ABCI challenges Communicators to be the Leaders in Innovation

Dr,C.V.Narasimha Reddi
Editor, Public Relations Voice
(Thanks to our regular contributor - a noted public relations professional of India, Dr. C.V.Narasimha Reddi, we have another brilliant round up of the recently concluded ComFest-11

Two major communication events of national importance ‘ ComFest-11 Winds of Change” and ABCI 51st Awards – For Excellence in Business Communication” organized by the Association of Business Communicators of India in Mumbai on11 & 12th November were not only a cynosure of all business communicators and public relations practitioners but also galvanized them to be change agents and leaders in innovation to transform India as a global economic player.

Dr. J J Irani former Managing Director, TATA Steel whose acumen and technological innovation has made TATA Steel the lowest cost steel producing company in the world has set the tone of the conference with his inaugural address on “ Tomorrow’s Corporations” and said the future companies must be licensed by the community for their survival. Anti-Kudankalam Nuclear Power Project agitation was quoted as an example to emphasize the need for community approval. He suggested that the most significant contribution, that an industry could make was by identifying itself with the life and problems of the people to which it belonged and by applying its resources, skills and talents to the extent that it can, reasonably spare them to serve and help the poor: “Employees will choose corporations which care for them, investors and customer will prefer to buy from ethical, socially responsible corporations, Islands of prosperity cannot survive in a sea of poverty, if markets must expand the poor must also become customers’ were the other highlights of J. J Iran’s keynote address.

M.S.Swaminathan, pioneer of Green Revolution who was the Chief Guest at Awards function complimented the ABCI for its excellent record in unfolding the hidden talents of business communicators by presenting prestigious awards and told the audience that he had an inspiring evening in his life in the midst of national change makers and lifetime achievers. He pointed out that with the growth of Indian economy there was also a phenomenal growth of business communication. However, he cautioned the communicators that their commercial message should be integrated with social, ethical values and integrity to ameliorate the 121 crore people of India .

Earlier Yogesh Joshi, President, ABCI welcoming the guests said that the Com-Fest a festival with a difference when national change makers interacted with business communicators to convert them as change agents. As many as 952 nominations were received in the 32 categories of awards. ABCI President observed such a number of nominations was a national record and also indicative of growing competitive talent in the field of business communication.

Sylvester da’ Cunha the creator of the Amul Brand was proud to say that a country like India which was starving for milk became world’s largest milk producer. The catchy slogan ‘ Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread with Amul Butter” caught the imagination of the Indians, he added.

M. V. Nair, Chairman, Union Bank of India in his keynote presentation informed that the bank was inaugurated 93 years ago by Mahatma Gandhi as a bank of Swadeshi Promoters. In a world of constant change, the Chairman Union Bank felt that employees’ mind set should also change to implement the vision, mission and core values of the bank. Communication he said was an important input in change management that should be handled by public relations practitioners with utmost personal communication skills.

In a thought provoking presentation “Maveric in Motion”, the advertising legend Alyque Padamsee said that 50 per cent of Indian population whose age is below 25, the third largest young group in the world paradoxically was ruled by another 50 per cent of the population who are above 60. This dichotomy is a challenge. If we look to the future, he said we must involve youth as our target audience.

Neelima Mishra, Ramon Magsaysay awardee who spoke on the transformation of rural women through self-help groups said the communicators must understand the needs of the audience and communicate with them through the media accessible to them. Being a village girl, she could transform women by identifying their aspirations towards better life which earned her an award of the type of Asian Nobel Prize.

Among others, who interacted with delegates include: Roger Pereira, world renowned PR Consultant, Hudson Samarasinghe, Chairman, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and Jayant Pendharkar, former Global Head, Marketing & Communications TCS Ltd.

10- POINT GOLDEN RULES
A 10- Point Golden Rules could be drawn from this ComFest as a follow up by the Public Communication Professionals

1. Public Relations and Business Communication professionals must act as change agents by identifying the changing socio-economic scenario.
2. Communicate both with internal and external publics as to make them partners in reaching the corporate goals

3. Counsel the management to adopt corporate ethics with social responsibility as good ethics leads to good business

4. Adopt public relations ethics in tune with corporate ethics to gain credibility for public relations messages

5. Public relations, advertising and marketing must work in unison coupled with information technology in building and positioning the brand of global relevance and also to occupy a unique place for the brand in the minds of the target audience

6. Public relations and business communication professionals must become leaders in innovation to professionalize the discipline

7. Break the tradition and ageold customs to change for the better future

8. Reward success, reward failure also, but also punish ‘ inaction’

9. “Occupy Wall Street Campaign” a division between the one per cent rich and 99 per cent poor is blooming all over the world. Communicators must understand this movement and advise managements to share their profits with the poor.

