Friday, November 4, 2011

NIRA RADIA TARNISHED THE REPUTATION OF PR

Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi
Editor, Public Relations Voice


Controversial Corporate Lobbyist, the owner of Vaishnavi Corporate Communications Pvt. Ltd., which handled public relations programmes of Tata Group of Companies who was questioned by CBI and Enforcement Directorate about her alleged involvement in the Rs 1.7 lakh crore Spectrum Scam in a surprise move announced “ to give precedence to my personal priorities of family and health, I have decided to exist the business of Communications Consulting”.

THREE IN ONE
She owns three companies Vaishnavi Corporate Communications Pvt. Ltd. that dealt with lobbying and public relations of Tata Group of companies, another subsidiary Neucom Consultancy to handle public relations of Reliance Industries and the third one Noesis Consultants which was set up with a number of bureaucrats including Pradip Baijal, Former Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as a Policy Advocacy Agency to look after government affairs.

An analysis of the performance of these three companies bears an eloquent proof to the fact that Nira Radia was not only just a public relations practitioner but also a lobbyist and a public affairs consultant.

Though she might have quit her business of corporate communications, her Three-In-One role as a lobbyist, public relations practitioner and public affairs consultant has not only tarnished the reputation of Indian public relations profession but also generated a significant decline in the media and people’s trust about public relations profession, which in fact with all limitations is in the take off stage. This incident may be regarded as if ‘adding fuel to the fire of the discipline’.

It is unfortunate that for no fault of public relations professionals, their image is now at stake. It is for this reason perhaps Tatas have appointed Re-diffusion as their new public relations agency, before she decided to quit. As such the survival of her company was in a dilemma and that there was no alternative except closing it down.

ALLEGED ALLEGATIONS
Among others, the alleged allegations against her include: ‘the 5800 tapes revealed how Nira Radio hobnobbed with politicians, bureaucrats and the media, besides influencing the government in getting A Raja appointed as Union Minister for Telecommunications. Therefore, it is proved beyond any doubt that she has exceeded her role as a public relations professional and acted as a lobbyist and public affairs consultant without any code of conduct and ethical considerations. If her soul consciousness is clear, she should not have closed her business leaving 250 employees in the lurch and to their fate.

PR is Distinguished from Lobbying
It is against this background Public Relations Voice as the only journal of Indian PR professionals not only disassociates with the activities of Nira Radia as a corporate lobbyist but also clarifies the distinction between public relations, public affairs and lobbying. In fact lobbying and public relations are two distinct disciplines from the point of view of academies as well as professional practice. These two areas adopt different approaches in strategy, tactics, objectives, target audience, media choice, message formulation, type of presentation and also in cost effectiveness.

If public relations is the management of a two – way communication process between an organization and its public to promote the corporate mission, services, products, reputation and gain public understanding, lobbying is a process in which a paid lobbyist or a pressure group seek to influence those in power. It is also influencing legislators, politicians or the government and persuade them to support or oppose a change in the law. Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of US, the lobbyist should register and identify with the Congress and disclose his/her clients, the issue areas in which lobbying is being done and that roughly how much is being paid for it. However, the lobbyist’s have to influence those in power with legitimate means by making presentations with facts and figures. Violators in America face civil fines of up to $50,000 under the law.

Self-Imposed Lobbyist
In the case of Nira Radia, she became a self imposed lobbyist without any rules and regulations either formulated by the Government or industry and acted with her own methods to influence the Government in the cause of her clients. The need of the hour is to bring in a law as to regulate the process of lobbying in India as promised by the then Union Minister for Company Affairs so that such incidents may not be repeated as to mar the image of public relations profession. The PR professional bodies of our country must also come forward to make representations with the Government of India to regulate lobbying so that they could not encroach the public relations areas.

We seek your comments on this statement so as to evolve a comprehensive report to make a presentation to the Government of India.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

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,.



Wednesday, September 28, 2011

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.

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.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Getting the Best out of Your PR Agency

One of the critical issues that confronts a PR agency vis-a-vis client is misunderstandings and mismatched expectations.  The PR agency is not a 'vendor' but a partner.  The PR agency must be taken into confidence and engaged in your important board decisions, future plans, and possible pitfalls foreseen by the organisation from any quarter.
You know your business the best. And we know how to get it across to the desired stakeholders and through what means. So, here's what can be done to keep agency-client relationship on the same page, healthy, efficient and effective.

1. Explain what you want
Write down the brief for the PR agency with clear goals and objectives with a timeline.

2. Understand the Deliverables
The PR agency would define the deliverables after understanding the brief. Discuss this out and be very specific in terms of the goals that you as an organisation are seeking. The PR agency, of course, very clearly indicates what it can do or would do and what it will not.  For instance, don't expect your PR agency to be a fire-fighter or a white-washer. We cannot hide the skeltons in your cupboards.  Do good and win stakeholders confidence and trust.

3. Be Transparent
It's a symbiotic relationship between a client and a PR agency. Be open, transparent and honest with the PR agency about the activities and happenings in the company.  In a crisis situation, it becomes important that organisation remain honest in their communication.

4. Media Management
Media is just one significant stakeholder in any organisation's business environment. We keep in touch with them on daily basis and work with them to help them develop stories on the industry that your organisation represents. But do not expect them to write the way you want them to write. We are there to facilitate professional interaction with the media on your behalf.

5. Value the Time
Especially when media needs to be briefed and some facts need to be shared. The prompt response is what is expected to help journalists meet their deadlines. 

Tourism is more than a business or just an economic activity

What do you mean by tourism? I often wonder at the word ‘tourism’; perhaps the only business or vocation which has ‘ism’ prefixed to it....