SUMA 203

UNDER GRADUATE COURSE

[Link]- MATHEMATICS

SECOND YEAR
THIRD SEMESTER

NON-MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER - I

PUBLIC RELATIONS

INSTITUTE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS
[Link] - MATHEMATICS NON-MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER- I
SECOND YEAR - THIRD SEMESTER
PUBLIC RELATIONS

WELCOME
Warm Greetings.

It is with a great pleasure to welcome you as a student of Institute of Distance

Education, University of Madras. It is a proud moment for the Institute of Distance education
as you are entering into a cafeteria system of learning process as envisaged by the University
Grants Commission. Yes, we have framed and introduced Choice Based Credit
System(CBCS) in Semester pattern from the academic year 2018-19. You are free to
choose courses, as per the Regulations, to attain the target of total number of credits set
for each course and also each degree programme. What is a credit? To earn one credit in
a semester you have to spend 30 hours of learning process. Each course has a weightage
in terms of credits. Credits are assigned by taking into account of its level of subject content.
For instance, if one particular course or paper has 4 credits then you have to spend 120
hours of self-learning in a semester. You are advised to plan the strategy to devote hours of
self-study in the learning process. You will be assessed periodically by means of tests,
assignments and quizzes either in class room or laboratory or field work. In the case of PG
(UG), Continuous Internal Assessment for 20(25) percentage and End Semester University
Examination for 80 (75) percentage of the maximum score for a course / paper. The theory
paper in the end semester examination will bring out your various skills: namely basic
knowledge about subject, memory recall, application, analysis, comprehension and
descriptive writing. We will always have in mind while training you in conducting experiments,
analyzing the performance during laboratory work, and observing the outcomes to bring
out the truth from the experiment, and we measure these skills in the end semester
examination. You will be guided by well experienced faculty.

I invite you to join the CBCS in Semester System to gain rich knowledge leisurely at
your will and wish. Choose the right courses at right times so as to erect your flag of
success. We always encourage and enlighten to excel and empower. We are the cross
bearers to make you a torch bearer to have a bright future.

With best wishes from mind and heart,

DIRECTOR

(i)
[Link] - MATHEMATICS NON-MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER- I
SECOND YEAR - THIRD SEMESTER
PUBLIC RELATIONS

COURSE WRITER

Dr. R. Mathaiyan
Professor of Public Administration
IDE, University of Madras
Chennai - 600 005.

Dr. S. Thenmozhi
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
Institute of Distance Education
University of Madras
Chepauk Chennnai - 600 005.

© UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS, CHENNAI 600 005.

(ii)
 [Link]. - DEGREE COURSE

SECOND YEAR

THIRD SEMESTER

NON-MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER - I

PUBLIC RELATIONS

SYLLABUS

Unit I: Introduction

Meaning - Nature, Scope and Importance of Public Relations - Distinction between

Publicity, Propaganda, Advertising and Public Relations

Unit -II: Public Relations in Indian Environment

Changes in Socio, Economic Political and Cultural Relations - Public Relations in

Government, Non-Government Organizations, Commercial and Non-Commercial
Organizations

Unit -III: Public in Public Relations

Concept of Public in Public Relations: Communities, Organizations, Suppliers

and Distributors and Consumers

Unit- IV: Public Relations Department

Public Relations Department: Public Relation Officer (PRO), Role & Responsibilities
- Press Information Bureau: Film Divisions, Publication Division

Unit-V: Challenges of Public Relations

Public Relations Education and Training - Challenges and growth in Public Relations-
Public Opinion Leaders

(iii)
Books Recommended for Study:

1. Balan.K.R. Lectures on Applied Public Relations, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi,
1985.

2. Ganesh, S., Introduction to Public Relations, Indian Publishers Distributors, Delhi,

1999.

3. Metha.D.S. Hand Book of Public Relations in India.

4. Moore arid Frank, Public Relations - Principle, Cases and Problems, Sur Publication,
New Delhi, 1987.

(iv)
 [Link]. - DEGREE COURSE

SECOND YEAR - THIRD SEMESTER

NON-MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER - I

PUBLIC RELATIONS

SCHEME OF LESSONS
[Link]. Title Page

1. Meaning, Nature and Scope of Public Relations 001

2. Public Relations,Publicity, Propaganda and Advertising 013

3. Public Relations and Indian Environment 047

4. Concept of Public in Public Relations-Target Groups 055

5. Distributor - Dealer and Suppliers Relations 075

6. Community Relations 095

7. Public Relations Department and Officer 118

8. Challenges in Public Relations and Public Opinion 145

(v)
 1

LESSON-1
MEANING, NATURE AND SCOPE OF PUBLIC
RELATIONS
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able

• To understand the meaning and scope of public relations

• To explain the functions of public relations

• To describe the components of public relations

Structure of the Lesson

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Meaning of Public Relations

1.3 Nature and Scope of Public Relations

1.4 Functions of Public Relations

1.5 Role of Public Relations

1.6 Components of Public Relations

1.7 Scope of Public Relations

1.8 Summary

1.9 Key words

1.10 Answers to check your progress

1.11 Review Questions

1.12 Suggested Books for References

1.1 Introduction

This is an Introductory chapter on Public Relations. In this lesson we will know about the
meaning, nature and scope of Public Relations. Public Relation is the business of communicating
the news or ideas in such a manner that it will be accepted as your desire to have [Link]
Relations is essentially an art of persuasion and in order to influence people it is helpful to know
2

as much as possible about the way in which people think and the manner in which they react to
particular [Link] Relations are one of the most effective tools available to
management in pursuit of creating the right attitude towards the business organization among
all those involved: customers, suppliers, Governmental agencies and others. The major
advantages of Public Relations exercise effectively implemented are that it will help to create a
climate where objective problem solving becomes possible.

Today, Public Relations encompass a vast area of activities including corporate Public
Relations, Public affairs, employee communications, investor relations and communications
research. All of these functions provide the management with varied tools to handle situations.

1.2 Meaning of Public Relations

Public Relations - is the profession that breeds peace, progress, and prosperity among
people of different culture, creeds, communities, Religions, Nationalities, vocations, Trades
and Industries, by removing communication gap - a vital missing link in today’s modern society
around the world. Information gap is the major cause of failures and uneasiness due to
misunderstandings among various types of publics connected with the organisation concerned,
whether be it a Government, semi-Government, Public Sector, Private Sector, even in group of
propel or families or among the individuals.

1.3 Nature and Scope of Public Relations

Public Relations is an aid to management, a tool for democratic government and a promoter
of understanding at international, national and local level. Public Relations is both a science
and an art of the best work is done by those working in a congenial atmosphere.

It is incumbent on all those in public relations to maintain at all times a proper sense of
responsibility, for their activities can influence the minds of men and have power over the progress
of public affairs. Public Relations practice has become a careful party of modern life has settled
down to making an important contribution to government industry and many other fields.

1. Everything that is calculated to improve mutual understanding between an

organization and all with whom it comes into contact, both within and outside the
organisation.

2. Advice on the presentation of the ‘Public Image’ of an organisation.

 3

3. Action to discover and eliminate sources of misunderstanding.

4. Action of broaden the sphere of influence of an organization by appropriate publicity,

advertising, exhibition, films, etc.

5. Everything directed toward improving communication between people or

organizations.

1. It is not a barrier between the truth and the public.

2. It is not a propaganda to impose a point of view regardless of truth, ethics or the

public good.

3. It is not publicity aimed directly at achieving sales although Public Relations activities
can be very helpful to sales and marketing efforts.

4. It is not composed of stunts or gimmicks. These may be useful at times to put over
ideas, but fail completely if used often.

5. It is not unpaid advertising.

6. It is not merely press relations, although press work is a very important part of most
Public Relations programmes.

7. Public Relations in central and local government is nonpolitical. It is to promote

democracy and not to advance the policy of any political party.

1.4 Functions of Public Relations

In short, Public Relation function includes;

a) Everything that is calculated to improve mutual understanding between an

organisation both within and outside, creating an atmosphere of mutual trust.

b) Advise on the presentation of public image of an organisation.

c) Action to discover and eliminate sources of misunderstanding

d) Action to broaden the sphere of influence of an organisation by appropriate publicity,

advertising, exhibitions, films, etc.,

e) Everything directed towards improving communication between the people and the
organisation.
4

A more specific definition which emphasizes the special responsibility is: “Public Relations
is the Management function which evaluates public attitudes, identified the policies and
procedures of an individual or an organisation with the public interest, and executes an
programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance”.

Another suggested definition is: “Public Relations is a social philosophy of management

expressed in policies and practices, which, through sensitive interpretation of events based
upon two-way communication with its publics, strives to secure mutual understanding and
goodwill”. The well accepted definition of Public Relations is that the Public Relations is “the
deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between
and organisation and its public”.

Deliberate

Because Public Relations practitioners try to make it clear that the success of their job
depends on the promise that nothing should happen by accident. Starting with a set of carefully
created objectives they must ensure that whatever they do afterwards will take them accurately
and inevitably towards those objectives.

Planned

Because a Public Relations practitioner is always is control of what is being done, nothing
is left to chance; so he/she must work to a plan and on a planned basis. The thought is sufficiently
vital for it to demand the double emphasis of “deliberate” and “Planned”.

Sustained

Because a Public Relations practitioner is always trying to implement a thought or an

idea that will remain with the person at whom it has been aimed. The pressure must therefore
be maintained. Human memories are short lived. There are many things for people to try and
absorb. Sporadic attacks on their consciousness and awareness merely mean that they will
tend to forget easily.

Understanding

Because of the difficulty of bridging the awful gap in any process of communication
between what the ‘sender’ means and what the ‘receiver’ thinks he means. They are not
necessarily the same.
 5

Organisation

Because no man can work in a vacuum. Every body works for somebody. A Public
Relations Practitioner works for on organisation. Whether it is a government, business, charity
or any other. To put it at its most simple, it is his job to see that the organisation is understood
and appreciated.

Public

Because the organisation for which the Public Relations professional works, wants to
be understood and appreciated by the people around it, who affect what it does or are affected
by what it does. For a scientist, the scope of the terms ‘Public’ can be stretched to any extent in
that humanity as a whole is his public.

Edward L Bernaz defines Public Relations as “the attempt by information persuasion

and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution”.

1.5 Role of Public Relations

Public Relations has now begun to be an active aspect of HRD (Human Resources
Development). An example is the recent employment exhibitions where major organisations
met aspiring candidates either for immediate or future recruitment. such exhibitions go a long
way in attracting the best talent in an informal atmosphere where the tensions of the normal
interviewing process are absent.

“Catch them young” slogan can be effectively undertaken with proper Public Relations
exercise by conducting seminars and plant visits by organisations to make the youth aware of
the organisations, its social role, security, growth plan and career [Link] is a change
is the attitude and people of employees in organisations. Their demands and expectations are
much higher than what they were a decade ago. Hence, one has to make use of new practices
to have a good Public Relations within the organisation. A new practice followed by some
industries to take the families of employees to the factories so that they can get a feel of the
work place. They can also know the type of work the employees are doing, their contributions
as well as their role in the organisation.

Environment consciousness, concern and participation in eco-restoration are engaging

society’s attention as never before. The facilitate this eco-restoration process information to the
6

right. Public Relations will have to play the role of a catalyst, by providing the right, information
to the right target to promote both the interests of the environment and the [Link] all
business are directly or indirectly involved with environment, discerning consumers now prefer
companies with eco-consciousness. An example would be the growing trend of using day-
today products that are not harmful to the environment by way of raw materials used, packaging
materials used and also the manufacturing process itself. This has led to the introduction of the
“Green Seal”: which classified the product as “environment friendly”.

Our former Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, had very clearly bought out the role of
Public Relations in putting the momentous and complicated economic developments of the
day. “Public Relations”, she said “can be regarded as one of the lubricants of democracy.
Government and the industrial process are becoming increasingly complex. It is through Public
Relations that these processes can be made intelligible to the people at large and leaves their
impress on the shaping of policies”. Public Relations at its best has the dual role of explaining
and interpreting truthfully the policies and programmes of an organisation.

It also keeps the policy-makers informed of the people’s reactions and suggests probable
modification of its policies with the predominant interest of the public [Link] needs to be
emphasized that Public Relations is not propaganda. It seeks to achieve the consent and co-
operation of the recipient not through false promises or distorted facts but through honesty and
truthfulness.

A true Public Relations man communicates the management policies, problems and
performance to the public on the one hand and feeds back the socio-economic and political
trends and public opinion to the management on the other. If, therefore, an organisation is
enlightened enough to take Public Relations responsibilities seriously, its Public Relations
executives must have full and open access to the top management. It is also a function that
cannot be delegated to a subordinate functionary. Public Relations is nothing special but it is
ultimately the responsibility of the top management.

Unenlightened management can sometimes pose the greatest challenge to a Public

Relations Officer’s ability, causing incalculable harm both to the profession as well as to the
organisation. It is perhaps one of the short comings of our management development system
that a manager may reach the top even without any holding acquaintance with the various facts
of management responsibility in today’s complex society. Public Relations to such an incumbent
 7

is a novel toy, he can freely handle with all the curiosity and carelessness that his juvenile face
many catch.

The profession of Public Relations is a constantly evolving one. Public Relations in India
today has entered a phase where increasing demand is going to be made on it’s as an integral
part of top management and as professionals well conversant with the changes and innovations
of the present day world. The negative image of the profession is gradually yielding ground to
a more respectable one with the growing awareness of the role it is destined to play as a
management discipline. One need not really despair when one thinks that it took medicine
nearly 500 years to come out of the barber’s shop. There are quacks in PR too. But with the
steady growth of professionalism, they are being slowly eliminated.

Good Public Relations has been defined as "the art of discovering and furthering a mutually
of interest between one activity and others in a society. Its purpose is to achieve the most
harmonious adjustment possible between an institution and its community". This means,
therefore, that Public Relations is a creative endeavor, and successful management understands
that it must search out opportunities for improving relationships with all its publics. A newspaper
must be mindful not only of the general public it serves but of its direct consumers; its employees;
its stockholders; its suppliers; its colleagues in the communication industry; and a multitude of
social, political, and government interests to which it must relate on a daily basis in one way or
another. The manner in which the newspaper reaches out to cultivate and to maintain all these
relationships at the optimum level is a measure of its effectiveness in the community.

1.6 Components of Public Relations

Public relations have divergent parts. According to the Public Relations Society of America,
the components of public relations include the following: Counseling: Providing advice to
management concerning policies, relationships, and communication with its various publics.
Research: Determining attitudes and behaviours of publics through research in order to plan
public relations strategies. Such research can be used to (1) generate mutual understanding or
(2) influence and persuade publics. Media Relations: Working with the mass media in seeking
publicity or responding to their interest in the organisation.

Publicity: Disseminating planned messages through selected media to further the

organisation’s interest. Employee/Member Relations: Responding to concerns, informing,
and motivating and organisation’s employees or association or club members. Community
8

Relations: Planned activity with a community to maintain an environment that benefits both the
organisation and the community. Public Affairs: Developing effective involvement in public
policy and helping an organization adapt to public expectations. The term is also used by
government agencies to describe their public relations activities and by many corporations as
an umbrella term to describe multiple public relations activities. Governmental Affairs: Relating
directly with legislature and regulatory agencies on behalf of the organisation. Lobbying can be
part of the government affairs programme. Issues management: Identifying and addressing
issues of public concern that affect the organisation. Financial Relations: Also known as Investor
Relations or Shareholder Relations. It involves creating and maintaining investor confidence
and building good relationships with the financial community. Industry Relations: Relating
with other firms in the industry of an organization and with trade associations. Development/
Fund-Raising: Demonstrating the need for and encouraging the public to support an
organisation, primarily through financial contributions. Multicultural Relations/Workplace
Diversity: Relating with individuals and groups in various cultural settings. Special Events:
Stimulating an interest in a person, product, or organisation by means of a focused “happening”.
They are activities designed to interact with publics and listen to them. Marketing
Communications: Combination of activities designed to sell a product, service, or idea. These
activities may include advertising, collateral materials, publicity, promotion, direct mail, trade
shows, and special events.

1.7 Scope of Public Relations

Areas of activity for Public Relations include government relations, community relations;
relations with the press and the preparation of news releases for newspapers, magazines,
television, film and radio; general public relations counseling; speeches, the organisation of
special press events, and shareholder relation. (The use of the word ‘press’ includes all
communications media with which Public Relations works, as appropriate to any given
situations).It is the responsibility of public relations representatives to establish such contacts
as it will enable them to obtain a sure swift and accurate flow of information concerning the
[Link] Relations is a management function. Management derives the benefit by applying
Public Relations practices, broadly in the interest of the organisation concerned with.

Democracy cannot function properly without good Public Relations. Democracy has been
defined as government of the people, by the people and for the people. The electorate requires
knowledge on how government functions, information on decisions being made in its name and
 9

education in order to take full advantage of the facilities and services provided. There is clearly
need for Public Relations activities to help citizens understand their privileges and responsibilities
under a democratic from of government.

Public Relations are everything from an attitude of mind down to a minute detail in the
successful implementation of a programme. There is an interesting analogy between medicine
and Public Relations. A medical practitioner and a Public Relations practitioner must both first
diagnose and then treat. It is common for both to be called in after the damage is done. Preventive
Public Relations is just as important as preventive medicine and like the latter is equally rarely,
employed.

The speed of modern communication should lead to a utopia of universal understanding.

Public Relations fulfill a vital role in our democracy in bridging a potentially dangerous credibility
[Link] world is shrinking thanks to the modern Transportation and communication facilities.
As Marshall Mc. Luhan said, we live in a ‘global village’.