10. The last but the most important lesson that one should learn from ABCI Awards is “ compilation of best public relations case studies”. As many as 129 awards were given in 32 categories whose achievements could be converted atleast in 10 best case studies for the benefit of both practitioners and academics.

ABCI Leader in Innovation
India today needs a strong public relations professional body and leaders of national repute to advance the profession in the service of the society. Yogesh Joshi, a thoughtful, committed, self-effacing and inspiring man who now heads ABCI proved beyond doubt that any professional body if moved with a good leader and team spirit can do wonders for the growth of the profession. The successful conduct of ComFest and 51st ABCI Awards with about 1000 nominations along with National Change Makers like M S Swaminathan and international standards bears an eloquent proof to the fact that ABCI has now become a model and trendsetter for other professional bodies in the country. An award winner in the category of house journals commented ‘Yogesh is now ABCI Leader in Innovation’ which I think he richly deserves.

www.corepr.com

Ethical PR Practice

National Seminar on Public Relations Ethics and New Media

Editor, Public Relations Vocie.

A one-day National Seminar on ‘Public Relations Ethics’ held at Brahmakumaris Shantivan, Mount Abu, Rajasthan resolved to develop a code of professional ethics for public relations with moral and spiritual values as to promote better relations between the corporate world and their stakeholders.

The Global Forum for Public Relations an outfit of Prjapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya organized this seminar for the first time as part of Media Conference 2011 on September 17, with twin objectives: Developing Public Relations Ethics and the Role of New Media in Public Relations.

In his introductory remarks Dr.C.V.Narasimha Reddi, Editor, Public Relations Voice who chaired the session referred to the need for public relations ethics and said that public relations manager is both an ‘advocate’ and an ‘ethics counselor’ to advise the management about incorporating ethics and core values in tune with the corporate mission. And that in order to discharge one’s functions, the PR Manager must learn about ethics, spot ethical issues and shape the organization’s corporate ethics and values.

Dr.Reddi quoted Indian born industrialist Lord Paul of U K who said ‘ we have made a lot of progress economically in India, but there is a shadow over our progress and that is Corruption. Unfortunately, with the economic growth of India, corruption has grown faster’.

Scams
The Satyam Computers Rs.14,000 crore scam, 2G Specturm Rs.1.7 lakh crore scam, Commonwealth Games Corruption, Obulapuram Mining Corporation’s illegal mining scam, Nira Radia Tapes episode not only defamed India in the world market but also generated a significant decline in peoples trust both in government and business. In fact, trust of stakeholders in these companies is almost dead. It is for public relations to work in the direction of ‘Long Live Trust’. Against this backdrop, Dr.C.V.Narasimha Reddi observed that there arose the need for both corporate ethics and public relations ethics. If corporate ethics deals with good and ethical business, public relations ethics focuses on ethical and moral values in disseminating public information.

Earlier, Rajayogi B K Karuna in his welcome address observed that the value based media and public communication system would not only contribute to the socio-economic development of the country but also establish peace and harmony in the nation.

Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdary, Dean Whistling Woods School Communication, Mumbai who delivered keynote address said personal ethics of a public relations practitioner was a pre-requisite and a golden rule towards successful public relations practice. While dealing with historical perspective of public relations code of ethics, Prof. Chowdary urged that Global Forum for Public Relations should evolve a Model Code of Professional standards and ethics for public relations practice by 2012.

Later a session devoted to ‘ New Media for Public Relations’ held under the Presidentship of B K Sarala Anand, President, Global Forum for Public Relations, resolved that new media such as e-mail, blogs, twitter, face-book etc. not only educate the stakeholders but also can redress the customer grievances on line. Chairman, Prime Point Foundation K Srinivasan,said instant messages were possible through internet which had both advantages and disadvantages. However, he exhorted that PR professionals should make use of social media for interactive communication to promote organizational image.

Among those who spoke in the national seminar include: Irfan Khan, former Director, Corporate Communications, Hindustan Lever, Y Bhaskar Rao, Abishek Kumar Singh, Prof. K C Mouli, Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Arun Arora, Senior Vice President,(CC) Jindal Steel, Ms.Nazi, Farin Emani(Iran), Madhavan Varadarajan, Arpita Prashant, (Chennia), Reema Sarin, Consultant, Delhi, G,Anija, Federic Michael, Hyderabad. B K Anitha and B K Heena conducted the sessions.

