the degree programme, a student has to opt PUBLIC RELATIONS
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one of the majors for specialization. Those who want to make a career in public relations will naturally opt for public relations as a major. The basic objective of the degree programme with public relations as major is to prepare students for professional career in public relations.
Dr. CVN Reddi seen interviewing Prof. Joye. C. Gordon, Kansas State University, USA
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication which has an exclusive public relations division accords recognition to journalism schools. As many as 4140 colleges and universities in US offer different courses of higher study. Each college has its own syllabus and that there is no uniform syllabus for Public Relations throughout the country. As regards to the subjects, the 1999 Commission on Undergraduate Public Relations Education has identified five areas: 1. Introduction to PR 2. Public Relations Writing and Production
3. Public Relations Research 4. Public Relations Strategy and Implementation. (Eg. Case problems, campaign planning) 5. Supervised Public Relations Experience(internship)
PRSSA Wherever we have public relations students, there we have chapters of Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA) as approved by the Public Relations Society of America. PRSSA is a professional body at the college that provides a forum for discussion on professional issues. As many as 296 universities in USA meet the criteria for PRSSA Chapters. Q) Are
there any graduate programmes in public relations?
A) Universities in America offer postgraduate courses in journalism, media studies, public relations, radio, TV, film as M.A. and MS. M.A, Mass Communication is one of the popular programmes in U.S which also covers public relations. Q) How
about imparting practical training to students who are exposed to theory in the class room?
A) All students of major including public relations major have to complete a 400 hours internship as a graduation requirement. In summer breaks, students go for
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internship with media/public relations firms. Internship is an important component of the course content to acquire skills in public relations and gain practical experience to manage the jobs with confidence. Q) Is
there any scope for pursuing Ph.D courses in US as part of research studies?
A) Many Universities offer Ph.D in public relations. Even public relations teachers are involved in research. Research is an important area of public relations education. Several journals are devoted to public relations research. Ample studies have been made on health communication as part of communication research. Students with Ph.D have employment opportunities both in Universities and in-house-PR departments and PR firms. Q) What is the primary goal of a
public relations educator? A) The teachers in public relations are expected to help students not only gain skills but also the analytical abilities to assess and respond to the situations in an ever changing environment. They should also promote values of professionalism and social responsibility. Q) Education should always be
supported by standard textbooks. Are there any textbooks of international standard to meet the needs of students and teachers? A) USA is known for its standard public relations textbooks written by both practitioners and academicians. There is a lot of
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choice in textbooks. Each college assigns different textbooks based on the syllabus to students. Specialized books are available. Some of the titles indicate the emphasis on different subjects. 'Public Relations Strategies & Tactics; Handbook of Strategic Public Relations & Integrated Communication'. The Realities of Public Relations; Publicity and Public Relations; Guerrilla Publicity etc.,. An interesting feature of textbooks in US is the Encyclopedia of Public Relations in two volumes edited by Robert L.Heath, a good reference book for students. Books also are available on specialized areas such as: PR Campaigns Creativity in Public Relations, Public Relations Writing. In addition to textbooks, a number of public relations journals help students and academics and researchers in pursuing higher studies. PR Weekly, PR Review, PR Quarterly , PR Strategist, PR Tactics are some of the journals to quote that have good circulation. Q) What is the future of PR
Education? A) Any notion that public relations is one way communication from communicator to public is na誰ve and dysfunctional in US market, because people have media choices. Increasing use of web technology and lots of direct to public tactics and creative advertising made PR job more challenging. TVs and radios will become curious antiques replaced by cell
phones, Ipods and computers. The holding of PR firms can offer more services. PR services make higher percentage profit than advertising services. Over the long term, PR is enjoying better growth rate in USA than advertising. It is in this backdrop I feel the future of PR education in USA is bright. Public relations as an academic area is still in an infant stage compared to mathematics or even science. However, it will mature and grow as a body of knowledge in the filed of public relations. Education will focus more on producing strategists and PR managers. There will be more mix between marketing, advertising, social marketing communication and public relations. And course content will change based on the change in the profession. Q) If America
is the oldest democracy, India is the largest democracy in the world. How will you rate the Indian public relations?