In such a situation, Public Relations programmes based on a deep knowledge of the

countries concerned and operating sound policies and procedures will [Link] practice of
Public Relations is a profession - an art applied to a science. The Public interest, not pecuniary
motivation, is the primary consideration in its practice. The profession has its literature, its
voluntary associations and its educational curricula all criteria of a profession.

Public Relations concern itself with the relations of a unit, an organisation or an individual
with the publics on which it depends for its viability. Public Relations advice covers adjustment
to the public, information to the public, and persuasion to the public to accept a service or
[Link] need for Public Relations practitioner as a societal technician has been brought
about by the revolution in transportation and communication, more wide spread literacy, the
increasing complex network of communication, and the resultant greater participation by the
public in the shaping of all institutions.

Effective Public Relations establishes a meeting point, to the highest degree of adjustment,
between an organisation and the publics upon which it [Link] Public Relations is
based on reality - not on images, whether true or false. Deeds and action that serve the public
interest are the basis of sound Public Relations.
10

An organisation seeks public approval and support on the basis of public interest. The
public interest is the criterion by which Public Relations professional accepts a client. He rejects
the client who does not service the public [Link] Public Relations man first evaluates, by
scientific public opinion research, the concords and discords between his client and his publics.
He advices his client on the modification of attitudes and actions which are indicates. He advises
on information needed by the public to provide a basis for understanding and support. He
advices on methods of persuasion necessary to gain public support.

Professional Public Relations practice depends on the application of the social sciences.
The Public Relations professional plays an important role in preparing the various segment of
the society for coming development - in order to prevent ‘future shock’.Public Relations man be
effective only if he is given due recognition with in the [Link] as a profession has
gained recognition and status now. Due to rapid industrialization, modern managements have
started using PR technique in full swing.

Public Relations man should be given recognition in planning and execution and be invited
in the top management’s planning meetings. This would provide the Public Relations personnel
the opportunity to know their responsibility which would in turn make every employee Public
Relations conscious which in utmost necessary for effective [Link] Relations person
should be given a proper position in the top management and they should be kept informed of
the policy decisions of the management so that they can face any kind of [Link] routine
works of booking Rail air tickets, receiving and seeing off visitors and officials should be
discouraged. Top management should realize that good relations are only conductive to a proper
atmosphere of understanding and goodwill.

Check your progress

1. Explain the functions of Public Relations

 11

2. Briefly examine the Scope of Public Relations.

1.8 Summary
Public relations are a discipline that has attracted many definitions, but the numerous
definitions have a lot in common. A major point of agreement is that public relations involve
creating mutual understanding between organisations and their publics. As an activity, PR is
very complex, indeed it has many components. What have we learnt in this unit? We have
learnt that public relations have as many definitions as there are practitioners and academics in
the field. But they all agree in their definitions that public relations aim at creating mutual
understanding between an organisation and its publics. Public relations has various components
which include counseling, research, media relations, publicity, government affairs, financial
relations, community relations, etc.

1.9 Key Words

Public Relations

Attracting Talent

Publicity

Public Affairs

1.10 Answers to check your progress

1. See Section 1.4

2. See Section 1.7

12

1.11 Review Questions

[Link] the meaning nature and scope of public relations

2. Discuss the components of public relations

1.12 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
Practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

5. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.

6. Martinson, D.L. (1995-96). “Client partiality and third parties: An ethical Dilemma for
public relations practitioners?” Public Relations Quarterly.
 13

LESSON - 2
PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLICITY,
PROPAGANDA AND ADVERTISING
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able

• To understand the differences of public relations and press

• To understand the new propaganda

• To explain the propaganda as welfare and its goals

• To describe the relationship between advertisement and propaganda

• To understand the public relations and media

Structure of the Lesson

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Public Relations and the Press

2.3 Public Relations and Publicity

2.4 Public Relations and Propagand

2.5 Public Relations and Advertising

2.6 Summary

2.7 Key Words

2.8 Answers to check your progress

2.9 Review Questions

2.10 Suggested Books for References

2.1 Introduction
In the earlier lesson, we have explained the meaning, nature and scope of Public
Relations. Difference between public relations and probability will be discussed in this lesson.
Now here is the mettle of the public relations professional tested so much as in these dealings
with the press. This is because today the press and news media generally is so powerful and
14

influential that no individual or institution which wishes to project his or its image to the public
can afford to ignore it or fail to cultivate it. The very concept of public relations is based on the
realisation of the need for a trained body of experts who can act as a intermediaries between
those who want to cultivate the public and draw their support, and the public itself which is so ill-
informed and apathetic. Public relations in the technological age of ours extend to all aspects of
life and to all professions, industry and government. There is such vast activity in the private
and public sectors and by governmental agencies and there is so much of competition in progress
and propaganda, that it requires specialized technique and craft to educate the public and
create a good impression on them to win credibility.

2.2 Public Relations and the Press

There were hardly any public relations in our country before Independence but today it
has blossomed into a science and is a mighty tree growing and expanding. This is because
today we are one of the world’s greatest industrial nationals. We are the world’s second largest
democracy. Our press is a free press and nowhere in the world have people so much faith in the
printed word as in our country. This is a privilege and responsibility which is not always understood
by some sections of the press. The press can destroy an institution. An industry or bring disrepute
to a government it is so wishes and if it is wrongly informed about facts. It is here that the Public
Relations person has most vital role to pay. But then how many in the government and company
departments realize the unique role they can play in India is for ‘Time’ to prove!

A Public Relations man has a most vital duty, which is to provide correct information and
facts. And he must present them to the media in such a way that his motives are not doubted
and his credentials questioned. He has to project an image of the party for whom he works
which is unsullied and presented to gain maximum advantage. He has to rebut accusations
with facts, to refute false or exaggerated statements with correct versions and point out distortions
and willful suppression of knowledge. In doing this he cannot adopt a superior attitude, an
attitude of command or authority or pose as a saint or holier than an individual. He must realize
that his job is to put things straight so far as the party for whom he is working in concerned and
he must go about it in a way which would produce results.

The public relations manager has not only to defend his client but also to promote his
cause or product or career and probably this is the most important and most difficult part of his
job. When you seek to advance the interest of somebody or boost the sale of a commodity,
there is an element of comparison, which results in exaggeration and overstatement. It is here
 15

that the public relations man must display tact and discretion of a high order and a PRO. Stands
or fails according to the degree of success or failure in this task. The pressure on the daily
press is well known.

What the newspapers publish daily in highly selective and does not represent more
than 20 percent of the material it receives in 24 hours. This is the position with regard to the
major dailies which carry large number of pages every day. The position is much worse in the
case of smaller newspapers whose space is very limited. Under the circumstances, a ‘handout’
has little or no chance of making its appearance in the columns of a newspaper unless it is
sponsored vigorously and purposefully. The handouts are generally thrown into the waste paper
basket as buff material but if the Public Relations Officer (PRO). has good contacts with the
press and has impressed it with his personality, then it is probable their fate may be different.

It is relevant to mentioned here about a very important characteristics of the American

news media men, which you do not see so much in our journalist. The American reporter is not
cowed down by the status of official position of the highest in the land. He treats him in the same
way as he would anyone of lesser rank. What matters to him is the newsworthiness of the
person concerned. If a waitress in a hotel or a taxi driver suddenly shoots into the news, they
will get better attention than even the President of the United States, because they have something
to tell which is of interest to their readers.

Public Relations includes a host of things-press relations, advertising, publications, audio-

visual and outdoor media, community relations, organisation of conferences and seminars,
hospitality and entertainment, financial relations, relations with the government, internal
communications [Link] a public relations man, effective press relations are very important.
Press considers failures particularly in the government and in the public sector as news and
exposes their non-performance and other weaknesses withvigor. It acts as a watch-dog and
seizes every opportunity to question their acts of omission and commission.

The public relations man has, therefore, to keep a close watch on the press. He should
not, however, lose his balance, if something unfavorable to him appears in the press. He can
contradict major misreporting-but only when it is a must. Angry rebuttal, sarcasm or snubbing
the press must be avoided. In no case should the public relations man threaten with withdrawal
of advertisements in such a situation. The rejoinder has to be prompt to have the desired
impact. He should have close links at different levels-from the editor to the reporter to get
sympathetic consideration to his releases on merit. The reporters and photographers should be
16

treated with respect and all facilities provided for the coverage. It is to be remembered that they
are doing as much their work as ours.

The public relations man can build confidence with the press only if he tells the truth and
explains the situation in its proper context and perspective. Press relations work even in adverse
conditions should be handled at normal temperament and normal pressure. Only then would it
be possible to remove the aberrations and the distortions that tarnish the image of the
organisation. Press relations is not the projection of only personalities. More important is the
projection of innovations, activities, and events. This is possible, if the public relations man’s
rapport, persuasive and pleasant approach can pay rich dividends when he is called upon to
correct certain distortions, inaccuracies, and ill-informed criticism in the press about his
organization. The public relations man can be assertive and forceful in his attitude, depending
on the circumstances, but the cannot afford to be offensive or aggressive with the press. He
has to woo the public through different media, specially the press, as a young man woos a girl.
Pleasant manners, sincerely, mastery over the subject etc. will make all the difference in relations
work.

Press includes the newspapers, journals, magazines, bulletins, periodicals, social,

economic and literary works of authors and publishers. The press is one of the media of
communication. Press relations or editorial publicity) is a vital part of almost any public relations
campaign. It is true to say that the most effective way of selling or explaining something is good
personal communication backed by understanding, the important quality which is required for
every public relations man. There has been a growing need and a growing demand for more
information.

The public relations man exists to establish and maintain relationship between his
organisation and the groups around it who are important to it. To do his job he needs to receive
information and to issue information. Since he is dealing more than anything else with human
attitudes, he must pay close attention to the forces which create and influence those attitudes.
If he wants to know what people are thinking or saying about any given subject he must read
and interpret the press (although he must also read books, pamphlets, and typescripts, watch
films and television, and listen to the radio). If he wants to people what his employer or client is
thinking, he must use the media of mass communication, in which the press is a major element.
the public relations man must have an absolutely clear understanding of where press relation
fits in his job.
 17

Press Relations is therefore very substantial medium to master the art thereof writing the
press material and reaching it to the editor concerned next day in the morning he will read the
news item submitted by [Link] mind that writing is more important than having friendship with
the editorial staff. To influence the readers news-matter must be ‘newsy’ and the papers selected
must have wide circulation among the readership of his choice. PRO imitativeness in maintaining
press relations will enhance his reputation more in the organisations he serves.

The characteristics of a good public relations man who wants to make an impact on the
press and other news media and also of the tremendous opportunities to rise to the top of the
profession by merely being good, tactful, resourceful and agreeable. These are the qualities
one must cultivate if one wants to make a success of one’s relations with the press.

2.3 Public Relations and Publicity

The news media constitute a major factor in public relations, controlling the flow of
publicity through the most important channels of public communication. Good working
relationships with editors, reporters, editorial writers, cameramen, columnists and broadcasters
and an understanding of their editorial needs are essential in securing good publicity coverage.
Media relations, once a simple association between a public relations practitioner and a few
editor friends, has become more complex as the number of media has increased, as they have
become more specialized, as competition for space and time has intensified, and as publicity
has attained a more significant role in public relations.

As public relations practitioners have become more and more professional in their
approach to publicity, the relationships between them and the media have become more
favorable. Some differences remain. The media are still critical of business for indiscriminate
mailing of irrelevant or poor-quality news releases that are, in fact, thinly veiled advertising, for
editorial pressures by advertisers, for suppression of unfavorable news, for playing favorites
among the media, for ignorance of editorial requirements, and for refusal to grant interviews or
to be quoted. the practitioners, for their part, accuse the media of overemphasizing unfavorable
news, inaccurate reporting, and failure to get facts.

The important thing is, however, that the news writers and the public relations practitioners
are developing a community of interest. Editors are recognizing that public relations departments
are a source of genuine news and technical information, and that they are helpful in developing
news stories, pictures, articles, and background material. Public relations practitioners are
18

acquiring a better knowledge of mass media, their editorial needs and policies, audiences, and
operating problems.

Selection of Publicity Media

Proper selection of the mass media is essential in preparing and placing news releases.
The common practice of indiscriminate mailing of releases and articles to media without
knowledge of their editorial contents, audiences, and editorial policy is wasteful. A flood of
worthless releases is inundating the desks of editors and overflowing their waste-baskets. The
“shotgun” method of distributing publicity is one of the most ineffective practices in public relations.
Editors are critical of the bulk of relapses that they receive “unless there is a cutback on
unnecessary and misdirected releases by public relations offices, the channels for legitimate
releases will become hopelessly clogged,” says one industrial magazine editor. “Over 50 percent
of the releases crossing my desk are of absolutely no value to anyone,” states another’s.

To ensure that news releases receive favorable consideration, publicity media should be
subjected to the same close scrutiny by public relations practitioners as that given advertising
media by buyers of advertising space. Systematic collection of information about the audiences
and editorial requirements of newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations is
essential to reduce the waste.

A record should be continuously maintained for individual news-papers, magazines, and

radio and television stations, indicating whether they use new product news, personnel news,
financial news, or general news - with or without [Link], magazines and broadcasts
should be read and audited to determine the publicity they use. Editors may be asked for
sample copies of their publication for review, for information about pending special issues, and
for a statement of editorial policy. Editors may be interviewed at their offices, invited to lunch,
and questioned about their editorial policy, features, closing dates, and special issues to get an
insight into their editorial requirements. This information is filed for future reference in preparing
media lists.

Publicity Media

Publicity media used by public relations departments may include English and Foreign-
language and regional (local) newspapers published daily, weekly, or at other intervals; magazines
published for the general public, women, business executives, farmers, professionals, and
ethnic and special interest groups; radio and television broadcasts; and newspaper feature,
picture, and news syndicates.
 19

Newspapers

Newspapers are the major medium of publicity. They are read by millions, enjoy reader
confidence, influence public opinion, appear regularly, and intensively cover local and regional
area. Newspapers appeal to the special interests of women, business executives, sports
enthusiasts, gardeners, motorists, and other through special sections providing opportunities
for produce publicity on these subjects.

Magazines

Approximately 42,000 newspapers/magazines published in our country are edited for

the general public and special interest groups. Examples of general mass magazines include
Readers’ Digest of Indian Edition, and the news magazines - India Today, The Week, and
Sunday and On looker. Some leading women’s magazines are Women’s Era, Famine, Mangayar
Malar, And Gogulam Kathir (Tamil). Magazines published for business executives are Business
Week, Buses India, Economics Times etc.; There are enough number of farm journals, such as
Kissan World. The professional Magazines include such monthlies as Public Relations Journal
and the Journal of Indian Medical Association. The Scope of special-interest magazines is
suggested by the fact that there are many publications classified under plastics; petroleum and
energy; safety ; business; antiques ; and automobile trade.

Magazines are an important medium for product news, feature stories, and pictorial
publicity. They tend to be read to be leisurely and thoroughly. The typical issue will be read
several persons and will likely to be preserved for future reference. Magazines, which afford
space to tell a complete store, are particularly suitable for service or educational publicity articles.
The attractive appearance, a good paper, and fine color reproduction of magazines make them
ideal for picture publicity.

Broadcasting as Public Relations Medium

Broadcasting is the most powerful medium of dissemination of information in a country

such as ours where the large majority of the people are illiterate and the circulation of newspapers
is almost negligible. Radio has a much greater reach compared to any other communication
[Link] radio public relation personnel can reach the people in any part of the country
and in any languages in the quickest possible time. For important national, regional, or local
information of public interest, the public relations man can try to get his message in the news
bulletins of Prasar Bharati i.e. All India Radio. For other purposes he can use commercial
service on payment.
20

It is, therefore, necessary for a public relations man to have some idea of All India
Radio’s operations, programmes etc., He should, in particular, know the working of the
Commercial Broadcasting Service with which he is primarily concerned for public relations
work.

Broadcasting started in our country in 1927 with two privately owned transmitters at
Mumbai (Bombay) and Calcutta; Government took over the transmitters in 1930 and started
operating them under the name of India Broadcasting Service. It was changed to All India
Radio in 1936 and it also came to be known as Akashvani from 1957. Prasar Bharati, the
antonymous Broadcasting Corporation of India, came into existence on 23 November 1997 to
handle the activities of Akashvani and Doordarshan.

In the last seven decades, it has grown into one of the biggest broadcasting systems in
the world. All India Radio (AIR) presently has 195 radio stations including 183 full-fledged stations,
nine relay centres and three exclusive Vividh Bharathi Commercial centres. AIR presently has
302 transmitters. These includes 144 medium wave, 55 short wave and 103 FM transmitters
and provide radio coverage to a population of 97.3 percent apread over 90 percent area of the
country. An estimated 111 million radio receiving sets are in use in the country AIR broadcasts
in all the Indian languages, a large number of local dialects as well as in foreign languages.

As mentioned already, the AIR operates the three tiers-at national, regional and local
levels. The organisation centrally originates news bulletins and other programmes based on
music and spoken words and relays the same on the National Channel through its transmitters
at Delhi, Mogra and Nagpur. At the middle tier, broadcasting service is delivered by the regional
stations in different states. Local radio which is comparatively a new concept, presents are
specific programmes reaching out to the local communities.

News Services Division

The News Services Division (NSD) of All India Radio today puts out 314 bulletins daily
with a total duration of 39 hours and 29 minutes. Out of these, 88 bulletins are broadcast in the
Home Services for duration of 12 hours and 05 minutes, while 42 Regional news Units (RNUs)
originate 137 news bulletins daily for a duration of 18 hours and 01 minutes. In the External
Services, AIR broadcasts 65 bulletins for 8 hour and 59 minutes in 24 languages (Indian and
foreign). The News Services Division is also putting out 24 news headlines bulletins on the FM
channel.
 21

AIR also broadcasts special bulletin such as sports news, slow speed bulletins and
youth bulletins. The bulk of AIR news comes from its own correspondents spread all over the
country. It has 90 regular correspondents in India and 7 abroad at Colombo, Dhaka, Dubai,
Pretoria, Kathmandu, Singapore and Islamabad. Apart from this, 246 part-time correspondents
based at important district headquarters, NSD subscribes to news agencies to make its bulletins
broad based.