The seminar in conclusion recommended that the public relations code of ethics should contain three main elements:
1. Professional values – (truth telling professional competence);
2. Principles of conduct – free flow of two-way information, fair, advancement of profession;
3. Members Pledge for code of ethics.

In another resolution, it has been decided that in the context of India, the media strategy should contain a combination of four media namely –
1.Interpersonal media – meeting;
2.Folk art media – puppets, tamasha;
3.Mass media – press, radio, TV, Film and
4. New media – internet, e-mail, blogs, website.

Such a combination of media the Public Relations conclave felt could reach about 70 crore people both in urban and rural India,.

Public Relations Ethics and New Media

National Seminar on Public Relations Ethics and New Media
Editor, Public Relations Vocie.

A one-day National Seminar on ‘Public Relations Ethics’ held at Brahmakumaris Shantivan, Mount Abu, Rajasthan resolved to develop a code of professional ethics for public relations with moral and spiritual values as to promote better relations between the corporate world and their stakeholders.

The Global Forum for Public Relations an outfit of Prjapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya organized this seminar for the first time as part of Media Conference 2011 on September 17, with twin objectives: Developing Public Relations Ethics and the Role of New Media in Public Relations.

In his introductory remarks Dr.C.V.Narasimha Reddi, Editor, Public Relations Voice who chaired the session referred to the need for public relations ethics and said that public relations manager is both an ‘advocate’ and an ‘ethics counselor’ to advise the management about incorporating ethics and core values in tune with the corporate mission. And that in order to discharge one’s functions, the PR Manager must learn about ethics, spot ethical issues and shape the organization’s corporate ethics and values.

Dr.Reddi quoted Indian born industrialist Lord Paul of U K who said ‘ we have made a lot of progress economically in India, but there is a shadow over our progress and that is Corruption. Unfortunately, with the economic growth of India, corruption has grown faster’.

Scams
The Satyam Computers Rs.14,000 crore scam, 2G Specturm Rs.1.7 lakh crore scam, Commonwealth Games Corruption, Obulapuram Mining Corporation’s illegal mining scam, Nira Radia Tapes episode not only defamed India in the world market but also generated a significant decline in peoples trust both in government and business. In fact, trust of stakeholders in these companies is almost dead. It is for public relations to work in the direction of ‘Long Live Trust’. Against this backdrop, Dr.C.V.Narasimha Reddi observed that there arose the need for both corporate ethics and public relations ethics. If corporate ethics deals with good and ethical business, public relations ethics focuses on ethical and moral values in disseminating public information.

Earlier, Rajayogi B K Karuna in his welcome address observed that the value based media and public communication system would not only contribute to the socio-economic development of the country but also establish peace and harmony in the nation.

Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdary, Dean Whistling Woods School Communication, Mumbai who delivered keynote address said personal ethics of a public relations practitioner was a pre-requisite and a golden rule towards successful public relations practice. While dealing with historical perspective of public relations code of ethics, Prof. Chowdary urged that Global Forum for Public Relations should evolve a Model Code of Professional standards and ethics for public relations practice by 2012.

Later a session devoted to ‘ New Media for Public Relations’ held under the Presidentship of B K Sarala Anand, President, Global Forum for Public Relations, resolved that new media such as e-mail, blogs, twitter, face-book etc. not only educate the stakeholders but also can redress the customer grievances on line. Chairman, Prime Point Foundation K Srinivasan,said instant messages were possible through internet which had both advantages and disadvantages. However, he exhorted that PR professionals should make use of social media for interactive communication to promote organizational image.

Among those who spoke in the national seminar include: Irfan Khan, former Director, Corporate Communications, Hindustan Lever, Y Bhaskar Rao, Abishek Kumar Singh, Prof. K C Mouli, Makhanlal Chaturvedi University, Arun Arora, Senior Vice President,(CC) Jindal Steel, Ms.Nazi, Farin Emani(Iran), Madhavan Varadarajan, Arpita Prashant, (Chennia), Reema Sarin, Consultant, Delhi, G,Anija, Federic Michael, Hyderabad. B K Anitha and B K Heena conducted the sessions.

The seminar in conclusion recommended that the public relations code of ethics should contain three main elements:

1. Professional values – (truth telling professional competence);
2. Principles of conduct – free flow of two-way information, fair, advancement of profession;
3. Members Pledge for code of ethics.