A) Being the world's largest democracy, India is placed in a good position as global economic player and it offers good opportunities for public relations professionals. As there is a great need of communicators to meet the global competitive marketing environment, education I think must get priority in India to produce professional public relations personnel. Academicians and PR practitioners must work together towards professional excellence in PR as a strategic management function.
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Media Conference 2010 Vision and Values for a New Social Order Eight-point Media Action Plan
A
three - day All India Media conference 2010 with the theme "Vision and Values For a New Social Order" was held from 17th September at 'Shanti Van' Abu road, Rajasthan. The conference was organized by Media Wing of Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation, Prajapita Brahmakumaris Iswariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. In his inaugural address, Justice G.N.Ray, Chairman, Press Council of India, lamented at the paid news syndrome in the media and appealed that media should not mix news and views to mislead the readers. Media should adopt ethical and moral values, and focus on welfare of the people. Rajyogni Dadi Janaki Chief of Brahmakumaris in her blessings urged that everyone should follow - "Sukh Do - Sukh Le" (Give Happiness and Take Happiness). Love, Peace, Purity, Honesty, Truth are some of the values if followed, Dadi Janaki observed, we would have established New Social Order, where in one could live with peace and prosperity.
Recharge Rajyogi B.K. Karuna, Director, Public Relations and Chief of Media, Brahmakumaris World Spiritual University, while explaining the objectives of the conference said the very fact that about 100 news items are telecast within 50 minutes indicate the importance of media in modern society. It is an art in handling the media for better coverage. He advised the delegates that they should "refresh, recharge, empower" during the conference and serve the society through media.
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Daadi Janaki ji and G.N. Ray seen at the inaugural session
Over 1500 delegates attended the conference who discussed a variety of topics on media and public relations in six plenary sessions and five parallel group discussions including Rajyoga meditation.
8 - Point Action Plan for Media The valedictory session of the conference presented an Eight-Point Action Plan for follow-up by media which could lead to establish a new social order in our country. 1. Media must restore preindependent India's media ethics and mission and practice journalism with our ageold spiritual wisdom and Rajyoga meditation. 2. With a view to showing the right path to human society, the Action Plan urged that journalism should be blended with spirituality. 3. Media should not be treated as the reflection of ills of society but it should act as rectifier of society with positive and spiritual stories. 4. Media should strengthen and spread the culture of Development Communication and the spirit of social and human concerns in its coverages.
5. Media should discourage sensationalism, yellow journalism, advertorials, cross media culture and paid news syndrome in the field of mass communication. 6. To extend their support to associations like Global Forum for Public Relations, Brahmakumaris institutions, which have been established to promote ethics, values and spirituality in the society. 7. To promote the wider use of 'cyber media' for holistic development of nation with reasonable restrictions under the IT Act 2000. 8. Media as responsible Estate should live up to the expectations of Indian Democracy without falling prey to vested interests of pressure groups. The Media Action Plan reflects the Golden Triangle Public Relations Model based on professionalism, ethics and spirituality, which was evolved by the Global Forum for Public Relations in 2007. B.K. Sarala Anand Zonal Media Coordinator, Prajapita Brahmakumaris World Spiritual University & President GFPR
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Is Lobbying Public Relations? orporate Lobbyist, Nira Radia who owns companies such as Ne U Com Consultancy, which advises Reliance Industries and Vaishnavi Corporate Communications that deals with the Tata Group, was quizzed recently both by the Enforcement Directorate and CBI for her alleged role in 2G Spectrum and Licence Allocation Scam. Ms.Radia's questioning mainly revolved around her role as lobbyist for her high profile clients with interests in telecommunications and also her role in bringing foreign investment into telecom firms in India.