External Services Division (ESD)

The External Services Division of All India Radio has been a vital link between India and
rest of the World, especially with those countries where the interest of India are intertwined
because of Indian population staying in those countries. External Services Broadcasts have
been projecting the Indian point of View on matters of National and International importance
through its various programmes broadcast in 25 languages, spanning a period of about seventy
hours per day. Of these, 16 are foreign and 9 are Indian.

Commercial

All India Radio introduced commercials on 1st November 1967 now extended to 99
primary channel stations, 30 Vividh Bharati centres, 74 local radio stations and four FM Metro
channels. Major part of the earnings for AIR is from commercials; the total revenue earned
during 1997-98 was Rs.93.44 crore. Marketing of commercial time over AIR has been taken in
an extensive manner and a strict vigil is being kept on realisation of revenue.

Audience Research Unit (ARU)

Audience Research Unit provides guidelines to improve the effectiveness of AIR

progammes and assessment of their impact on the target audiences.

Farm and Home Programmes

All stations of AIR broadcast farm and home programmes directed at rural audiences.
In order to provide support to intensive agriculture and high-yielding variety programmes. Farm
and Home units function at various stations of AIR throughout the country. Besides, imparting
technical and other information, the thrust of broadcasts are dissemination of information relating
to ways and means for increasing production of cereals, oilseeds, pulses, vegetables, fruits
etc.,
22

Diversification of agriculture, social forestry, preservation of environment and farm

forestry; poverty alleviation schemes, health and sanitation etc, adult education programmes,
role to pachayats in rural development. The programmes lay emphasis on the various economic
measures taken by Government aimed at rural development. Each station broadcasts at least
one programme per day on ‘Environmental Protection’.

Programme on Health and Family Welfare

All AIR stations broadcast family welfare programmes in all the languages / dialects of
our country. In 22 AIR stations, full-fledged family welfare units are functioning. Directors are
invited to provide information to the listeners on common diseases. Several serials had been
commissioned by AIR to create awareness about AIDS. To emphasize the fact that the dreaded
AIDS can be prevented with the proper information and knowledge.

Drama

More that 80 Stations of AIR broadcast play in various languages. Radio adaptations of
outstanding novels, short stories and stage plays are also broadcast. Besides original plays, a
large number of AIR stations regularly broadcast family drama with a view to eradicate social
evils and blind in the society.

Akashvani Annual Awards

All India Radio presents Akashvani Annual Awards to outstanding broadcasts of every
calendar year in different disciplines and subjects. Special prizes ‘Lassa Kaul Awards’ on National
Integration and ‘Correspondent of the Year’ for excellence in News reporting are also awarded.

Therefore, in brief, All India Radio i.e. Akashwani, which is now under the control of
Prasar Bharati Board, is the prime channel for keeping the people, over the entire length and
breadth of the country, inform about government policies, pans programmes through a network
of 195 radio stations and 302 transmitters.

Television

Television is an important public relation medium for the projection of an organisation’s

activities, programmes, services etc., It combines sight, sound, motion and immediacy with
personal involvement of the audience. It brings directly into the home the personal identification
with personalities and ideas. As such, it is an effective means of persuasion and motivation.
 23

The close circuit television provides dramatic opportunities to inform a large audience at
a single showing about new products, services, events, techniques and a variety of other subjects.
It can cater to a widely dispersed but specalised audience. The wide availability of video tape
enables the TV to show events with greater flexibility. This has brought many new possibilities
for using the TV for public relations purposes.

The public relations man utilizes commercial services of the television which are paid
for. On important occasion, he can also try to get through non-commercial channel -news and
current affairs and other programmes.

Television started as a modest affair in India on September 15, 1959 when the AIR set
up and experimental television service in Delhi. It was soon converted into a full fledged telecasting
station. Mumbai (Bombay) was the second city in our country to open a TV centre on October
2, 1972. In August, 1975, Chennai has the privilege to have a TV center. The Television set-up
was delinked from All India Radio and under the name ‘Doordarshan’, given the status of a full-
fledged Directorate with effect from April 1, 1976.

The main objective of Doordarshan is development and education, besides providing

rich entertainment through varied programmes like music, feature films etc., intended to benefit
both urban and rural viewers, Doordarshan tries to project to the people development plans and
their implementation. Doordarshan lends powerful support to the major multimedia campaigns
initiated by the Central Government from time to time. Commercials on television were introduced
on an

National Programmes

The National Programme mainly aims at promoting integration thereby inculcating a

sense of unity, fraternity and pride in the Indian people. The National programme was started
on 15th August, 1982 and has been extended in stages to include programmes in the mornings,
afternoons etc.

Regional Segment

All the Doordarshan kendras originate programmes in their respective regional languages.
Rural development gets greater stress in the regional service and programmes on agriculture,
health, family planning and environment are regularly telecast. The information programmes
include news bulletins, topical discussions and programmes targeted to the specific audience
24

like women, children, youth etc. The entertainment programmes include serials, feature films,
dance and music. With satellite unlinking it has been possible to provide common programmes
for viewers in all the larger states. Many of the Regional Kendras earn substantial amounts as
commercial revenue.

Educational TV channels

From the beginning Doordarshan has accorded high priority to programes on education.
The school telecasts started from Delhi in 1961 itself. As a part of SITE (Satellite Institutional
Television Experiment) continuity, programmes for school children were started in 1982. At
present, school programmes produced by Doordarshan are telecast in the Regional segment
from Delhi and Chennai and programmes produced by the State Institutes of Education are
telecast in Hindi, Marathi, Gujrati, Oriya and Telugu for relay by all transmitters in the particular
language zone. A separate channel has been planned for secondary schools in the National
network. These programmes are produced by the Central Institute of Education Technology.

Doordarshan is providing time in the National network for the telecast of Higher Education
programmes. The country-wide classroom of University Grants Commission extends Higher
Education to those living in smaller towns and villages. The programmes produced by the Indira
Gandhi Open University supplements the education provided by other modes by IGNOU.

News & Current Affairs

Doordarshan News telecasts 13 bulletins including headlines every day from its
Headquarters in Delhi. The main objective of all the bulletins is to give latest news throughout
the length and breadth of the country and also to the world outside through DD International.
Besides News is also feeding News capsules to CNN and ABU daily.

Commercial Service

Doordarshan telecasts advertisements for goods and service but the acceptance of
Advertisements is governed by a comprehensive Code for Commercial Advertising.
Advertisements of cigarettes, tobacco products, liquor, wine and other intoxicants are not
accepted. Doordarshan was able to earn about Rs.572.72 crores in 1996-97.

The international channel of Doordarshan was started on 14th March, 1995. The programme
mix aims at providing an undated of Indian social, cultural, political and economic scene with
trade and export being major areas of interest. The channel focuses on news, current affairs,
 25

stock market update and discussions on issues of international significance. It also caters to
the demand for various Indian entertainment programmes, serials, music and dance etc. A daily
feature film has also been included in the schedule. Besides the programmes in Hindi and
English, presentation has been included in the schedule. Besides the programmes in Hindi and
English, representation has been given to serials and entertainment programmes in regional
languages, namely Punjabi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati and
Marati etc.,

News in Hindi and English telecast on the National Network at 8.30 p.m. and 9.00 p.m.
respectively are being relayed on DD-International.

Audience Research

Audience Research units have been established in 19 Doordarshan Kendras. The main
function of the Audience Research Unit is to provide research support for the programming on
Doordarshan network. The system of giving DART ratings are published over the air, through
major newspapers, advertisers and advertising agencies.

The Audience Research Unit also interacts with the market research agencies,
communication research organisations etc., and monitors the research done by them on the
media.

Therefore, both the electronic media, radio and television, mainly to cater to the
dissemination of knowledge and entertainment to all sections of society, striking a careful balance
between public interest and commercial needs, in its delivery of services.

Press is the most important media of publicity. It disseminates news among the people
swiftly and promptly, Press attaches in the public relations department perform the job of
communicating views of the government to the press which publicises them for the public.
Government uses the press as a medium for gauging public opinion and reactions and for
locating public complaints and tension and as an agency for marinating healthy relations with
people. Minsiters and high government officials hold press conference, to explain the policy of
the government or clarify the position of the government on matters of public concern or public
controversy. Press should not be rigidly controlled by the government otherwise its very purpose
stands defeated. It should not play a tool in the hands of the government as well, as people will
get suspicious of government’s intentions.
26

Radio and Television

It is a very effective media of mass contact and communication. Newspapers reach the
educated people only whereas through radio and television, even the illiterate people can be
informed about the polices and programmes of the government. Moreover, government can
through this medium,. educate the public opinion and thus blind up support for its activities
inside and outside the country. People of all shades of opinions should be allowed to make use
of radio or television for the express in of their views and opinions about certain policies and
programmes. It should not serve only as the means of government’s propaganda for its activates
good or bad.

Films, Exhibitions and Audio-Visual Aids

Films constitute effective means of mass communication. They are vastly under use both
at the national and the state levels. Documentary films and news reels in particular, form a very
important means for educating people, in health, sanitation and improved methods of agriculture.
Exhibitions also serve as a sound means of publicity. They build up art and industry, trade and
commerce in community life.

Advertising

Advertising is generally condemned as a cheap and business type method of sales

propaganda, unworthy of government. But government has itself entered in business enterprises;
hence it makes use of handy instruments of increasing sale and production. It may be employed
for dissemination of information regarding general administrative activities of the government.
Revenue department sign post advertisement “Pay while you earn” or “Tax is your contribution
to the nation” or tourist department’s propaganda ‘Kashmir is Paris of India’ reflect the important
attached to advertising by the government.

Check your progress

1. What is publicity media?

 27

2. Write a note on News Services Division

2.4 Public Relations and Propaganda

The term propaganda is taken from the name "Congregation dePropaganda Fide", meaning
congregation for propagating the faith of the Roman Catholic church, Central organ of the
Catholic church established by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 to direct and co-ordinate the church’s
missionary activities among non-Christian populations. In modern days the term is used in
secular contexts. To identify a message as propaganda is to suggest something negative and
dishonest. Words frequently used as synonyms for ‘propaganda’ are ‘lies’, ‘distortion’ ‘deceit’
‘manipulation’, ‘psychological warfare’ and ‘brain washing’. Propaganda refers to a variety of
disparate promotional activities falling under two main categories, the commercial and political.
Commercial propaganda includes salesmanship, advertising and public relations. Webster’s
Third New International dictionary explains propaganda as “Doctrines, ideas, arguments, facts
or allegations spread by deliberate effort through any medium of communication in order to
further one’s cause or to damage another’s cause”. According to Qualter, “propaganda is the
deliberate attempt by some individual or groups to form, control or alter the attitudes of other
groups by the use of the instruments of communication with the intention that in any given
situation the reaction of those so influenced will be that desired by the propagandist”. For
Bernay “Modern propaganda is a consistent enduring effort to shape events to influence the
relations of the public to an enterprise, idea or group”.

Leswell distinguishes propaganda from education by saying “inculcation of traditional

value attitudes is generally called education while the term propaganda is reserved for the
spreading of subversive, debatable or merely novel attitudes”.

The New Propaganda

Propaganda is viewed as a new, social, cultural and political force, sharply differentiated
from the promotional types of communications of earlier period. Propaganda in the specific
modern sense is said to be characterised by distinctive features such as detachments,
concealment and scientific sophistication - traits absent in it he earlier types of promotional
propaganda.
28

Lasswell and Blumenstock contrast the missionaries of old propagators of beliefs to

which they themselves were attached with the new breed of propagandist, “the modern
propagandist does not necessarily believe what he says”. Ellul, puts the contrast far more
sharply. Propaganda no more obeys an ideology. The propagandist is not, and cannot be a
believer.... The true propagandist must be as cold, lucid and rigorous as a surgeon. A propandist
who believes in what he says and lets himself become a victim of his own game will have the
same weakness of a surgeon who operates on a loved one or a judge who presides at a trial of
a members of his own family.

Another modern trait of propaganda frequently referred to is its devious character. “In
modern propaganda, the originators of the message as well as the goals actually promoted are
hidden from the audience. Lumley defines propaganda in these terms. According to these the
Albig propaganda is “dissemination, of conclusions from concealed sources or with concealed
objectives”. Some theorists have attributed to contemporary propaganda a specifically modern
character. Choukas described the modern propagandist as “a social engineer attempting to
construct behaviour patterns as the physical engineer buils bridges, roads, steam boats, he
must have an accurate understanding of how the individual human behaves”. Ellal maintains
that “modern propaganda is based on scientific analysis of psychology and sociology; He
construct a typology of national styles of propaganda, relating Stalinist propaganda to Pavlovian
reflexology, nazi Propaganda to Freudian psychoanalysis and American propaganda to Dewey’s
theory of teaching.

Propaganda is associated with control and is regarded as a deliberate attempt to alter or

maintain a balance of power that is advantageous to the propagandist. Infact the purpose of
propaganda is to send out an ideology to an audience with a related objective. Whether it is a
governemnt agency attempting to instill a massive wave the patriotism to sustain war, or a
military chief trying to threaten enemy by exaggerating his strength, or a corporation attempting
to promote it image among its clientele, there is a careful, predetermined plan of prefabricated
symbol manipulation to communicate it to an audience in order to fulfill an objective. The objective
requires the audience to reinforce or modify attitudes or behaviour. According to Leo Bogart’s
study of the United States Information Agency, propaganda is an art requiring special talent. It
is not mechanical, scientific work. Influencing attitudes requires experience, area knowledge
and instinctive judgment of what is the best argument for the audience. No manual can guide
the propagandist. He must have a good mind, genius, sensitivity and knowledge of how that
audience thinks and reacts. According to Terence H Qualter, ‘propaganda to be effective, must
be seen, remembered, understood and acted upon... adapted to particular needs of the situation
 29

and the audience to which it is aimed”. influencing attitudes, anticipating audience reaction,
adoption to the situation and audience, and being seen remembered, understood and acted
upon are important elements of the communicative process. Garth S Jowett and Victoria O’
Donnell, the authors of Propaganda and Persuasion define propaganda thus : “Propaganda is
the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions and direct
behavour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist”.

Propaganda is an attempt at directive communication with an objective that had been

established a priori. The study of contemporary propaganda in both oppressed and free societies
is a complex endeavor. One person’s propaganda may be another person’s education. The
elements of deliberations and manipulation along with systematic plan to achieve a purpose
that is advantageous to the propagandist, distinguish propaganda from a free and open exchange
of ideas.

1. Sub propaganda

Another dimension of propaganda is “sub propaganda”. This is when the propagandist’s

task is to spread and unfamiliar doctrine, for which considerable period of time is required to
build a frame of mind in the audience toward acceptance of the doctrine. In order to gain the
target audience’s favour various stimuli are used. Sub propaganda is also called “facilitative
communication”, that is, an activity designed to keep lines open and maintain contracts against
the day when they will be needed for propaganda purposes. Facilitative communication takes
the form of radio broadcasts, press releases, books, pamphlets, periodicals, cultural programmes,
exhibits, films, seminar and personal contacts. These are all arranged in an effort to create a
friendly atmosphere towards those who may be needed later on.

2. Information as Propaganda

People seek information when they need to understand their environment. Once gained,
information tends to reduce uncertainly. Uncertainty reduction is acquired through the
communication of messages. Thus messages can be anlaysised in terms of the amount of
uncertainly they remove. Generally, informative communication is thought to be neutral.
Informative discourse is communication about subject matter that has attained the privileged
status of being beyond dispute. Whenever information is regarded as disputable by either sender
or receiver, it is difficult for communication to proceed as information. An informative
communicator differs from other kinds of communicators by having the purpose of creating
mutual understanding of data that the considered to be accurate of the concepts that are
30

considered to be accurate indisputable, and of ideas that are based on facts and Propaganda
utilises informative communication in a similar fashion. The difference is that the purpose exceeds
the nation of mutual understanding. The purpose of propaganda is to promote partisan or
competitive cause in the best interest of the propagandist but not necessarily in the best interest
of the recipient. The recipient, however may believe that the communication is merely informative.

3. Concealed Purpose

The propagandist does not regard the wellbeing of the audience as the primary concern.
Besides the propagandist may not even have faith in the message being sent.

4. Concealed Identity

The propagandist very often conceals her or his identity to achieve the desired goals
such as control of information flow, management of public opinion and manipulation of behavioural
patterns.

Falsehood is considered an inherent trait of propaganda. Into he works of "Lumley, Albig

and Choukas deliberate distortion of facts appears as a defining characteristic of propaganda.
In less Less trans aganist art is broken down into a number of the rhetorical tricks that create an
illusion of evidence and proof. Name calling, glittering generalisation and bandwagon
phenomenon are some such tricks.

Public relations are sometimes referred to as propaganda. Since they are deliberately
designed to influence Public Opinion, PR programmes be considered be considered as
propaganda in the best sense of the word. However, as the word propaganda is commonly
understood today PR is not propaganda. It is not a subversive activity that suppresses relevant
facts, publisher false and misleading information and attempts to manipulate Public Opinion.