In another resolution, it has been decided that in the context of India, the media strategy should contain a combination of four media namely –

1.Interpersonal media – meeting;
2.Folk art media – puppets, tamasha;
3.Mass media – press, radio, TV, Film and
4. New media – internet, e-mail, blogs, website.

Such a combination of media the Public Relations conclave felt could reach about 70 crore people both in urban and rural India,.

Value Based Media: The Need of the Hour

Towards Peace and Prosperity of the Country
Dr.C.V.Narasimha Reddi

A three day Media Conference 2011 on ‘ Valued Based Media’ which was organized by the Media Wing of Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation of Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya from September 16 at Mount Abu, Rajasthan has resolved that the media in our country should adopt ethical, moral and spiritual values as part of its code of conduct and serve towards social and public good rather than the commercial and business interest.

ONE GOD:
This conference assumed greater importance as it coincided with the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Brahmakumaris which was inaguarated by the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil on 16th September. Referring to the theme of the celebrations ‘ One God; One World Family; Smt. Pratibha Patil observed that Brahmakumaris was not a religion, but it was a spiritual fraternity promoting a spiritual and value based living among the people from all walks of life from different nations, cultures and races.

Rajayogini Dr.Dadi Janaki, Chief of Brahmakumaris in her inaugural address said that the evil of corruption which had contaminated our society like cancer could be contained by the media by cultivating spirituality and values such as love, truth, honesty, tolerance etc.

Earliler Rajyogi B K Karuna, Vice-Chairman, Media Wing who welcomed pointed out that mass media had a greater role in the socio-economic development and in creating harmony among different sects of the society. In her valedictory address Smt. D.K,Aruna, Andhra Pradesh, Minister for Information and Public Relations said that the unholy alliance of media with market and business interests, without social purpose, the journalism would cause hindrance to the success of Indian democracy. Therefore, she urged that media should evolve a self-regulated code of conduct by incorporating moral and spiritual values towards establishing a value based society. Over 1500 delegates representing media persons, public relations professionals, academicians, Brahmakumaris from all over the country and Nepal attended the conference.

7 Point Action Plan
Deliberating through six plenary sessions, six parallel dialogues, one insight session and after undergoing three Rajayoga meditation sessions, the conference arrived at the Seven Point Action Plan for adoption by media.

1. To accord priority to social and public good by practicing and promoting ethical, moral and spiritual values

2. To consider core human and media values as essential pre-requisite for economic and all round development of the country

3. To practice Rajayoga meditation as a means of acquiring spirituality and value based healthy, lifestyle towards peace, prosperity of society.

4. To develop the inner spiritual powers of the soul among media persons to mirror as watchdog in containing widespread corruption and negativity in people’s life

5. To work towards creation and spread of audience friendly, interactive, social, cultural, moral and spiritual messages through internet, electronic, film and print media for the benefit of both young and old.

6. To become positive and practice by effecting the process of spiritual self-awakening and empowerment of values for building better society.

7. To support and supplement the noble causes of well-meaning organizations like the Brahmakumaris Society for Media Initiatives for values, Global Forum for Public Relations etc which are aimed at promoting spirituality, ethics, positive and healthy values in professions and society.

It is hoped that the delegates who attended the conference and exposed to Rajayoga Meditation will adopt spiritual values as part of their life and also publish/broadcast the action plan-2011 in their respective media for action.

PR VOICE

The 13th anniversary issue of India's only magazine for the Public Relations practitioners, PR Voice is out. While you can read its online edition, do subscribe to it, and add it to your library of professional literature and books. It brings to you an update on the activities and case studies as well as new thought processes.

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Media Conference at Mt Abu

The National Media Conference organised by Global PR Forum and Media Wing of Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation and Prajapaita Brahma Kumari Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya at the International Headquarters at Mt Abu has seen numerous national and international speakers, professionals, academicians, and media personalities bringing to the fore the need for spirituality for achieving peace and development in the world.
The highlight of the conference has been the live webcasting on the prime point blog which has been well received by the internet community worldwide. The credit goes to Mr Srinivasan of Prime Point Foundation, who reached Mt Abu from Chennai to personally handle the blogcasts with the help of students of Symbiosis Institute.
On Sunday, the 13th, the Global Forum for Public Relations is conducting a roundtable to unveil the Golden Triangle model evolved by past president of PRSI and Editor of PR Voice, Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi.
Log on the the blog posts for regular updates, straight from Mt Abu.