C
◆ K.Srinivasan of PR Point has
There has been an intensive and interesting debate on this issue over e-discussion groups and media. Some of the observations of these groups are as follows:
Three-in-One
◆ Media reports revealed the alleged
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role played by Nira Radia, a lobbyist and a PR professional in this mega scam "Times Now" channel was highly critical of PR profession itself. Few such professionals have brought shame to the entire profession How do you rescue reputation of PR firm from the telecom scandal? The media is exposing corruption in PR profession. When the PR profession itself is being debated in media in this scam, why none of the CEOs of the big PR firms has come out openly condemning the unethical practices of the profession? The Chiarman, TATA Group Ratan Tata asserted that his group had never overturned government policy or used Nira Radia to make payments or to seek favours. "We have advocated changes in Policy through her or directly. But never once have we done something to exploit a polictal or a policy issue." PUBLIC RELATIONS
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appealed to media and PR professional bodies to jointly or individually give an open statement upholding ethics and values in communication profession. ◆ Y.Babji of GFPR group went a step further and said " Who is Nira Radia? She is a lobbyist and not a PR practitioner. And that Nira Radia has generated so much radiation in the PR profession and created too much of confusion.
If we make an analysis of the companies, Nira Radia owns and the roles played, she maybe described as "Three-In-One". She seems to have played the role of a consultant to Reliance Industries, a lobbyist in Telecommunication Scam and a Public Relations practitioner to Tatas. The confusion arises because she is 'threein-one'. Each role has to be considered independently and that these functions should not be mixed and integrated into one as to blame the Public relations profession. Integration perhaps is based on imagination but not in reality. Unfortunately, lobbying is being treated as public relations both in media and e-discussion groups and the practice of public relations is being defamed as part of telecom scam. Public Relations Voice, as the journal of PR professionals makes an attempt here to distinguish between public relations and lobbying as two distinct disciplines, from the point of view of academics as well as professional practice. These two areas adopt different approaches in strategy, objectives, target audience, media choice, message formulation, presentation and also in cost.
Y. Babji Definitions What is Public Relations? 'Public relations is the management of a two way communication process between an organization and its publics to promote the corporate mission, services, products, reputation and gain public understanding'. Basically, it is the relationship management function based on organisation's performance and service to the stakeholders. It adopts a multimedia approach to reach varied segmented publics from employees to general community. The end result of public relations is to create and sustain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its pubics. What is Lobbying? The origin of lobby is from the Latin word " Lobia" which means "Covered Walk", first used in the sense of Monastic Cloister. From the Latin word , there emerged lobbying as one of the techniques of management to influence legislative process. In the British Parliament, a large hall that is open to the public and used for the people to meet and talk to Members of Parliament is called lobby, where lobbying is done. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines Lobbying as " to try to influence a politician or the government". For example, famers in U.S will lobby the Congress for higher subsidies. Lobbying is " a process in which lobbyist or pressure groups seek to influence those in power". Lobbying as such is recognized as a specific activity or specialism in the communication field. Webster's New World Dictionary defines a lobbyist as " a person who tries to influence the voting on legislation or the decisions of
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
government administrators. The term lobbyist originally was used to describe the men who sought favours from President Abraham Lincoln who conducted affairs of State in the lobby of the Willard Hotel, near the White House. From these definitions, we may infer that lobbying may be a specialized sub-set of public affairs but it is not the whole story in terms of public affairs function and cannot and should not be used as a synonym with public affairs or public relations.