Although propaganda takes many forms, it is almost always in some form of activates
ideology. Sometimes propaganda is agitated where attempts are made to arouse an audience
to certain ends. Sometimes it is integrative where attempts are made to render an audience
passive, to be accepting and non-challenging. Propaganda is also described as white, gray or
black. Propaganda is white when the source is identified correctly and the information in the
message tends to be accurate. Gray propaganda is when the source may or may not be correctly
identified and the accuracy of information is uncertain. Black propaganda is when a false source
is given and lies, fabrications and deceptions are spread. Another terms used to describe
propaganda is disinformation. Disinformation is made up of news stories designed to weaken
adversaries. Propaganda thus runs gamut from truth to deception.
 31

Goals of Propaganda
Control of Information Flow

Control of information flow takes the forms of withholding information, releasing information
at predetermined timings, releasing information in juxtaposition with other information that may
influence public perception, manufacturing information, communicating information to selective
audiences and distorting information. There are two major ways in which the propagandist tries
to control information : 1. Controlling the media as a source distribution 2. Presenting distorted
information from what appears to be a credible source.

Management of Public Opinion

Lippmann regarded public opinion as that which emanated from persons interested in
public affairs rather than a fixed body of individuals. He believed that public opinion was effective
only if those persons supported or opposed the “actors” in public affairs. Propaganda is often
associated with the management of public opinion.

Manipulation of Behaviour

Voting, buying products, selecting entertainment, joining organisations, fighting for a cause
and other forms of action responses are sought from the audiences who are addressed by the
persuader and the propagandist.

Advertising as a Form of Propaganda

This is no doubt that under any definition of propaganda, the practice of advertising
have to be included. Advertising is a series of appeals, symbols and statements deliberately
designed to influence the receiver of the message towards the point of view desired by the
communicator and to act in the same specific way as a result of receiving the message, whether
it be to purchase, vote, hold positive or negative views, or merely to maintain memory. It is the
deliberateness of the intention and the carefully constructed nature of the specific appeal that
distinguish advertising from other forms of persuasive communication. Also in our society
advertising is generally communicated at a cost to the communicator, as it involves the cost
production and distribution. The advertiser in turn expects that this cost should be returned in
the form of some benefit like purchaser of the product, casting the vote far positive or negative
feelings.
32

In our society advertising is institutional propaganda at its most obvious level. I serve as
a constant reminder that we are being bombarded with messages intended to bring us to a
certain point of view. Yet we can only absorb so much of what we are expected to and so we
have learned to cope with this enormous information load. We may look, but not really see the
television commercial, we may listen, but not hear the radio jingle, and we read by print ads
without paying attention. It has been found that from about 1600 ‘messages’ we are exposed to
everybody, we remembers about 80.

It is the job of the advertiser to make his or her brand stand out from the rest. It is in this
process of differentiation that the advertising propaganda is selective and often distortive in
what it tells the consumer. The desire to appear to be different, or to be considered a superior
product, or to provide more reliable, faster service encourages the use of hyperbolas and
exaggeration and this in turn has created a nation of skeptical consumers.

Increasingly advertisers are resorting to a variety of scientific testing methods and this
includes close demographic analysis of their target audience and understanding of the
psychological frame work for their message the necessary adjustments to improve the message:
the study of the effectiveness of one specific message versus another and the application of
the psychology of colour to shape the mood of the audience.

Advertising as propaganda has been largely responsible for the creation of the massive
consumer culture in the 20th century. Together with the growth of mass media and improvements
in transportation and communications it is one of the forces that has contributed to the emergence
of mass culture.

Techniques of Propaganda
Propaganda is too complex to limit its techniques to a short list. There are certain
principles, however that can be elaborated. Aristotle in discussing rhetoric advised the persuader
to sue “all the available means of persuasion”. Goebbles, in discussing propaganda advised
the propagandist that every mean the serves the purpose of the conquest of mass media is
good. Qualter emphasised the need to consider all the four basic criteria: it must be seen,
understood, remembered and acted upon.
 33

Predisposition of Audience: Creating Resonance

Jacques Ellul said, “The propagandist builds his techniques on the basis of his knowledge
of man, his tendencies, his desired, his psychic mechanisms, his conditioning”. The propagandist
uses the existing belief of the public to crate new beliefs by linking or re-enforcing audience
predispositions. Rather than trying to change political loyalties, or religious attitudes the
propagandist voices the propagandizes feelings about these things. Messages appear to be
resonant, for they seem to be coming from within the audience than from without.

Source Credibility

Expert opinion is effective in establishing the legitimacy of change. Once a source is

accepted on one issue, another issue may be established as well on the basis of prior acceptance.

Face - To - Face Contact

Opportunities for face-to-face contact provide a conducive atmosphere for promoting

favourable opinions. Jowett and O’Donnell to feel that the American center libraries are meant
precisely to create such an atmosphere.

Group Norms

Group norms are both beliefs and values that are derived from membership in groups.
People will go along with the group-even when the group makes decision contrary to privately held
beliefs. The propagandist uses such conforming tendencies to create a ‘herd instrict; in crowds.

Reward and Punishment

Another way to get people accept an idea. ‘publicity’ is through rewards and punishments.
A propagandist may even use threats and physical inducements. Propaganda of the deed if
when a non symbolic act is presented for its symbolic effect on an audience. Ex. public torture
of a criminal is practiced for its effect on others.

Monopoly of the Communication Source

The propagandist may monopolise communication sources so that the people get only
one news papers and a single television network. Though the messages are consistent and
repetitious people are unlikely to challenge the message.
34

Visual Symbols of Power

Statues of political, religious, literary and communal leaders are erected not only in
memory of the erstwhile leader but also t6o win the support of the people who adore him.

Language Usage

The propaganda agent uses language that tends to deify a canse and satanize opponents.
eg: In Tamilnadu during the anti Hindi movement the Tamil Language was called the ‘mother
Tamil’ and Hindi was equated to a giant.

Arousal of Emotions

Propaganda is also associated with emotional language presentations. Although this is

some times free, now there are many agents who feel that dispassionate reporting is more
effective.

Winning Credibility of Opinion Leaders

Another age old techniques is to work through those who have credibility in a community.

Check your progress - II

1. Explain the concept of new propaganda

2. Write note on advertising

 35

2.5 Public Relations and Advertising

In today’s world, all of us are under the influence of ‘Advertisement’. Right from buying
groceries to children’s study materials, finding a holiday spot to watching a movie, selecting
restaurant for dinner to booking a banquet hall for special events, and searching educational
institutions to hunting for a company to find jobs, almost every act is guided and decided by
advertisements.

What is an Advertisement?

Advertisement (ad) is an efficient and effective technique to promote goods, services,

and ideas. It is a paid form of non-personal communication wherein business information is
made available for potential customers.

Advertisement, is derived from the Latin word ”Advertere” which literally means “to turn
the minds of … towards…”. Advertisement promotes and supplements selling of products,
services, and ideas to a great extent. The most interesting part of an advertisement is – it
carries factual information with fascinating emotional appeal. Hence, without a proper
advertisement no business can prosper.

Public Relations Advertising and Its Objectives

The relationship between the PR and advertising may be described as, “PR and advertising
are not parities to a forced marriage or even a marriage of convenience. They are like college
roommates wearing each others coats and ties on occasions dating the same girl once in a
while but alike in their loyalty to alma mater” [Howard stephenson (ed) Handbook on PR].

Advertising is one of the effective form of communication. Also, it is the direct from of
communication to reach the target audience. In India, generally the job of advertising is also
done by the PR department. Public Relations is also an advertising in one sense. ie., Institutional
advertising. It is totally different from product advertising which aims to sell the products of the
organization and boost the marketing.

Corporate Image is the main objective of RP advertising; Encyclopedia Britannica states

advertisement as, “a form of paid announcement intended to promote the sale of commodity or
service, to bring about some other effect desired by the advertiser”.
36

Public relations (PR) relies on arranged incidents, spontaneous happenings, special

events pertaining to the product or company being reported by the various media in wide
coverage; PR advertisements are also Ads of paid announcements but for some specific social,
developmental and charitable purpose, PR advertising will be helpful to forestall public ill will
against he firm. During the periods of labour unrest or competition with rival organization, PR
advertising is used as a tool to disseminate the managements views firm itself. By creating a
good corporate image and enhancing the patronage for the firm indirectly the firm will win the
minds of the users of the firms’ products. But the main goal of PR advertising is not to sell the
produce but only to uphold the Image of the firm. In PR advertisements, the element of human
touch is present. Sans humanity, no. PR advertising would catch the minds of the targeted
audience.

Public Relations Advertising and Branch Establishment

PR advertising are aiming to make the company known - Image building, to make the
company’s products / services know - Introducing the new products to the markets, to make the
company’s achievements known-creating the success file, make company’s value known -
establishing self esteem and to make company’s stand on the issues relating to social, political,
economic and moral issues - clearing its views on the present position.

PR advertising has resulted with the by-product of brand establishment. Corporate Image
created will made it easy and possible to establish a strong Branch image for the products of
the company.

Corporation bodies are faceless legal entities; It is right to claim that Institutional
advertisements give ‘FACE’ for the corporate bodies.

Media of Public Relations Advertising

Various media used for PR advertising are a) Newspapers, b) Magazines, c) Radio, d)
Television, e) Motion pictures, f) Direct adverting, g) Outdoor and Transportation advertising
and h) Specialty Media.

Newspapers and Magazines

Printed PR advertising is Newspapers and Magazines would reach the selected audience.
 37

Magazines are ideal media; General magazines are used to the general public different
types specialized magazines such as Business, professional, vocational and others may be
used to convey the message that appeal to the particular group of readers.

Radio and Television

As Marshall Maclughan pointed out TV is the most appropriate medium for conveying
messages to the public at large. Spot / local broadcast by the individual stations may be used
for community Communications. Network communication may be deployed to reach the vast
audience at the state / national level.

Public Relations adverting through Radio and TV include interviews, addresses,

discussions by executives, entertainment and science programmes. Newscasts are also
sponsored as a public service and interpersonal with institutional announcements narrating
companies activities and Annual celebrations or special functions, customs, employees, suppliers
neighbours and other publics are allowed to participate in audience participate in audience
participation programmes. Various types of entertaining means are used to make institutional
announcements lively and enjoyable.

Comparatively TV has a greater edge. Because it is a medium of great social magnitude

because of its extraordinary reach. If we verify the cost-wise analysis of Ad budget for Radio
and TV, it will be certain that TV ads are costlier than Radio ads.

Motion Pictures

Motion pictures for PR advertising is produced in 35 mm, 16 mm and also is 8 mm 18

mm films are rarely used in educating pictures. Motion pictures are more effective by creating
mood and receiving more attention from the viewers.

Motion picture are costly. When the changes to use TV, Video and CCTV, the need to
use motion pictures should be considered carefully and arranged.

Director Public Relations Advertising

This includes folders, leaflets, letters, booklets, and all other forms of printed materials
used to communicate with employees and others by the corporate firms and also with its various
contact groups. This direct PR advertising including direct mail has a personalised appeal,
maximum utilization of the message and materials, highly flexible in timing and coverage, easily
realizable response, economical and an adequate space to convey.
38

This is highly preferable at all times when the firm feels it necessary to given PR
advertisement. But its reach and impact are comparatively not adequate.

Outdoor and Transportation Advertising

Institutional and public service message are transmitted to the general public through
posters, painted bulletins, electric spectacles, neon signs, computer graphics, car and bus
cards and station posters, erection of pavilion at bus stops, provision of water taps, sheds for
traffic sergeants.

These type of PR advertisements reach a larger audience. They are economical. They
command attention. They make a strong impact through colour, movement, illumination, design
and layout. They have a cumulative value of conveying message through repeated perception
and impression made in the minds of the viewers.

Specialty Media

A large quantum of PR advertising takes a place in specialty media including calendars,

diaries, pens, paper weights, ashtrays and similar novelties with imprint of company’s name.
These are distributed as gifts during special events and also for the New Year.

Public Relations Advertising Themes

There are various PR ad themes. They are,

a) The institutional theme

b) The public service theme

c) The economic theme

d) The labour relations theme and

e) The special event theme.

The Institutional Theme

Public relations is helping to the organization and its public to accommodate each other.
In all organizations, understanding and coping with the ‘Human climate’ are vital elements
required to maintain good PR. A favourable corporate image is an essential for the organization
to avail all other objectives and merits of good PR accomplishments. Public opinion and goodwill
can be achieved by the means of Institutional PR advertising. The fostering of good public
 39

relations goes beyond winning favour among various groups by information them about
organizational performances and achievements. Excellent PR recognises that everything in the
organisation does affect the opinion of someone.

The Institutional theme in PR advertising explains how a corporate firm works for the
public interest, through research, standardised produce and service, progressive policies,
advanced technologies and modern facilities.

These themes offer solutions to social problems like prevention of AIDS, female infanticide,
road safety, mental health, prevention of crimes etc.,

Public service themes are identified with national issues. Some product / service ads
also do some public. i.e., promoting thrift habits, banking and insurance etc.,

Public awareness advertising, social service advertising and social awareness advertising
are other names for PR ads.

The Economic Themes

These aim to make clear understanding about the prevailing economic system. The
functions of trade, commerce, business and industry of the present day is explained to the
concerned firms and others to inform its needs and demands. The operation of India business
system and its advantages could be explained through this theme.

In Indian scenario, the so called advocates of socialistic pattern of society and public
sector undertakings, on one hand raises their slogans in favour of public sector undertakings
and our savings to be deposited in the government owned financial institutions and other PSUs.
And on other hand, they have explained the need for disinvestments of PSU stocks and
privatisation of Insurance sector and other public owned undertakings for better survival.

In America, the economic themes make better public understanding of their business
system and the merits of ‘leissez - faire’ system.

The Labour Relations Themes

Community media and House journals are used to bring about better and clear
understanding of company’s policies, problems and practices, services and benefits to the
employees, job security, wage levels etc.
40

During the crucial periods such as strikes lay-off, lookouts and other labour disputed PR
advertising with these themes are deployed by the management to state its position and
strategies.

Special Event Themes

Special events take place when a company celebrates an open house meeting, an
anniversary celebrations, a stock holders meeting, the dedication of a new plant or premises or
a new facility, the introduction of a new product or a special display or exhibit. During this
special event celebrations, public and other special invites are requested to come and participate.
PR advertising for these special events are being done through community Newspapers, Radio,
Local TV, Posters etc.

Special events themes in PR advertising make a feeling of closeness and intimacy in

the minds of the public and its corporate firms which would go a long way to maintain a better
relations among them.

Public Service Advertisement

In a broader view, all advertisements are serving public by information about the products
and service and their potential. It is a moot point to be discussed elaborately that all product
advertisements are issued to sever the needs of consumers and the general public.

But it is no doubt that public advertisements are meant only for the welfare of the people.
The importance of public service themes can be seen by the institution of the Ashok jain awards
and the SUNDAY OBSERVER awards. For these awards, advertisements are received and
adjudged on the criteria of

1) Thematic brilliance

2) Design and layout

3) Copy writing

4) A renewed vision for well-known issue and

5) Best entry from amateurs

Public service themes are used as part of social responsibility. It promotes social issues
and greater awareness for public causes. In public service themes, matter must be clear, simple
and understandable to the target group. Communication must motivate them. Short, grips,
dramatic and single message, are effective and fit for this purpose.
 41

Sales Promotion

In simple terms, sales promotion means “making special efforts to make sales”. The
usual definition of sales promotion is “ the bridge between advertising and sales, assisting
media advertising and personal selling to clinch the sale.”

On the other hand, American Advertising Association believes that sales promotion consists
of all the marketing and promotion activities other than advertising, personal selling and publicity,
that motivate and encourage the consumer to purchase by means of various inducements such as,

1. Contests.

2. Games

3. Sweepstakes/Lotteries

4. Coupons (Newspapers, magazines, direct mail coupons)

5. Exhibits and trade shows

6. Displays

7. Sponsorships of entertainment events.

8. Samples

9. Demonstrations

There is another American definition by Roger. A strang of the University of Southern

California which is much less complicated : sales promotions are short-term incentives to
encourage purchase or sale or product or service.

PR and Sales Promotion

Whatever the definition, there is no denying the fact the all promotions bear
communicative aspects of marketing. Promotion is an effort to make the public aware of products
or services made available by a business or an organisation. Sales promotion is indeed not PR.
But public relations can extend very good support in the competent execution of sales promotion
campaigns. Some examples:

1. Effective sales promotion needs a lot of skill, creativity and a keen sense of market
environment. PR, by its training and experience, should be able to assist in promoting
activities which try to stimulate sales through persuasive communication. But PR
will not be directly involved in sales promotion.
42

2. Dull and boring presentation has destroyed many a promotion. PR can make it
bright and interesting by infusing a high level of imagination and creativity into
promotion as well as into advertising for promotion.

3. Sales promotion personnel use displays, shows, exhibitions, demonstrations and

other techniques to encourage consumer response and dealer effectiveness. There
are specific fields of PR knowledge where its help could be sought in the interest of
the business and the organisation.

4. Media relations have a good role in sales promotion activity as well. For example,
every trade and industrial show attracts large groups of media personnel. They are
eager to know about new products, new ideas and new trends. This is an easy way
to make visitors and media aware of the sales promotion, marketing and the
company’s activities. Such occasions can also illustrate the effectiveness of a product
or a process. Undoubtedly, PR can easily join in with expertise and professionalism
in ample measure.

Network of Public Relation

The approaches are many but time and budget limitations will prevent the organisation
or the PR person from pursuing all the avenues at the same time. It would be sensible to decide
about specific jobs which are relevant to particular PR programmes for an organisation. A
careful and painstaking appreciation of the particular situation will be required to determine the
priorities.

At this stage it is good to run through a universally acknowledged checklist to find out
what exactly the organisation wants and what the PR person himself wants to achieve.

