Sunday, May 6, 2007

PR at a cross-road!

Last week, while conducting a training programme for the senior officers of the PR department of a state Government, I came across some interesting queries as we discussed the subject of ethical practices in PR :

One, "what would you say since most of the news and the special sections for the state government's news that the media provides in their editorial columns is squarely dependent upon the government's advertising released to them? The state government has massive advertising budget running into crores that is dangled before the newspapers to receive 'positive' coverage. Isn't it 'news for money' policy?"

Two, "media relationship is a 'hate-hate' relationship. They abuse the government PR department and we also do not give a damn to them since we know that they would report what we want so long as the ads are released to them."

Three, "are the editors of the newspapers truly the journalists or the marketing men?" The last question cropped in contest with the recent cash prize of Rs.25,000 given to the editor of a vernacular daily by its management for bringing in more advertising revenue to the newspaper in the previous year.

Valid questions. Need to be mulled over.

CJ Singh
http://prsichd.blogspot.com/

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