Lobbyists One Directory of Washington Lobbyists lists about 30,000 individuals and organizations. The interests represented by them virtually include, the entire spectrum of U.S. business, educational, religious, local, national and international pursuits. The American Association of Retired Persons is an example of a lobbyist to quote. "Lobbyists and lobbies are regulated in U.S.by the Lobbying Disclosure Act. One key provision of this Act stipulates that lobbyists should register with the Congress and disclose their clients, the issue areas in which lobbying is being done, and roughly how much is being paid for it. Lobbyists paid, lavish lunches and drawn-out dinners are forbidden under the Act. There are also rules for gifts and travel. Senators and their aides and other Senate Officers are barred from accepting gifts worth more than $50 and from accepting privately paid travel to recreational events. Violators faced civil fines of upto $ 50,000 under the law.
Code of Ethics The discussion groups also raised a point about ethics in PR. The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management is an apex body of various national public relations associations of the world which has been established to promote greater professional excellence in the discipline. It has adopted a Global PUBLIC RELATIONS
30 VOICE April - December, 2010
Protocol on ethics in public relations which is acknowledged worldwide for practice. Clauses relating to ethics as follows: We pledge : to conduct ourselves professionally with integrity, truth accuracy, fairness and responsibility to our clients, our client publics and to an informed society. Code of Practice : We believe it is the duty of every association and every member with in that association, that is part to the code of professional standards to ◆ Keep informed and educated about
practices in the profession that ensure ethical conduct. ◆ Counsel its individual members in proper ethical decision making generally and on a case specific basis. ◆ Require that individual members observe the ethical recommendation and behavioral requirements of the code.
PRSI Code of Ethics The PRSI has adopted code of Athens of the International PR Association as its code of professional ethics on April 21, 1968 at its first All India PR Conference held in New Delhi. It says 'members shall : refrain from subordinating truth to other requirements. Taking part in any venture or undertaking which is unethical or dishonest or capable of impairing human dignity and integrity'. Likewise all PR professional bodies in the world have adopted code of ethics in PR. But it is a million dollar question whether the code of ethics in PR is being implemented in letter and spirit?. Professional bodies must implement the code by creating the required awareness among managements and individual members as to not to involve in any scams like the Satyam Computers Scam in which the Corporate Communications was a party to the disinformation campaign of mismanagement of finances.
Power In conclusion, the point for consideration is whether Nira Radia is a lobbyist or public relations practitioner in the telecom scam?. She may have used her Corpcom or PR tag but her actions, her methods, her approach, her target audience, her strategy, her conversations, the cost involved, her modus operandi and bear an eloquent proof to the fact that through her unfair intensions, she is alleged to have influenced and connected the authorities in power. There was no element of public relations in this issue. Therefore, public relations cannot be blamed as if it indulged in unethical practice. However, lobbying in India is yet grow as is in the case of U.S. There is no law in our country either to regulate lobbying or public relations. Professional Associations such the Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to name a few as a pressure groups that influence the decision making process of Government in the areas of taxes, imports or exports. They also give advice to the Government on policy making to the advantage of their members. Similarly, certain individuals like Nira Radia through their consultancies have taken up the task of lobbying in India. In the wake of economic liberalization, privatization and globalization, India offers ample opportunities for lobbying as a specialist area of public affairs when Government of India may enact a law to regulate the lobbyists.
Y. Babji, Past Chairman PRSI, Hyderabad Chapter & Head GFPR e-Group
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
"One India : One Voice" 11th Andhra Pradesh PR Conference
P
RSI, Hyderabad Chapter holds a unique position in the history
of Indian public relations, for it has not only hosted two All India PR Conferences, one Southern Regional PR Conference and an International PR Seminar in collaboration with University of Canberra, Australia, but also held 10 Andhra Pradesh Regional PR Conferences with different themes. The credit having organized 10 regional PR conferences at the State level only goes to Hyderabad chapter in the country which won many Best Chapter Awards.