To what extent does the organsiation use public relations ? Does the management
appreciate the importance of co-ordinating public relations with other respects of the business
or services?

The position has been made clear by Roger Haywood in his book All about PR:

The PR function should be recognised as central to good management and able to act
as a unifying force within the organisation in the way it presents itself. That way a schedule of
activity can become a campaign. A campaign can become a programme.

Do you want PR and communication activities at the local regional, national or international
level, or a bit of each?
 43

This will be contingent upon the nature of business service being provided by the
organisation. The point to pond is: corporations can no longer operate in an envioronment
confrontation. They must have the acceptance of the government and the citizens. Moreover, in
handling sensitive issue corporate management cannot ignore the social, cultural economic
and political ethos prevailing in the community.

What should be the target public?

There is increasing stress on the dialogue between organisation and its target groups.
The management has come acknowledge that the PR person is a necessary link between
management and the various publics. Fortunately, the trust arisen out of the services rendered
by PR as a professional a not as a happy-go-lucky-man.

How is goodwill valued by the management and organisation as a whole?

Goodwill always pays, but it is more important to sort organisations than others. Gone
are the days when business industry could function in total secrecy, far removed from public
scrutiny. In a competitive society all sections of he economic public or private, are under constant
public gaze. It is all equally important to guard the reputation once earned.

Is it not necessary for the PR person to evaluate himself in work environment?

Appraise your own competence, acknowledge potent weaknesses and thereafter seek
expert advice. One should aware of and sensitive to cultural environment in which one working.

While taking every opportunity to improve profession capability, a public relations person
has to recognizedorganization’s responsibility to a large number of shareholders internally and
externally.

What specific PR objectives do we aim to achieve? what changes do we want to bring

about?

In practice, PR objectives will clearly specify what changes need to be made in the
relationship with the public. Peter Drucker in his well-known book. The Practice of Management
has referred to a limited number of general areas of objectives. In PR terms these are mainly
four itmes.

1. Market Standing

2. Innovation
44

3. Worker performance and Attitude

4. Public Responsibility

One must not forget that one main measure of success of any PR Programme is the
extent to which the objectives are attained.

Can the objectives be quantified in terms of money to be spent within a specific time
span? An organisation may have a variety of problems, objectives and opportunities. These
would be short-term and long-term, local and national, individual and corporate. The point to
reckon with is does everyone concerned know and understand what is intended to be done?

Are the PR efforts directed towards counter-balancing a bad image? Most often, this is
the primary reason why someone is suddenly assigned the job of public relations. One must
remember that even the best PR may fail to transform a business with bad movites and policies
into a good one. Similarly, bad PR can cause damage to the best business policy and eventually
tarnish the image of the business itself.

The form, content, placement and timing of communication are of utmost concern.
Managing the strategy and skills of communication are an integral part of business policy-
making and decision -taking. Ultimately, PR is involved in the management of behaviour-the
behaviour of organisations and of the public important to them. Here, PR decides about the
methods and media of communication, how and when to use the target public.

From the diversity of questions above, a pattern has emerged that need to be understood
and tackled before any thought can be given to strategies and programmes, activities and
techniques.

Check Your Progress - III

1. What is advertisement process?

 45

2. How is advertisement the most essential feature of a business?

2.6 Summary
In this lesson, we saw that every organization that is serious about public relations must
identify its publics clearly. We observed that there are various publics among which are: traditional
and non-traditional publics, latent publics, aware and active publics, intervening publics, primary
and secondary publics, internal and external publics, domestic and international publics.

Few generalizations can be made regarding to effects of propaganda. First itseems that
communication effects are the greatest where the message is in line with the existing opinions,
beliefs and dispositions of the receivers. Selectivity in perception of message is guided by pre-
existing interests and behaviorual patterns of the receivers. Besides, mass communication
effects tend to take the form of re-enforcement rather than change.

Every business organization reaches to the customers through their goods or services.
To sell the products to the customers a number of activities are being performed. This is called
marketing and it is an important function. Marketing is the performance of business activities
that directs the flow of goods and services from producer to the customer. It is the activity that
directs to satisfy the human needs through exchange process. Marketing starts with the
identification of a specific need of customers and ends with satisfaction of that need. The
customer is found in the beginning and end of marketing process. In marketing a large number
of activities are performed. For easy understanding these activities are divided in 4 groups for
products and 7 groups for services. These elements are product, price promotion, placement
for products and three additional elements for services are process, people and physical evidence.

2.7 Key Words

Press, Media, Broadcasting, Advertising, Propaganda, Goals, Psychological Warfare, Face
to Face Contact, Adverting, Establishment, Motion Pictures, Network of Public Relation,
46

2.8 Answers to check your progress

I. 1. See Section: 2.3

2. See Section: 2.3

II. 1. See Section: 2.4

2. See Section: 2.3

II. 1. See Section: 2.5

2. See Section: 2.5

2.9 Review Questions

1. Differentiate the public relations and publicity

2. Write short note on News Service Division

3. Explain the process of selection of publicity

4. Explain the nature and goals of new propaganda

5. Describe the techniques and effects of propaganda

6. What do you understand by ‘advertisement media?’

7. What are the objectives of advertisement?

2.10 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
Practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

5. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.

6. Martinson, D.L. (1995-96). “Client partiality and third parties: An ethical Dilemma for
public relations practitioners?” Public Relations Quarterly.
 47

LESSON – 3
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INDIAN ENVIRONMENT
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able

 To examine the development of the concept of public relations in India

 To explain the difference phases of development of public relations

Structure of the Lesson

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Development of Public Relations in India

3.3 Phase of Conscious Activity

3.4 Post Independence phase

3.5 Public Relations Society of India

3.6 Indian Public Relation Association

3.7 Summary

3.8 Key Words

3.9 Answers to Check your Progress

3.10 Review Questions

3.11 Suggested Books for References

3.1 Introduction
In the earlier lesson we have been discussed about the Public relations and publicing
propagand etc. The development of public relations, Indian public relations association and
professionalism & PR also discussed in this lesson. The beginning of Twentieth century, pioneer
like, levy Lee, Edward Barnays and others in America helped to evolve the basic tools and
formulated the theories and concepts to public relations as the rest of world knows them today.
These theories and concepts have been elaborate, refined and developed over the years and
tools made more sophisticated as a result of experience gained through practice and the
development of the new media of communication in different countries, where specific indigenous
needs led to various modifications and adaptations.
48

In the last three decades, the concept of public relations has spread fast. Since 1940, the
concept has grown significantly in many countries in Asia and Europe.

3.2 Development of Public Relations in India

The development of public relations in India has passed through many phases as the
profession has developed to meet the changing needs.

Various phase

1. Philanthropic Phase

The philanthropic phase- the first phase in the history of PR-covers the period from the
Nineteenth of the last century to the beginning of the second world war. During this phase, the
development was not significant. It was only practiced as a policy of philanthropy of out of sheer
necessity to provide information.

The beginning of the philanthropic period of industrial houses goes back to 1892 when
the Houses of Tata founded the [Link] to provide assistance to Indian graduates of exceptional
merit for higher education abroad. The policy was found striking 1911-12. The company made
the beginning of planned community relations in India by building Sakchi (it was then called
Jamshedpur) as a model industrial township, which helped to provided a rounded way of life to
the employees.

The other example of the beginning of PR in India, which was dictated by commercial
needs, was provided by the Indian the old GIP Railway started publicity and public relations
pamphlets to attract tourists in India. Inside the country, a travelling cinema was introduced by
the Publicity Bureau of the Railway which held open air shows at publicity places, fairs, festivals
etc. This practice was then followed by other railways in India. The Railway Board set up Publicity
Bureau in England and NewYork which undertook advertising campaigns to attract passenger
traffic in newspapers and journals in those countries. These Bureau also participated in Exhibitions
and Fairs abroad to popularize the Indian Railways and attract tourist traffic.

As early as the first world war, the Government of India set up a General Publicity Board
with Stanley Reed, Editor of The Times of India as its chairman. The board undertook the
function of disseminating information relating mainly to the press and the public, the members
of the Board was selected from the foreign and political departments of the Government of
India. In 1921, Government of India set up the Central Bureau of Information with Prof.
 49

Rushbreek William of the Allahabad University as its first director and the functions of the
Central Publicity Board were taken over by this Bureau. Later, the Bureau was renamed as the
Directorate of Public Instruction and in 1931 as the directorate of Information and Broadcasting.

3.3 Phase of Conscious Activity

After the Second World War the PR in India entered the stage of conscious and deliberate
activity due to emergence of certain new factors such as the margins of a vocal public opinion,
mass circulation of newspapers and the Second World War with its need for mobilizing public
opinion for the total war efforts. A Department campaigns for such measures as recruitment the
defense forces, price control, and rationing of food grains. The department comprised of a
number of units such as, the War Purpose Exhibition Unit, the Films Division, and the Central
Bureau of Public Information.

Apart from the government efforts, certain commercial organisations which was practicing
public relations unconsciously began organising their public relations activity in a conscious
manner. A glaring example is that in 1945, the House of Tata formed a public relations division
at their head office at Mumbay. During this period, many other organisations started institutional
campaigns in the press to win public support and sympathy for their efforts.

3.4 Post Independence Phase

The independence of the country in 1947 brought many new changes in the social, political
and industrial environment. Many new political institutions came into being for the first time in
the Indian political history such an emergence of parliament and state legislature assemblies,
constituted for the first time on the basis of adult francise under the constitution of India. The
government of India adopted the Socialistic Pattern of Society with such specific measures as
the Industrial Develop policy Resolution and the Industrial Development Regulation Act. Against
such a background both the government and the business organisation had to adopt a conscious
and deliberate police of public relations, marking the birth of PR in India in the modern scene.

Multi-National Company

The multi-national companies having their own expertise in public relations activity began
to make use of these techniques in order to survive and grow in the new environment of
independent India. In the fifties an early sixties, many such companies as Burma-Shell, Dunlop
India, Esso, Caltex, Hindustan Lever, Union Carbide, Indian Oxygen, IBM, Philips etc. set up
their own departments to execute programmes of public relations activity.
50

3.5 Public Relations Society of India (PRSI)

The next phase saw the emergence of public relations activity as a profession in the
fifties. Many professional organisation carrying public relations activities were formed in the
various parts of the country notably Mumbai, Calcutta and New Delhi. In 1958 the Public Relations
Society of India (PRSI) was formed in Mumbai. A few years later the public relations circle in
Calcutta reorganized itself as their local chapter of PRSI.

Although there are localised sources in PR had previously been run and no concentrated
efforts were made until April 1968 when the first Public Relations Conference was held in New
Delhi. In this conference, an organised effort was made to win the national recognition for
Public Relations services as a profession. A code of Ethics was adopted and the parameters of
the PR profession was defined.

The second public relations conference dwelt on the status of public relations practitioners
in their respective organisations. It was apparent from the participation that an awareness was
created, particularly in government that its public relations force must be utilised more effectively
and meaningfully. The third conference was organised on the proper understanding of the
nature of the national environment in the country and the changes that were constantly taking
place.

The theme of Fourth Public Relations Conference was “Towards a More Responsible
Citizenship” emphasing the need for the effective and meaningful contribution of public relations
practitioners in India for the development of a healthier society.

Present status-Since its inception, the Public Relations movement in India has travelled a
long way. It fought for the recognition as profession. Today, the profession of Public Relations
practitioners has taken roots in this country and a number of organisations both in public and
private sectors have recognised it as a profession. They are using public relations techniques
extensively to solve their corporate problems.

The Public Relations Society of India (PRS) has contributed a lot in the Development of
public relations in this country. It has new chapters in Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Madras, Cochin,
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Coimbatore & Madurai. It has promoted a sense
of direction of PR activities and professionalism. There is still a great scope of its development
in our country.
 51

3.6 Indian Public Relation Association

The Indian Public Relation Association was established to change the concept and attitude
of Indian enterprises and lead them towards ‘Social Responsibility’, it covers the whole field of
communication using any media, Written spoken or Visual. But public relations persons must
not try to attract business unfairly or to determine false or misleading information. All these
classes add up to one basic rules - not to deceive but to perceive.

As a member of the management function we should know that there is a tremendous

distinction between public relations and propaganda. The public relations man just do not beam
out a favourable projection of an organisation if there is something wrong in it, such as internal
communication or bad management. He should advise the management on the steps they
should take to make sure that it deserves a good reputation. To give such advises, the position
of the public relations department should be one of the top management functions.

The expertise of the public relations men is used today by growing body of people,
including industry, commerce, service organisations, Governments, local authorities, charities
and people in the public eye.

No organisation is an island in itself: it is an organ of society. It should involve a citizenship

role and the members of the organisation make it known to the different segment of society
through their valuable services.

Profession

As the Youngest management discipline, public relations in India is going through a period
uncertainty. People practicing Public Relations in the government and in business are facing a
number of challengers, including a lack of basic understanding of Public Relations by top
management. Public Relations is often used as a fire-fighting operation, and the techniques
employed are not always scientific. Against such a background, Public Relations men and
women dedicated to their profession are making an organised effort to improve their standard
of performance and direct their professional activity to meet the goals of their organisations.

Professionalism

Senior PR professionals in India realise the need for higher professional standards to
upgrade the status of Public Relations. The Public Relations Society of India took a major step
in this direction by changing their qualification for membership. The admission of new members
52

will now require the National Council’s approval, earlier this approval was the responsibility of
each chapter executive. The National Council laid down the ground rules more clearly and
insisted on a 3 years’ experience clause before anyone could be considered for membership.
These amendments in the PRSI constitution were made to eliminate non-PR professionals,
who often bear the title of Public Relations Officers in different organisations.

The Seventh Public Relations Conference at Calcutta produced more evidence of

professionalism. For the first time the conference devoted an entire two-hour session on case
study presentation. Good year presented a case study of Employee Communication which
helped to overcome a major industrial Relations problem. Claxo’s case study as based on
management understanding of the role of press and better appreciation by the press as to how
a business organisation, operates. Narasimha Reddy from Hyderabad made an effective
presentation on how a municipal corporation could enlist public cooperation’s, and Indian Airlines
study based on the role of a house magazine in improvement in the efficiency of an organisation
evoked considerable interest.

The conference presented other examples of professionalism in the concurrent session

where the performance of PR planning and execution were analyzed and debated by practitioners
from several organizations. Media discussions relating to press, radio, TV and film were very
largely attended and PR practitioners very candidly offered their views to the managers of
these media. The concurrent session relating to PR for trans-national corporations generated a
healthy discussion where the limitations of PR effectiveness under the present Indian environment
were stressed. The session displayed a sense of realism and pragmatism among the PR
practitioners in trans-national corporations who took part in the presentation and subsequent
discussions.

Check your progress

1. Write a note on PRSI

 53

2. Explain the Composition of Indian Public Relation Association.

3.7 Summary
Public Relations today cannot but note with dismay that one of the distressing aspects
of Indian industrial culture has been the abdication of social responsibility by the business
community in the past and even during the recent times, barring a few good exceptions. The
business and the society in general subscribed to the view that it is the function of the Government
alone to look after the welfare of the [Link] is time that the Indian business and the PR
service took note of the fact that even under western concept of growth with free play of market
forces, more and more companies are supporting movement for social changes while advancing
their business goals.

3.8 Key Words

Environment

Philanthropic Phase

Non Commercial

Non-Government

3.9 Answers to Check your progress

1. See section 3.5

2. See section 3.6

3.10 Review Questions

Trace the development of public relations in India
54

3.11 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
Practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

3. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.

6. Martinson, D.L. (1995-96). “Client partiality and third parties: An ethical Dilemma for
public relations practitioners?” Public Relations Quarterly.
 55

LESSON - 4
CONCEPT OF PUBLIC IN PUBLIC
RELATIONS-TARGET GROUPS
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able to:

• To understand the meaning and scope of public administration

• To explain the differences between administration and management

• To describe the nature and significance of public administration

Structure of the Lesson

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Reasons for Defining Publics

4.3 Public Relations and its Publics

4.4 Analysis of Corporate Stock Records

4.5 Methods of Communicating with the Shareholders

4.6 Illustrations

4.7 Other Publications

4.8 Shareholders Meetings

4.9 Summery

4.10 Key Words

4.11 Answers to check your progress

4.12 Review Questions

4.13 Suggested Books for References

4.1 Introduction
In the earlier lesson we have learnt the Origin and development of Public relations in
India. From this lesson will know the concept of public in public relations and target groups. All
organisations, whether be it, trade, commerce, Industry, Private sector, Public Sector, Political,
56

Non-Political Government or Semi-Government have certain pre-decided objectives to achieve.

In Public Relations Public - means a group of persons community of persons, sector of people
based on sex, religion caste or creed, age, education, culture, habitat, that concerns with the
objectives of the concerned organisation in specific.

It is the “Publics” that will be accountable for profits of the organizations.

Publics in PR differ from “the general public” since we are interested in many sub-divisions
or special categories of people. Consequently, the Oxford Dictionary definition of public is wrong.
These categories of publics will vary from one organization to another. Publics may be defined
as those groups of people with which we have or wish to have contact.

From this definition you will see that your PR work has to do with a great many people.
This is the sociological consists of people acting together in groups for particular purposes,
while the individual performs a variety of roles. A good PR practitioner should get on with people,
meaning that he should like and understand people. As a communicator, the PR practitioner
must first know the kind of people with whom he plans to communicate. If his work extends into
the international sphere, this need to understand people becomes even more complex and a
considerable responsibility. Sadly, a lot of international marketing fails because of its lack of a
lot of international marketing fails because of its lack of consideration of sociological and
anthropological aspects of communication in countries where life styles are very different from
those of the exporter.

4.2 Reasons for Defining Publics

Much of advertising is aimed broadly defined target groups such as housewives, motorists,
Hi-Fi enthusiasts and so on. Popular products such as foodstuffs, toiletries and confectionery
are aimed even more broadly at the “mass market”. But in PR you must be must more analytical
and precise. There are four reasons for this:

1. To determine all the groups of people who may be relevant to the PR programme.

2. To determine priorities with in the scope of the budget and resources.

3. So that media may be selected so to reach selected publics.

4. So that you can prepare message in form acceptable by these different publics.
 57

Did all those reasons surprise you? Perhaps you think I am being too pedantic, too
demanding? or do you now see how the careful listing of all the possible publics is a necessary
part of efficient planned public relations? It is a stage in the planning which can have a direct
effect on the final results. Better still like a detective making a list of suspects. Better still, it is the
“long List” from which a “short List” can be picked, for it is unlikely that your final scheme will be
able to embrace all the relevant publics. Politics is sometimes called “the art of the possible”,
and that is also a very good description of PR planned by objectives.

In external publics - such as buyers, suppliers, investors shareholders, a banks, Govt.

Departments concerned, consumers, distribution channels - retailers, wholesalers, distributors,
public-utilities services - such as electricity, transport, water, land etc. These segments of the
vital part of the public of the organization should be well-defined so as to make each segment
of publics-approachable and communicable in proper order-to avoid failure and set-back when
techniques of PR are applied.

Public Relation in Action

To be effective as a PR man one should cultivate good relations with all the public’s of
an [Link] public is employees. For getting good report with the employees it is
essential to develop good relations with the employees which is possible through employees
hand book magazine, PR bulletins, suggestion and opinion boxes, appreciation and awards to
the outstanding and long service personnel, customer relations training programme for employees
etc.

Another aspect we should concentrate on community relations which are very important
for the very existence of the organisation. People should realise that this organisation is intended
for their welfare. To develop good community relations we should do the following. Community
boosting programmes, display and exhibit at local community level, village adoption programme,
financial contribution, active participation in charitable and other civic activities by PR personnel.
Plant vist by students and teachers may help for better school and community relations.

Personal contacts with the press, press release of general public interest, conducted
tours, press conferences, supply of background, biographical and photographic materials about
company and personnel use for the news stories.

Investor relations which can be maintained by quarterly and annual reports, stock-holder
meetings etc. Policy matters should be explained clearly to avoid misunderstandings.
58

We will have definite programme of PR action which would help us to meet specific target
as assigned by company executives. We will study Public attitudes for better home service,
customer relations and sales and marketing.

As state earlier we will make good relations with the employees - employees are well
briefed on the programme, its objectives, its progress and importance of their contributions. We
should make the top management to consider PR a way of living. Community relations can be
developed through active participation in the civic [Link] as a PR man, one should
cultivate good relations with all the publics concerned of his organisations.

Internal Public Relation

The employees - the internal public are generally considered the most important public of
Public Relations. It is in this area that Indian PR men and women have made little headway in
many improving the relations, in between management and employees. In many large
corporations, in the private as well as public sectors, employee relations are still considered the
sole preserve of the personnel department. Whereas the employee house journal is the
responsibility of the Public Relations are department, the overall employee relations and employee
communication continue to remain outside their orbit. As a result, the PR contribution in solving
major industrial disputes is very marginal. Public Relations practitioners in India in general
show a general lot of interest in employee relations and activities. In spite of a lot of efforts
being put in by the Public Relations Society of India, employee communication remains a
neglected area. Some case study material presented by Goodyear India Airlines, Pfizer India,
IDL Chemicals and A.P. State Road Transport Corporation demonstrated an imaginative handling
of employees communication directed to achieving higher productivity, lower absenteeism,
reduced waste and better understanding between employers and employees. About a year
ago, the Delhi Chapter of PRSI arranged a half-day seminar on strike communication which
outlines some of the basic requirements of employee communication in a crisis situation.

Internal Public Relations is an important area lately engaging the attention of corporate
management. Employee understanding is basic to any company’s success and employees are
not going to give their whole - hearted support and cooperation to any management unless they
know why they should support and how it is going to benefit them. Many companies publish
regular employee’s journals to keep all employees informed of the company’s objectives and
programmes, plans for employee’s welfare, expansion and diversification programmes,
competition, productivity and various other subjects. Some companies even to one step further
 59

and publish a simplified version of the balance sheet to develop employee awareness of the
company’s financial standing and profitability.

Employee involvement is essential to achieve higher productivity, meet marketing objectives

and other corporate goals. A better informed work is a more productive worker and his contribution
to a company’s progress is even greater. Internal seminars, group meeting, production and
marketing newsletters, bulletin board, poster, internal publications, audio-visual presentation at
various levels of employees are undertaken to keep employees informed and develop a better
understanding of the management goals. Recently, internal PR is experimenting with puppet
shows, cartoon displays, mimes to communicate to production employees on such complex
subjects as absenteeism, waste reduction, energy conservation and others.

The biggest challenge facing PR today is its own contribution in the creation of an
atmosphere of trust between management and employees. Internal communication must be
devoid of propaganda, should make an attempt of projecting a clear unambiguous picture of
the industry’s correct position, and outline a programme where the employee could make his
own contribution. Public Relations can play as useful role in developing a responsible and
dedicated work force in our country. Industrial trade unions have made the workers are of their
rights : Public Relations men must tell them in what kind of environment the works could press
for their rights. Collective bargaining can only succeed where both parties have something to
gain.

Internal Public Relation is a very strong tool for enlightened management. Used with
imagination and a desire to be fair to the employees, the management could overcome many
unforeseen situations created by external factors. Persons to communication with the top
management and factory workers could often produce dramatic results. Public Relations men
should carefully study each situation and prescribe what is best in a given situation. At the time,
PR should be alert to employees’ problems. In fact, the development of management appreciation
of employee’s problems should be one of the most important work of internal Public Relations.

External

In the sphere of external public relations, the audience becomes quite different and often
complex in character and composition. The public’s general reaction is one of indifference.
Sometimes this can even by hostile. The critical and vocal section may even suspect on section
of an organisation as an attempt to paint a false picture of something possibly disreputable.
60

Good public relations must be based on truth and nothing but truth. There is no technique of
communication by which one can hide the truth from the public for any length of time. PR is
ninety percent doing good and ten percent talking about it.

Who is Public in Public and Private Sectors?

The public sector undertaking has normally three types of public (a) Customers (b)
government (c) employees. The public sector undertakings are owned by the Government.
While the private sector organizations are (a) customers (b) shareholder (c) employee.

4.3 Public Relations and Its Public

We can identify the public according to the broad and sub categories also .

1. Employees
Officials
Clerical Staff
Retired Employees
New Employees
Potential Employees
Outstanding Employees
Families of Employees

2. Share Holders
New shareholders
Large Share holders
Institutional investors
Vocal share holders
Employee Shareholders,
Shareholders who have held the stock for more than five years.

3. The Media
General Press
Business Press
Trade Press
Wire Services
Electronic Media
 61

Friendly Journalists
Hostile Journalists
Inaccurate Journalists
Outstanding Journalists
Local weeklies
Community Publication
Foreign Press

4. Customers
Large buyers (Users of services)
Satisfied Customers
Dissatisfied Customers
New Customers
Old Customers
Customers in different parts of the country
Former Customers
Potential Customers

5. The General Public

4. Analysts and other financial intermediaries

7. Students

8. Educators

9. Government

10. Community Leaders

11. Minorities

12. Members of the industry (for field) in which the concerned operates.

Whether we deal with an easily identified public or a crore-issue group the most important
thing to remember about the ‘publics’ aspect of public relations is that each constituency is
important to an orgnaisation. Any given public can, on a given issue at a given time or place,
assume central role and relegate all other interested parties to secondary roles.
62

Shareholder Relations

The shareholders in the country are interested in the financial progress of corporation in
which they have invested money. Besides thousands of individual, who are planning to invest in
shares are eager for corporate information. Banks, insurance and investment companies and
institutions are seeking data to determine and where to expand and where to cut short. The
various efforts of the corporation to keep these investors informed about the corporate financial
status and its future prospects can be termed shareholder relations.

In recent years there is tremendous growth in financial public relations. Major corporations
across the country have established financial public relations or investor relations posts have
expanded existing departments the undertake the demands for better relations with the
shareholders, security analysts and the financial press. There are several catalysts responsible
for this growth. The increasing number of corporation selling shares to the public, the increasing
number of firms listed on the stock exchanger, the high rate of corporate mergers and the
desire for higher stock prices to make the transitions attractive, growing sophistication of security
analysts, growing sophistication of the investing public and its growing cynicism regarding
previous claims of superior management and performance by both corporation as well as stock
brokers, demands for better management performance translated into higher stock prices and
much tougher requirements for disclosure of information by SEBI. (The Securities and Exchange
Board of India)

There are at least four categories of publics in shareholder relations.

1. Present registered shareholders.

2. The investing public including those shares held in brokers’ names.

3. The financial community including bankers, brokers, investment advisers, security

analysts, mutual funds, insurance companies and others who influence opinion of
securities.

4. The general business and business interested public whose attitudes greatly affect
the acceptance of a company’s securities and their products.

Fundamental of Shareholder Relations

Information should be presented to the shareholder in simple, clear non technical

language. The shareholder communications should be continuous from the day a shareholder
acquires the stock until he / she sells it.
 63

Management should tell both sides of its business story the good news as well as the
bad.

Financial information is dull and above the lead of most people. To highlights and extracts
of the information should be provided in a readable languages. Tables, charts and illustrations
should be liberally used so that the shareholder understands the message with least effort.

Shareholder communication should take into account the attitudes, characteristics and
interest of the shareholders.

Policy of Shareholder Relations

The policy of shareholder relation should be to convince the investors, that it investing in
the corporation is a profitable venture; it is good long-time investment; that its operation are well
managed; and it is dedicated to a progressive programme of production, sales and growth
supported by continuous research and development.

In short the objective of shareholder relations is to build the company’s corporate image
and to launch specific campaigns for promoting public issues and offers for sale.

Importance of Shareholder Communication

Maintaining a good relationship with shareholders is not only sound public relations
practice, but also sound financial management. A solid use of loyal shareholders is highly
advantageous for any company.

Many corporations still do not recognize the importance of keeping shareholders informed.
Management’s reluctance to communicate with shareholders is based on several assumptions.

1. Shareholders are not interested in corporate affairs as long as they get regular
dividends.

2. Many shareholders have a limited knowledge of corporate finances.

3. Affairs of the corporation should not be revealed to the shareholder to avoid disclosure
to competitors.

4. Some stockholders are only interested in criticizing the management.

In fact much of the apathy towards shareholders is justly attributed to poor communication
on both sides.
64

Opinion Surveys

Corporations conduct opinion surveys to learn what the investors think about the
management, its operation and modes of communication. Surveys are conducted at regular
intervals by shareholder relations section of the PR department, or by an outside agency. The
principal methods of conducting surveys are mailed questionnaires or personal interviews. The
opinions of shareholders expressed in annual meetings and open houses for shareholders are
also taken notice of. Following are the usual questions included in a survey.

1. How did you acquire your stock originally?

2. Whether the stock owned is by individual or jointly or corporation or trust?

3. Would you buy more stocks of the company? If so why? If no why?

4. Do you have stocks of other companies? If so what are they?

5. What is your opinion are the advantages of buying our stocks?

4. What is your opinion on the advantages of buying stocks of companies other than
ours.

7. Did you receive our company’s annual report?

8. Did you read the report?

9. Are you happy with its content and layout?

10. What are your suggestions for improvement

11. Do you think our company is giving enough information about its activities?

12. Do you use our products?

13. Are you in the habit of watching the ads of the company?

14. If so, how good are they?

Of course the questionnaire would include to demographic details such as age, sex,
occupation, income and income derived from investments.

4.4 Analysis of Corporate Stock Records

Besides the survey a good PR practitioners would analyse the corporate stock records
and determine details such as number of shareholders, size of holdings, number of trusts,
number of employee shareholders, length of time shares have been held and the like. By
 65

grouping the shareholders into various categories, specific groups may be singled out for special
communication.

A survey conducted by a opinion Research Organisation revealed that the information

communicated to the shareholders were : plans of expansion, new product developments, new
financial plans, cash flow, effect of depreciation practices, reasons for dividend policy, loss of
important business, forecasts of sales, forecasts of earnings, mergers and acquisitions under
consideration, profits on overseas operation, sales by divisions, marketing strategy and profit
by division.

Establishing a Programme

The best way for laying strong foundation for a full fledged programme is to build a
series of profiles about the major aspects of the corporation.

The first and foremost would be an outline of the company’s competitive position. This
would include an analysis of company’s products and services their relative strengths and
weaknesses, the company’s marketing areas, methods of marketing the company’s position in
comparison with other firms in the same industry, the strengths and weaknesses of company’s
research and development with particular reference to new products that may be marketed in
the future.

Second would be the company’s financial profile. Attention should be paid to relating the
company’s history both in terms of assets, liabilities and in terms of return on invested capital.
The analysis should reveal the reasons for the company’s earnings, rather than just report
[Link] profile would be made about the company’s securities. Here again the market
performance of the stock should be compared with other companies in the same [Link]
profile of the management is an equally important one. The distinctions of employees and their
specific contribution to the industry at large should be made note of.

4.5 Methods of Communicating with the Shareholders

There are many ways of communicating with the stockholders - newsletter, magazines,
quarterly reports, special letters, annual reports company biographic and booklets describing
the company’s products and [Link] days companies use audio-visual media also in
communicating with the investors. Motion pictures featuring company finances, plans and
operation and included in the shareholder relations [Link] communication methods
66

including annual meetings, regional meetings, personal tours, meetings with security analysts
are widely used in financial PR.

Annual Reports

While the corporation annual report now is regarded as a key stone of the stockholder
relations, it is accepted as one of the cornerstones of a well-rounded public relations plan.
Philips Lesley suggests a set of guidelines for preparing the annual report.

1. Determine what the distinctive character of the company.

2. Determine how that distinctive character can be projected to the audience.

3. The annual report should be planned in such a way to convey that distinctive
character. Theme, cover, writing artwork all should be planned to make up a unified
whole.

4. The writing should be made with the company’s procedure in mind.

5. Be sure that the artwork and the copy have the same tone.

4. Make sure that the graphic designs and the artwork project the character of the
company and not of the artist.

7. Follow all the other rules of good communication. Let the message be alluring to
the reader in the headlines, captions, pictures languages and presentation.

8. It is always advisable to have 10 final draft written by one person. This will give a
feeling of cohesiveness.

Content of the Annual Reports

The Annual reports of reputed organisations usually have financial information, production
information, marketing information, personnel information and other miscellaneous information.

Financial Information

Annual reports would provide summary of financial operations, statement of income,

auditor’s report, statement of finical position, long term debt, cash flow, amount spent of facilities,
percent income of sales versus percent of operations, comparative operating and financial
story for five year, earnings and dividends investments, working capital, current assets and
liabilities, taxes, funded debt, distribution of income and sources of capital expenditures and
 67

dividends past years summary of changes in working capital, cash dividends for past five years,
increase in sales and in property, plant and equipments, growing number of stock holders,
investment per employee, earnings retained in the business, statement of earnings for the past
five years, highlights of past decade.

Production Information

Inventories, plant, equipments, manufacturing plants operations, research, raw materials,

plant faculties, new products, transportation, production of raw material, production of shipments,
rising wage costs, new and improved equipment, raw material prices, storage faculties and
location of plants.

Marketing Information

Sales Volume, foreign operations, warehousing, advertising, marketing, prices, price

methods, supply and distribution public relations, consumer relations, sales promotion and
publicity.

Personnel Information

Directors and officers, employee benefit plans, employment data, orgnaisational changes,
union relations, employee relations, hours and wages, pension and insurance, employee safety,
employee training, strikes, employee safety, employee training, strikes, employee corporative
associations, fringe benefit, womens aid, payroll and promotions.

Physical Appearance

The physical requirements trim size and number of pages of the annual report will
depend on :

1. The type of the industry

2. Size of the corporation

3. The readership of the report

4. Desired life of the annual report

The content of any annual report will follow a basic pattern, but the arrangement of the
material can be adjusted to suit the preferences of the management. In humanizing the report
it has been found a good policy to feature in the front portion of repot the narrative, which
68

provides scope for dramatization by means of photographs, graphics, maps and other illustrations.
The key financial data are provided in a condensed, readable form in the first two pages, with
most statistical data appearing the middle or latter portion of the report. Thus the reader who
cannot comprehend those statistical details will gather the necessary information by a casual
scanning of the front pages. Featuring key points in the margin in larger types also helps the
skimmer. Sub-heads are also desirable to increase readability.

Following is the outline of typical annual reports. It can be adapted for any industry with
slight modifications.

4.6 Illustrations
Every aspect of the company’s operations and records can be represented by means of
graphic charts. Care must be taken to ensure that the charts are not complicated. It is best to
explain only one aspect in each chart.

On the financial side, operating results such as trend of sales, trend of production.
Such as trend of cost of raw materials, trend of taxes, trend of earnings and balance sheet
interpretation such as trend of total working capital trend of total assets may be represented
graphically.

On the Factual Side, information about product or services such as trends of distribution,
per capital income, information about the organisation such as flow of operations in the marking
of primary product, floor of authority from president to branch managers. Employee information
such as trend of number employed, trend of hourly or weekly wages, trend of accidents etc.
Stock holder information including trend of average holding by classes, trend of holding by
number of shares etc. may require graphic representations. Maps showing location of plants,
sources of raw materials geographical distribution of stockholders and export import lines may
add attraction to the report.