40 Years As part of the celebrations of 40 years of its service to the cause of public relations, the Hyderabad chapter is organizing 11th Andhra Pradesh Public Relations Conference on Sunday 13th February, 2011 at Hotel Green Park, Begumpet, Hyderabad. 'One India : One Voice' for a Prosperous and Democratic Nation' is the theme of the conference. It will debate the scope for a national dialogue on unity based on national consensus in eradicating corruption, poverty and terrorism. To unfold excellence in public relations, an All India Competition for awards in the production of Videos, Websites, House Journals, Ezines,
A view of the members of Chapter Executive with N.L. Narasimha Rao, Chairman in the Centre
New Executive for Hyderabad Chapter
are expected to participate in the conference.
The new Executive Body of PRSI, Hyderabad Chapter with N.L. Narasimha Rao as Chairman has been elected unanimously for the year 201012. The former Vice-President, South of PRSI National Council N.L. Narasimha Rao has been elected for 4th term as chapter Chairman - the only person in the State who would
Further details can be had from the Chairman, C/o. Sravya Grafics, 6-2-1/7, View Towers, Lakdikapul, Hyderabad-500 004.
have served Hyderabad Chapter for eight years in different terms. He is also the pioneer of 'All India
each are invited on the next
Competitions in video, house journal production awards at the chapter level. Under his dynamic leadership, it is hoped that Hyderabad chapter will bring laurels to public relations profession.
Wall calendars, Newsletters, Annual
The Chairman, Hyderabad Chapter
Reports is also being conducted. Entries can be sent by 31st January, 2011.
N.L. Narasimha Rao said that the
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31 VOICE April - December, 2010
eminent speakers will address the conference and about 200 delegates
Articles invited Articles of about 500 words
theme of the Journal :
Corporate Ethics & Public Relations Ethics
Editor
SHORT IS GREAT
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
Three Unique PR Workshops Prof. P.L. Vishweshwer Rao
T
he three unparalleled public relations workshops organized by the Osmania University, Department of Communication and Journalism in collaboration with A.Q. Miller School of Journalism & Mass Communication, Kansas State University (U.S.) on 'P R for Corporate Excellence' for PR professionals, 'Status of P R Education' for PR teachers and 'Career Opportunities in PR' for PR students are not only trendsetters but also a model for other Universities. Prof.Joyce C.Gordon of Kansas State University anchored the three workshops while Prof. P.L.Vishweshwer Rao, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. M.Srinath Reddy, and Dr. C.V.Narasimha Reddi, Editor, Public Relations Voice acted as Coordinators.
PR for Corporate Excellence The first workshop on ' Public Relations for Corporate Excellence' focused both on good governance and professionalism in public relations. Dr.K.Narender, Head, Department of Communication & Journalism in his welcome address said that public relations had entered into a new era with globalization as to meet the competitive marketing environment. Prof. P.L.Vishwesher Rao, said essential features of corporate governance include: innovation, team work, strong governance, sound policies, impeccable credentials of the Board of Governors, ability to proactively address all the challenges, trustworthy stewardship of financial resources of the organization and clearly defined programme of action. Dr. C.V.Narasimha Reddi, brought out the communication heritage of India and stated that Indians were the pioneers in the field of communication when most countries did not take birth. PUBLIC RELATIONS
32 VOICE April - December, 2010
He mentioned that India is poised to become the largest English speaking nation in the world and Indian PR industry is a Rs.10,000 crore venture and ready for further growth. Therefore, PR beckons a bright future in India.
According to her, a free flow of information is a prerequisite for successful public relations and that there is need for continued education and training for PR professionals to keep them attuned to the latest trends in the field.
Joye C.Gordon of the Kansas State University focused on PR practices in the United States. In her overview of PR scenario in US, she noted that there had been a sharp decline in newspaper circulation while online newspapers readership had risen significantly. Prof.Gordon visualized that earlier popular media like radio and TV too would soon become curious antiques. Their place would be taken by tools like cell phones, I-pods, and computers. Referring to PR practice, Prof. Gordon commented that PR services earn higher percentage of profit than advertising services. Over the years, PR is enjoying better growth rate than advertising.
Career Opportunities
PR Education The second in the series of workshops was on ' Status of PR Education in India'. In his observation, Prof. P.L.Vishweshwer Rao commented that there was very little agreement among decision makers in India on how public relations courses should be structured. Also the research material on PR is very sketchy. Dr. C.V.Narasimha Reddi, opined that unlike countries like the U.S and even China, PR is not taught as a specialized subject in India. But it is only a part of journalism education. Prof. Joye.C.Gordon in her overview of PR education in US, brought out that, in addition to professional bodies like the Public Relations Society of America, there is a Public Relations Students' Society of America, which has a close linkage with PRSA.
The third interactive workshop on 'Career Opportunities in PR' for the benefit of students held drew enthusiastic participation from students of communication and journalism of various colleges and Osmania University. Prof. Joyce. C. Gordon gave a very insightful presentation on ' Opportunities in Public Relations" in government, private industry and non-profit bodies etc. To a students' query about how one could measure the degree of success of PR campaign, Prof. Gordon said it could be measured in..... increase/decrease in sales, surveys on customer/employee satisfaction and extent of behavioral change noticed after the campaign. R.Ravikanth Reddy, Special Correspondent, The Hindu, who spoke about the journalistic skills required for the PR profession, reminded that the profession was not all about language and at times the issue is "what not to write". He exhorted the students 'write to inform and not to impress'. Among others those who spoke on different workshops include: Prof. C.Vijayasree, M.Somasekhar, Prof. Padmaja Shah, Dr.G.Naga Mallika. JAR Murthy, Academic Consultant presented an overview of the three workshops. P.L.Vishweshwer Rao Dean, Faculty of Arts Osmania University
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
Events in Pictures
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah honouring Dr. C.V.N. Reddi, Editor, PR Voice for his contribution to Culture in Andhra Pradesh
Dr. C.V.N. Reddi receiving the PRCI Chanakya Award 2010 for PR Voice from Mani Shankar Aiyer in New Delhi
A.K. Khan, IPS, Commissioner of Police speaking on Police & PR at Hyderabad Chapter's Function
Charanjit Singh, M.D., Core PR, Chandigarh seen receiving ABCI Brain Trust Award at 50th Annual Awards Nite in Mumbai PUBLIC RELATIONS
33 VOICE April - December, 2010
K.E. Eapen, a pioneer in Journalism and PR Education passed away. He was 87.
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
Public Relations Vocabulary Creative The use of professional skills and the imagination to create a new thing or a work of art. Use your imagination Creativity Creativity is an innate individual talent. It is a process that results in novelty which is accepted as useful and tenable or satisfying by a significant group of people at some point of time. Creativity is the ability to create something new by bringing together two or more different elements in a new context in order to provide added value to a task. It is not novelty for its own sake, but it must produce some form of value that can be recognized by a third party. Artist creating a new style of painting. The public relations professionals can exhibit creativity in writing media releases from badly written to professionally well-written media releases that convey the news of public interest clearly. It results in better coverage as an added value. Innovation The introduction of a new things and ideas. For example, technical innovation. If creativity is the thinking process that helps us generate new ideas, innovation is the practical application of such ideas towards meeting the organizations objectives in a more effective way. Public Relations Ethics Public relations ethics is a code that focuses on the ethical implications of the strategies and tactics that are applied to solve the public relations and communication problems of organizations. It refers specifically to
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34 VOICE April - December, 2010
the PR function. Public Relations Society of India has adopted a code of professional ethics for PR professionals.
describing the attributes and values of the brand and its added value/appeal relative to its customers and the competitors.
Corporate Ethics
Business to Business
Corporate ethics is more broadly related to overall business practices and focuses on the ethical implications of the operational policies and practices of the business itself. Business without morals, Mahatma Gandhi said is a sin.