Action photographs of plants operations and products may be liberally used. Building
can be photographed with the employees flooding in or out. Products should be shown in actual
process of manufacture or in use after they have been sold with the user in action. The photograph
of the chief executive at his desk or on inspection and picture of board of directors in session
provides an opportunity to identify the management and executive officers. Non-a-days some
firms publish photograph and biographical sketch of each of the board of directors. Sometimes
 69

the death of a major official will call for photograph will an obituary note. Manufacturers of
products such as fabrics and wall paper use the samples of products on cover pages.

Several international companies distribute annual reports in various regional languages.

There are three schools of through on what level of sophistication and annual report should
follow. One school believes that the report should be simple and to the point while the other
believes that the annual report should merely convey the financial results with no attempt to
explain their meaning. A third is to compromise between the [Link] key point to remember:
The annual report is a portrait of the character and outlook of the company’s management, the
portrait most people get to see.

4.7 Other Publications

Apart from annual reports corporations use a number of techniques for presenting the
information to the shareholders. Stereotyped and dull quarterly reports can be transformed into
attractive bulletins, booklets, newsletters or brochures. Some companies produce a high-quality
shareowner magazines three times a year as a supplement to the annual report. Along with the
quarterly report corporation send inserts announcing executive appointments, promotions etc.
A corporate fact book is sent to security analysts. This consolidates many facts about the
corporation in one publication.

In the intervals between annual reports corporations communicate with shareholders

through interim reports in the form of newsletters, folders, booklets and bulletins. Notices of
annual and regional shareholder meetings are mailed to stockholders together with proxy form
on which absentee shareholders may vote for directors and on matters to be voted. Quarterly
shareholder magazines. In addition to financial news these periodicals discuss new products,
new plants and other matter as of interest to the shareholders. Annual report advertisement is
placed by corporations in national consumer magazines and newspapers. these advertisements
feature the highlights of current finances and build the image of the company. Direct
correspondenc withindividual shareholders in an important factor in good shareholder sells the
stock a letter of regret is sent. Some corporations maintain regular correspondence with the
security analysts discussing the economic progress of the area served by the company.
Corporations communicate with shareholders and general public through press releases to
financial magazines, daily newspapers, radio and television commentators. Details reports of
shareholder meetings help those shareholders who could not attend the meeting. Shareholders
70

are encouraged to participate more actively in the affairs of their companies by means of contests
offering prizes for constructive criticism and suggestions on the operations of the company.

4.8 Shareholder's Meetings

The annual meetings of shareholders is one occasion what the investor can meet the
management face to face and hear the annual report right from the president of the corporation.
It the meeting is held at the head office outstation investors would attend. So non-a-days
managements organise meetings at various regional centres. The modern stockholders meeting
are no longer dull. Now they are informed, friendly and enjoyable.

Features of these meetings include demonstration of new product, showing video films,
distributing, samples and literature. A discussion period is proided where the stockholder can
‘take the floor’ and offer his/her compliments, suggestions or criticisms. In this way thousand s
of additional stockholders “attend” the meeting.

The orders of business of a typical shareholders’ meeting includes:

a call to order by the chairperson

presentation and examination of proxies

announcement of quorum present

reading the approval of minutes of previous meeting

presentation of listed shareholders

reports of officers and committees

appointments of inspectors of election

opening of polls

election of directors

closing of polls

report of inspectors

declaration of election of directors new business and

adjournment
 71

Vocal Stockholders

Corporations have had to handle the\ problem of vocal stockholders since the first publicly
owned company held its first annual meeting. Regardless of how well the management has
performed, there will always be some point on which the stockholder will be critical. Since
stockholders are owners of the company they are entitled to be critical. However they do not
have the right to disrupt the orderly flow of the business at the meeting. Managements role in
these situations should be to ensure that all stockholders receive equal treatment. By answering
stockholders questions, and by either accepting their criticisms or showing that these criticisms
are baseless, the chairman or president presiding at the meeting may be able to satisfy them.
There are some ground rules that may be applied in handling the vocal stockholders.

1. Be patient - allow them to express their views.

2. Be polite - avoid abrupt or sarcastic answers.

3. Answer all questions fully and carefully. If it appears that a point has been
misunderstood don’t hesitate to repeat it.

4. Respond to all questions on the floor. Do not avoid any stockholder.

5. Anticipate criticism and prepare in advance to meet them. Slides and charts will be
of help.

4. Utilize the full executive staff in answering questions.

7. Do not allow personalities or sarcasm from the floor to dictate the content and tone
of your response.

Sometimes annual meeting are disrupted by activist groups. The activists become
stockholders in order to gain entrance. management must be ready to use fact, diplomacy and
public relations skill in handling the activists. The goal should be to answer the questions and
criticisms raised and prevent dissident group from taking complete control of the meeting

The annual meeting presents a major opportunity for stressing the company’s theme.
Displays, exhibits, films, slides and speeches can all carry the common theme to the audience.
Some corporations distribute sample packages of their products to the stockholders.

Usually a post meeting report is mailed to the stock holders. In the report the management
should try to be as candid as possible and include all questions and answers even through
these may be embarrassing. One of the major criticisms of post meeting reports is that significant
72

questions are ignored. If a stockholder reads a newspaper report of an embarrassing question

and finds that it has been omitted in the report, would begin to suspect whether the management
has omitted anything else from the report.

Open Houses and Plant Tours

The open houses and plant tours are becoming popular for promoting shareholder relations.
It given then an opportunity to see for themselves how their money is invested. A special reception
committee conducts the visitors around. Attractive invitations are sent to those who live within a
reasonable distance of the property. Refreshments are served and souvenirs are often distributed
to those who attend.

Communicating with the Security Analysts

Among opinion leaders in the financial community, an increasingly important group is the
professional analysts of securities. Employed by brokerage houses, banks, institutional investors
and others who buy securities and advise others they are specialists in acquiring and evaluating
information about companies. Most of them concentrate on a particular group such as oil,
transportation, drugs etc. Increasingly analysts are narrowing their interest to certain companies.
There are some basis ways in which the PR person communicates with the analysts.

1. Arranging for the president or other key executive to talk before the society of
analysts. In most cases the press is also invited.

2. Special reports containing detailed technical information, plans that can be revealed
without aiding competitors, illustration of plants and facilities and other relevant
information.

3. Tours of main plant facilities should be arranged. The analysts should be

accompanied by key officials. Ample time for question and answer session should
be allowed.

4. Dissemination of corporate news to the security analysts simultaneously with the

press.

5. Personal visits with the analysts at their offices.

4. Small discussion meeting with selected analysts having interest in the company.

7. Meeting the specific request for information made by analysts.

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8. Appearances before groups of analysts who specialize in the company’s industry.

9. periodic presentations at the company’s head quarters.

Check your progress

1. Write a note on public relations and public.

2. What is opinion survey

4.9 Summary
It is necessary to provide specific categories of publics. Depending upon the nature of
different trades the content of public varies. Public relation has to cover and concentrates on
the expanding activities of stock market in forms of public involved in the functioning of corporate
sector and also the role of public relations

4.10 Key Words

Stock Records

Share Holders

Illustrations

Annual Reports

4.11 Answers to check your progress

[Link] Section: 4.3

2. See Section: 4.3

74

4.12 Review Questions

Bring out the difficulties in defining the form publics in public relations

4.13 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
Practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

5. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.
 75

LESSON - 5
DISTRIBUTOR - DEALER AND
SUPPLIERS RELATIONS
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able to:

• Analyse the relationship between the distributer and dealer

• Describe various programmes distributor-dealer, dealer communication etc.

• Suppliers demand and selection has to he explained

• Deal with other aspects such as partnership functional relationship, suppliers relation
function of the committee

Structure of the Lesson

5.1 Introduction

5.2 What is Distributor Dealer Relations?

5.3 Types of Distribution Policy

5.4 Distributor Dealer Relation Programme

5.5 Dealer Communication Programmes

5.6 Suppliers Relations

5.7 Suppliers Selections

5.8 Summary

5.9 Key Words

5.10 Answers to check your progress

5.11 Review Questions

5.12 Suggested Books for References

5.1 Introduction
The previous lesson dealt with the concept of Public relations and target group in India.
This lesson will explain the, relationship policy and communicative mode of distribution and
76

dealers. The Loyalty and support of the dealers is of utmost importance especially to those
suppliers of consumer products who depend on independent, multi-line retailing. D.D. Freese
of Ford Motor Company observed: “A prime factor in the success of our industry must be our
dealers. It is our dealers who must meet the prospects and change them into customers. As
they succeed, our production lines keep moving. We desire to maintain the closest co-operation
with them. We want their operations to be profitable and to this end we want to achieve
understanding with them to the highest degree”.

How the dealer feels about a company, its representatives, and its products will ultimately
be the measure of that company’s success. Now-a-days, such traditional marketing advantages
and equality of the product, good after sale service, low pricing etc. have all disappeared, due
to the generally high degree of similarity between competing products. As a result, various
support programs have been designed to help and encourage dealers to sell one brand of
product in favour of another.

In such a situation, a loyal dealer is one who makes good profit selling a specific brand
of product; and when profitability ceases his loyalty shifts to another brand.

5.2 What Is Distributor - Dealer Relations?

Dealer relations is the aggregate of the many efforts employed by a supplier to build
and maintain a favourable image in the minds of its dealer organisation.

Primarily, the dealer relation is a marketing function. many other supporting activities
such as finance, service and publicity have telling effects on the dealer relations.

The prime vehicle is the printed word and picture. Since in this type of communication
there is no way in induce absorption of the message by the recipient, it is essential that the
content be interesting and useful to the recipient. Though one of its merits is economy, skimping
on quality in this are can be costly.

Effective dealers communications programs also encourage dealer response and provide
channels through which it can be accomplished.

Responsibility of Manufacturers

Any manufacturers who is interested in good Distributor - Dealer relations should take
care to produce and distribute quality products that are rigidly inspected, properly designed,
 77

fairly prices, guaranteed by a liberal warranty, backed by prompt and competent service, available
in adequate supply, and capable of producing a fair profit. Manufacturers also provide advertising
and sales - promotion support of their products through consumer advertising, displays, motion
pictures, catalogs, dealer literature, and training programs for sales personnel. Fair distribution
policies and reasonable franchise agreements are the foundation upon which dealer relationship
can be built. However the entire exercise of dealer relations would be meaningful only by
appointing dealers of responsibility, character, and capacity.

Responsibility of Distributors and Dealers

Distributions and dealers, for their part, must treat the public with respect and regard.
They must avoid practices that may bring discredit to the reputation of the manufacturing
company. They must dispense with false advertising, deceptive pricing overcharging customers,
charging for repair work not performed and such other unfair methods. Dealers in mechanical
products must provide post-manufacturing inspections and repair and maintenance service to
keep the product in operating condition. This is the most simplest but most effective way to
protect the reputation of the manufacturer as well as the dealers. Distributors and dealers must
be financially sound, responsible, efficient; engage in sales, advertising, and promotional
programmes and merchandising; maintain accurate stock and sales records; and sell a
satisfactory volume of the manufacture’s products.

Good Manufacturers - Distribution Relations

Good manufacturer - distribution - dealer relations depend upon both manufacturers and
dealers’ recognizing their responsibilities to each other and to the consumer. Empathetic
understanding and high level of cooperation are essential if each is to enjoy public acceptance.
Fulfillment of these mutual responsibility is so essential to business success that some
manufacturers incorporate in their franchise agreements.

Methods of improving distribution - Dealer Relationship

Most manufacturers are quite aware of the need for improving the Distributor - Dealer
Relationship. Some of the attempts made by them are listed below :

1. The responsibility for dealer relations has in many instances been assumed by top
management.

2. Distribution policies and practices have been received and revised to lesson criticism.
78

3. The opinions of dealers have been given more consideration.

4. Impartial arbitrators have been appointed to adjudicate Disputes.

5. Joint manufacturer - dealer - relations committees and boards have been appointed.

6. New channels of communication have been established.

Services offered by Manufacturers

The manufacturers have to keep constant touch with the dealers. They must provide
‘Aids’ of various kinds. The aids include 1. Advertising aid

2. Selling aid, 3. Mechanical Service aid, 4. Management aid, 5. Public Relations aid.

Advertising Aid
Manufacturers need to give plenty of add support to the dealer. Corporate aids inserted
directly by the manufacturer include the addresses of all the dealers. Apart from this companies
give ample provisions for the dealer to advertise on his own. This kind of advertising reduces
dealers’ sales expenses, enhances their prestige, and increases store traffic and therefore the
sale of non-advertised goods. Manufacturers also place advertising in local media to provide
intensified coverage in specific markets and also to identify dealers within these markets as the
sources of the manufacturer’s product.

Manufacturers supply dealers with a wide variety of advertising aids, enabling them to
coordinate their own promotional. These aids, usually offered free of charge, include layouts,
copy, mats, and electrotypes for newspaper advertising; direct-mail pieces, including letters,
cards, folders, booklets, and broadsides; store and window displays, including posters, counter
cards, shelf-hangers, glow sings, banners. While some companies bear the entire cost of
advertisements space some of them contribute 60% or 75% the rest being borne by the dealer.
Companies must take care to send enough stock at the time of releasing the ads. Because
failure to supply the goods at the time of enquiries will spoil not only the image of the company
but of the product and dealer as well.

Selling Aid

Accordingly, manufacturers hold sales training courses and meetings, and offer extra
compensation and prizes to dealer sales representatives. In addition, they may make available
a variety of promotion plans featuring their products.
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Mechanical Service Aid

Manufacturers of mechanical products recognize that customers want their to be trouble-

free, low-cost and efficient. To ensure that customers get adequate mechanical maintenance
and service, manufacturers provide dealers and their machines with courses in service and
service, manufacturers provide dealers and their machines with courses in service management,
operation, and sales training. Service training centres are maintained, where dealer service
managers receive instruction in management methods, mechanics, and operations.

Management Aid

Manufacturers assist, train, and counsel distributors and dealers in business management
techniques also. They take efforts to teach them methods of purchasing, organization, and
personnel administration; facility modernization, including departmentalizing, arrangement,
lighting, heating, ventilating, layout, and equipment; sole location; accounting, credit, and
collections; sales management; inventory control, warehousing, and stock handling; delivery
service; advertising and sales promotion; expense control, costs, ad profits; and records and
systems.

Manufacturers conduct seminars and courses to train dealers in effective management

policies and procedures. Manuals are published describing the operating methods of successful
dealers in various areas of management. Video programmes dealing with advanced retail
management methods are produced and made available.

Public Relation Aid

Manufacturers help dealers in improving their public relations by providing a community

relation program, and by encouraging them to participate in and support civic, social welfare,
educational, and health organisations in their communities. Some manufacturers publish a
public relations manual describing procedures for planning an open house or staging a special
events, writing press releases, organising exhibition, preparing radio talks and facing media
interviews.

5.3 Types of Distribution Policy

The objectives of manufacturers’ distributor - dealer - relations programs vary according
to the number and types of distributors and dealers involved, the nature of the product, and the
marketing policies of the manufacturers.
80

Basically there are three approaches to distribution. Manufacturers pursue one or a

combination of these distribution policies : (1)_ an exclusive policy, by which the producer
markets his products in a market through an individual wholesaler or retailer; (2) a selective
policy of marketing, through a selected number of dealers in an area; or (3) a general policy of
selling through as many outlets as possible in a market.

The relationship between a manufacturer and its wholesale and retail dealers is determined
by the policies of the manufacturer. Products such as petroleum products are distributed through
exclusive wholesalers. For electronics and home appliances selective approach is followed.
For food products and soft drinks the several policy is followed.

5.4 Distributor - Dealer Relations Programmes

It is desirable to organise Distributor - Dealer - Relations programme on periodic basis.
Depending upon the number of dealers, their level of relationship with the manufacturer and the
nature of the product, companies design their programmes.

Frazier Moore and Frank B. Kalupa provide a list of progrmmes that could be organised.
To determine the attitudes of distributors and dealers as a basis for dealer relations policies,

 To create a better understanding with distributors and dealers by clarifying

management policies and practices.

 To give distributors and dealers and their personnel confidence in the company by
better knowledge of the manufacture’s resources, organisation, facilities, products
and service.

 To aid distributors and dealers in increasing their sales by means of sales training
programs, sales equipments, sales suggestions, improved selection and
compensation of sales people, and sales contests.

 To aid distributors and dealers in advertising by providing them with advertising

plans, store and window displays, outdoor displays, signs and car-card advertising.

 To keep management appraised of the effectiveness of company plans and program

as they relate to the company’s relationships with dealers.

 To receive dealer complaints involving sales and advertising practices and assure
resolution of these complaints.
 81

 To familiarize the manufacturer with the problems of dealers as they are related to
company policies and relationships.

 To consider ideas, suggestions, or complaints that may be presented by dealers.

 To review terminations of dealer - franchise agreements and decide whether a

termination will become effective.

 To aid distributors and dealers in improving their management methods with better
interior store arrangements and equipment; more lighting; stock control systems;
improved accounting and credit control, store records and systems, delivery service,
and pricing; and better store organisation and personnel.

 To aid distributors and declares in providing better mechanical service to users by

providing dealers with improved service equipment, training dealers’ service
personnel, and offering a liberal service policy.

 To adopt distribution policies designed to gain the goodwill and loyalty of distributors
and dealers.

 To provide consumer finance service to enable dealers to sell a maximum volume

of merchandise to consumers.

 To stimulate distributor and dealer interest in and loyalty to the manufacturer’s

products and establish a partnership relationship.

5.5 Dealer Communication Programmes

The dealer is an important “public” and the public relations practitioner should focus
major efforts on communicating with him/her. Dealer communication is essential on order to a)
give a sense of involvement to the dealer b) to inform the dealer about product details c) to
cultivate the feeling of loyalty among dealers.