It relates to the sale of a product for any use other than personal consumption. The buyer may be a manufacturer, a reseller, a government body, a non- profit making institution, or any organization other than an ultimate consumer
Below the Line Media
Business to Business Consumer
Non-media advertising or promotion when no commission is paid to the advertising agency. It includes, direct mail, point-of-sale displays and give aways.
Relating to the sale of a product for personal consumption. The buyer may be an individual, family or other group, buying to use the product themselves or for end use by another individual
Brand The public face of a marketable product, service on even a person. The set of physical attributes of a product or service together with the beliefs and expectations surrounding it - a unique combination which the name or logo of the product or service - should evoke in the mind of the stakeholders. Corporate brand is the total perception of a corporation in the minds of stakeholders. Brand Equity The notion that a respected brand name adds to the value of a product. (It generates returns to an organization upon customer purchase) Brand Image The perception of a brand in the eyes of an individual, usually a customer Brand Positioning The way in which a brand is communicated to its target market
Business Relations
to
Business
Public
It is related to Business Public Relations as a specialism in corporate communications to create and maintain better relations with customer and build customer perceptions of the product and service. Business to business trade press coverage is one of the tools of business to business public relations. Getting business news across the media to reach the target audience is the job of business public relations. Thus business PR can help both in the traditional manner through proactive media work and the protection of an organization when under attack and by developing communication links with key target groups. [Every issue, hereafter will carry PR Vocabulary] - Editor
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TOOLKITS & TACTICS
POWERING KARNATAKA Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd., (KPCL) is flagging off new initiatives for Power Generation in Karnataka. It has been a pioneer and trend setter in the power sector with an installed capacity of 6000 MW accounting for 63% of the State Grid Capacity. KPCL presently owns and operates 34 Dams and 25 Power Houses of varying sizes from 0.35 MW to 1470 MW, including Thermal Power Stations consisting of 7 units of 210 MW at Raichur, 1 unit of 500 MW at Bellary, 4.55 MW Wind-farm at Kappatagudda and 128 MW Diesel Power Generation at Yelahanka. KPCL has been in the forefront, continuously developing New projects for the benefit of Karnataka. In its 40 years of existence it has achieved a remarkable track record of performance excellence. Now GOK has charged KPCL with greater responsibility to accomplish capacity addition in the next five years which is more than what was achieved in the past. KPCL has recently put on commercial operation of Unit 1 of 500 MW Bellary TPS and 230 MW Varahi Hydro Electric Project Stage-2. *The on going projects of KPCL-500 MW BTPS Unit II, 250 MW RTPS Unit VIII, 30 MW Nagjhari Power House R&M and Grid connected 9 MW Solar Photovoltaic Scheme will add 789 MW in Stages in the year 2009-10. *Preparatory and pre-implementation works are going on for the proposed new Hydel, Coal based Thermal, Pithead based Thermal, Pumped Storage Power Projects, Solar Photovoltaic and Wind Energy Schemes which would augment additional capacity of over 9000 MW to be implemented during 11th and early 12th plan period. KPCL, for the first time is implementing a pit head based Thermal Project at Chaattisgarh State for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is entered into with that Government recently. KPCL has laid recently the foundation stones for 2400 MW Yedlapur & Yermaras TPP at Raichur, 500 MW 3rd Unit at Bellary and 200 MW Gundia Hydel Project. KPCL plan to add up power generation form these projects: 20 MW Chataprabha, 345 MW Shivasamudram, 500 MW Wind Energy & 2100 MW Tadadi Gas based power plan, under the dynamic Chairmanship of the Hon'ble Chief MInister of Karnataka. KPCL is confident of translating the Vision into Reality.
KARNATAKA POWER CORPORATION LTD. #82, Shakthi Bhavan, Race Course Road, Bangalore - 560 001 Telephone : 080-22256568, 080-22269930-37, Fax : 080-22252144 E-mail : cccm@karnatakapower.com Website : www.karnatakapower.com
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