Broadly speaking, the actual ways of communicating with the dealer will vary, depending
on the methods of product distribution. If this distribution is direct form the manufacturer to the
dealer, dealer communications too fan be done in the same route. If, on the other hand, distribution
is effected through agents or wholesalers it will be necessary to keep with this intermediary
channel also.
82

Channels of Dealer of Communications

Channels for communicating with dealers include field sales representatives, service
representatives, conventions, training programs, and the like. Besides communicating through
different mass communication channels is highly effective.

Individual and regular contract by field representatives is considered necessary by

most manufacturers as a normal extension of their sales effort. By this means orders are taken,
point-of-sale material is delivered and erected, and local advertising and promotion schemes
are co-ordinated and controlled. More efficacious than this sole method of communicating policy
is periodical regional or national ‘impact’ meeting. Whatever is done this way could be as a
marketing, sales promotion, or merely a ‘get together’, it is still essentially a public relations
duty to sure that the impression it leaves on the dealer’s mind is the right on, and that the total
image created is successful.

Meetings can take many forms from a staged and dramatized presentation to a simple
product talk and demonstration. The regional or national meeting can be supplemented by
smellers and more informal locally sponsored dealer meetings followed by launch or dinner and
if it could be possible an entertainment programme; dramas or film shows. Direct mail can be
addressed in Christian-name terms, advice on displays and promotions can be practical instead
of theoretical, and sales training can be undertaken in the dealer’s own premises or within his
locality. Liaison with the local press to further on a provincial level the relations established by
the manufacturer with the national and trade press in another important function that can be
undertaken by the agent or wholesaler, and in this the PR Manager should give guidance and
help.

Factory visits are of immense value and through in some cases not always easy to
arrange or to administer, will repay the time and effort spent. It is on occasions of this kind that
words like ‘quality’ assume new meaning, and what we hitherto simply names become invested
with substance and personality.

Understanding the Audience

Before organising a dealer's communication program, the communicator must understand
the audience. The communicator must know what can attract them, the nature and behavioural
pattern of the dealers, their strengths, their weaknesses, the nature of the market, customers
 83

etc. should be understood. He must also be familiar with the different types of dealers large or
small, rural or urban, sophisticated or not. Above all another factor which is of utmost importance
is : What do the dealers think of the supplier?

Public relations practitioners usually conduct surveys to know these details. A survey
performed and properly interpreted by experts will not only provide the information needed to
communicate effectively, but will also often yield additional insights into dealer attitudes that will
aid the supplier’s entire marketing efforts.

The public relations person can also learn a great deal about his dealer organisation
through association with other members of his company - particularly those who have regular
and direct contract with retailers. The most effective method off all is direct, face-to-face contact
with dealers. This can be done during trips for other purposes and at sales meetings and trade
shows. Most suppliers conduct or participate in numerous dealer meeting. Seminars and
conventions during the year, both in the field and at the home office.

Still another source of information is trade publications. By constantly monitoring them it

is possible to learn a great deal about the industry and its dealers. Active participation in industry
association is also an effective way of acquiring useful knowledge of the dealer and his functions.

Understanding the Organisation

The public relations practitioner should have a thorough knowledge of the organization
and the products. He/she must be familiar with the policies, and sales capabilities, service
facilities and financial position of the company, should have sufficient involvement in these
programmes relating to distribution, marketing, advertising, sales promotion, sales training,
dealer education, and personnel. His / her major goal is to help sell the company and its products
to its dealers, using his particular skills as a communicator.

Getting to know one’s own company... and staying on top of what’s going on .. is a
demanding task. It requires establishing viable working relationships with all departments within
the company., since each makes important contributions to the total dealer relations program,
The public relations practitioner must gain their respect and cooperation to be effective kind
that words like ‘quality’ assume new meaning, and what we hitherto simply names become
invested with substance and personality.
84

Running of Dealer Competitions, cooperative advertising schemes, and dealer training

schemes also come under the ambit of the PR Manager.

While such communications devices as motion pictures, closed-circuit television, recorded

messages, and filmstrip presentations can be very effective and definitely have their place, the
major medium used to communicate with dealers will generally be the printed word and graphics.

Forms of Print Communication

External house publication is the widely used printed publication. They are published
in various formats and sizes, differing widely in quality of content and appearance. The external
house publication has become “standard equipment” for thousand of companies engaged in
dealer communications. The quality of the external house publications has improved to such an
extent that some even rival the better consumer magazines.

The dealer magazine offers something for everybody-large dealers and small - small
town or large town - high volume and low. Just as most product lines offer a wide variety of
models to meet specific market requirements, a dealer magazine can vary its content to meet
specific audience requirements.

All forms of Dealer publications should be frequent and regular. Not only does this
confirm the company’s interest but also constantly reminds the dealers of the products and
services, versus those in competition.

A well-prepared publication is an ideal way to provide dealers with solutions to their

marketing problems. The key to one dealers success may be the solution to the problems
plaguing many of several others. The magazine will be an ideal medium for this.

With modern equipment and techniques now available it is possible to produce good-
quality dealer magazines at a reasonable cost. It is generally true that a fairly high volume is
required to bring the per-unit cost down appreciably, but when compared to the cost of a
salesman’s call, even an expensive magazine can represent a good value.

The combination of good graphics and meaningful copy, suing colour whenever possible,
is an effective way of contacting dealers.

Following are some rules to remember when planning a dealer magazine.

 85

· Be sure your material is timely and meaningful to your audience. If your dealers
can’t use it, don’t print it.

· Remember the quality of your publication reflects the quality of your company.
Therefore always maintain good quality in the privations.

· Use as many good illustrations as possible. This is the best way to communicate
visually.

· Maintain your mailing list. Be sure you know who’s receiving your publication at all
times.

There are other forms of print publications such as Monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly,
newsletters. Low in cost and easily prepared, informative, relevant newsletters can be an
effective and expedient dealer communication device.

· Special Mailers. These are useful for special events and as fill-ins between regular
publications.

· If an event concerning the company is newsworthy to the press, it may also be of

interest to your dealers; and all it costs is a little more paper, and postage. So all
Press Releases can be sent to the dealers regularly. The dealers will be happy to
hear it before reading it in the press.

· Materials such as brochures, annual reports, executive speech reprints, prepared

specifically for other activities within the company can be used as a valuable
information to the dealers. Though not specifically oriented to the dealer, they can
increase his sense of involvement in the company’s activates, which is an important
factor in building dealer loyalty. And since the major costs of preparing such materials
are generally borne by other departments or budgets within the organisation, using
them in dealer communications can be a real budget saver.

· Trade and consumer publication are always in need of good editorial material. They
are generally delighted to receive and use good feature stories - or to assist the
publication in preparing them - such articles are extremely useful in communicating
not only with your present dealers and the public, but with prospective dealers and
the public, as well. You may have to send reprints of such articles to the dealers.
86

Special Occasions
Communicating with the dealers through various printed materials is a routine affair. But
there are special occasions when the company has to take extra efforts to reach the dealers.

For example, a merger or the acquisition of another company, a serious government

action affecting distribution of the product, a major internal reorganization, an attack on the
industry or the company by a consumer group, or a change in distribution might require rapid
communication to minimize confusion and disruption within the dealer organization. In such
situations, more time-consuming and costly methods of communication - such as personal
contract, telephone, telegrams, dealer conventions, filmstrips and records, motion pictures,
closed-circuit television, and newspapers advertising - may be required. The Sterlite Industries
(India) Ltd...., published a series of newspaper advertisements in various newspaper in order to
explain how Sterlite is not responsible for the alleged gas leak.

Contents of Dealer Communications

The contents of the company publication should be prepared considering the interests
of the dealers. Some such contents have been shown below. Example :

· New products and features

· New market for product

· Policies of the company with regard to warranties, repair services, etc.

· Advertising schedules.

· Advertising reprints

· Promotion plans

· Sales training tools

· Government measures that affect the dealer

· Peoples movements and their attitude toward the company

· Finance statements

· Research project

· Meeting schedules

· News of the Industry

 87

· Industry Statistics

· Case studies of dealers solution to problems, successful ideas, etc.

· Company’s future plan

Training Programmes for Personnel

Training programs for the personnel of dealers, is a vital phase of any manufacturer’s
effort to foretell consumer a government complaints. As products become more complex, the
training of retailers’ personnel is an unceasing requirement. Some manufacturers include in
their dealer franchise agreement the requirement that the service personnel of the dealer will
attend periodic training courses offered by the manufacturer.

Contacting Consumers

To the manufacturer, any dissatisfied user of his product is not only a source for ill will
and damaging word-of-mouth, but part of a potential grounds well of consumerist pressures.
Also, through a given dealer may not be responsible for an individual consumer’s disgruntlement
because the product was bought elsewhere, he suffers from the resulting negative attitude
toward the brand.

Manufacturers sometimes address the consumer directly and respond to their questions
and complaints. This will be helpful to dissuade all kinds of customer dissatisfaction. A dissatisfied
user can damage the business not only for the dealer responsible for the dissatisfaction, but for
almost all the dealers of the product.

Check Your Progress - I

1. Write short notes on:

(a) Advertising Aid.

(b) Dealer Communication Programme.

(c) From of Print Communication.

(d) Special Occasions.

5.6 Suppliers Relations

Following the Industrial Revolution trades and business organisations have gained
predominance in the society. Mushrooming growth of free enterprising corporations and their
88

capabilities of producing wide verity of products in large column have generated “pluralism”. In
such a complex situation, the concept of “interdependency” instead of “independency” is
increasing. Hence, the field of ‘Public Relations’ becomes imperative.

Business organisations observe two main objective to accomplish their desired goals.
The first to establish good relations with their “Publics” both internal and external. Securing the
Co-operation of these publics by mutual understanding need to determine the success of the
company. The second objective defines the responsibility of promoting goodwill of the Company
through services and products. The attainment of the second destination highly depends of the
success of the former. Building corporate image, the backbone of the company is certainly a
result of the cultivation of harmonious relationship and mutual understanding between the
organisation and its ‘publics’. This is the philosophy of ‘Public Relations’. The whole PR
programme is centred around the facts explained above.

This chapter deals with the manufacturer and suppliers one of the main external publics.
Role of suppliers in productions, importance of securing and retaining relations with suppliers,
suppliers relation as a kind of partnership, relationship campaign programme, programme
execution, rule of public Relation Officer in execution are dealt with here.

Public : A group of people sharing a common interest.

Business Organisations are constituted with internal
and external publics.

Internal publics include the people working insider

the company and constituting an integral part of it.
Share / stock holders and all kinds of employees are
internal publics.

External publics are those outside serving the co-

operations. They include consumers, community
neighbours, suppliers, dealers, middlemen,
distributors, retailers, Government etc.,

Suppliers Demand
Consumer culture or consumerism prevailing in the modern society demands news
innovative and variety of products steadily. Scientific and technological components and complex
 89

equipments are required to satisfy the growing demands of consumers. Highly specialised
materials and processed become involved in the production of modern amenities. Moreover
the growth of business organisations by leaps and bounds and competitions among them warrant
‘Specialisation”. The era of ‘specialisations’ forces the manufacturers to depend on various
suppliers for various components of their products. Even large manufacturers, with all their
facilities and people, could not operate without the helps of thousands of resources that supply
raw materials, parts accessories, tools and service for productions. For example, a car
manufacturing company is reliant on atleast about ten different supplier organisations for various
parts to assemble a car. Thus in one way or another hundreds of thousands of corporations
large and small in every part of the country play major roles in manufacturing consumer, industrial
goods.

Manufacturers of modern days realise that their suppliers are a primary source of quality
products. Suppliers provide materials and services for productions. Allocation of major portions
of the cost of production to raw materials and other components reveals the demand for suppliers.
This fact is endorsed by support of the manager of a leading company. He opines, “suppliers
provide materials and services worth approximately one half of the income from sales of the
manufacturer”. At the outset, the quality of the components attracts attention of manufacturers
since the quality of the ingredients determines the quality of the products which inturn promotes
the goodwill of the company.

Indirect Suppliers

In addition, a growing number of small companies are indirectly involved in supplying

goods. Thousands of such secondary or indirect suppliers who provide services to primary
suppliers and their resources are equally important in the game. But it is impossible to see
where the chain of participants ends in the national economic developmental networks.

A high percentage of suppliers of Indian Industry are small scale businesses 90% of the
suppliers of ‘Maruti Company’ employ less than 500 people and good number of their indirect
suppliers employ not even 100 people. However, their specialised skills and equipments fulfill
the growing needs of manufacturers and expectations of consumers.

Suppliers are located in all parts of the country for eg. Fenner (India) Limited Company
producing Engineering electronic products, Auto-belts, Textile yarns etc expands it’s tentacles
in all major cities throughout the country. The secondary suppliers of the company are likewise
seen even in the district towns.
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5.7 Suppliers Selection

The concept of credibility or reliability is getting major concern in the world of competition.
The growing number of originations producing variety of products in large quantity may lead to
unfair competition. In such kind of market situation, choice of reliable suppliers is a complex
task. So manufacturers are conducting aggressive campaigns to secure reliable sources of
supply. Moreover competition among manufacturers for good suppliers may be keen because
the number of reliable suppliers of some particular products is limited. Suppliers also are pursuing
a policy of selective marketing and disposing of their productors to a limited number of desirable
purchasers.

Nobody underestimates the difficulties faced in choosing the reliable suppliers. Various
complex factors may influence and interfere in the task. The three essential factors to be
considered before supplier selection are as follows ;

1. Quality of their material and workmanship.

2. Timely services that meet production needs.

3. Fair-price, Fair price does not mean lowest price

Outstanding quality and superior services often get primary consideration rather than the
lowest price. Quality and timely services may build the corporate image. As far as concerning
fair price, manufacturers want assurance that suppliers are pricing their products fairly because
of efficient production facilities, sound engineering and research. They appreciate the fact that
suppliers must make a fair profit and adequate return on capital invested. Hence, ‘price’ receives
often secondary considerations since the quality and fair-price always go together.

Philosophy of Partnership

Manufacturer should not estimate that the relationship between the suppliers and
purchasers are abruptly ended up with the selling - buying process. But it is bound up with some
amounts of partnership. Obviously functional relationships between suppliers and purchasers
are inherent. So that an increasing number of manufacturers are highly co-operating with the
organisations of suppliers owing to the production processes becoming more mechanic and
lowering labour content of finished products.
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Functional Relationships

The purchaser of the manufacturing company decides and instructs the suppliers as to
what goods shall be manufactured, the quantities required, the cost and the time to be delivered.
The suppliers similarly consult with their purchaser customer in planning the design, performance,
quality and cost of merchandise to be purchases. Then the suppliers wants assurance that the
customer will buy regularly in sufficient volume to employ production facilities for a reasonable
length of time and for a price that will return a fair profit.

Purchasers are counselling suppliers an accounting, engineering, designing and perhaps

management. Suppliers are assisted in obtaining equipment, plant facilities, materials and
certainly finance by manufacturers. Manufacturers in their turn extract specialised skills and
quality from the suppliers.

Above all, suppliers are recognised as invaluable sources of informations on new materials,
markets, prices and range of consumptions. Obviously suppliers become reliable sources of
publicity and word of mouth advertisings. Sometimes suppliers may be the prospective buyers
of their manufacturer customers.

Manufacturers who maintain harmonious relations with suppliers are assured of prompt
deliveries inorder to meet production needs. Good relations assure of a reliable sources of
supply when an unforeseen shortages are created by abnormal demand or emergencies that
curtail productions.

Supplier Relations

Relationship between the corporation and its publics should necessarily be mutual and
two-way. Manufacturer and all other publics must complement each other, since interdependency
of one another is pivotal for smooth functioning of the organisations. D.D. Frees, formerly
manager of Ford Motor company once advocated, how each group depends on the other to
complete their task. He explained with an illustration. “A prime factor in the success of our
industry must be our dealers. As they succeed, our production keep on moving. A company
cannot progress without them. Similarly dealer organisations cannot succeed without a successful
manufacturer”. Likewise the reliance of all other corporate bodies and manufacturers also is
crystal clear. Both manufacturers and their ‘publics’ accept the importance of understanding
and co-operation, nevertheless their relationship are not always amicable and harmonious.
Suppose, if he purchaser - supplier relationship become strained, the quality and timely supply
of goods will be badly affected and also the manufacturer may loose his reliable supplier.
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The responsibility of establishing good relations with suppliers is defined to purchasing

section works under the material management department. Organisations with decentralised
system of management permits decentralisation in purchasing also. In such a case, the local
materials department manager with his purchasing personnel take responsibility of purchaser -
supplier relations campaign programme. When it is as centralised system of management the
headquarters assumes the charge.

Public Relations department of the company plays major role in campaigning. Public
Relations officer is executing the campaign programme by starting with the constitution of a
committee called supplier relations committee. He is responsible for co-ordinating all the
departments involved namely purchasing, receiving, inspection, engineering, accounting,
production and sales promotion. While the heads of all these departments serve as the executive
members, PRO will chair the committee.

Functions of the Committee

Under the Chairmanship of PRO, the committee evolves appropriate purchasing policies
and procedures for favorable relationships with the suppliers. The committee surveys the supplier
relations, approves the schedule of the campaign programme submitted by PR dept., provides
consultancy to PRO in preparing the schedule and appraises the effectiveness of the programme.

The campaign programme schedule prepared by PRO mainly concentrates the following
steps to be carried out during campaigning.

1. Setting objectives and goals.

2. Understanding suppliers’ attitudes towards the company through research.

3. Planning and preparing communication strategy assuring two-way communication

based on truth and ethics.

4. Preparing policies for puchasing and all other departments involved in productions.

Now let us examine each step.

I. Objectives

It is essential to set our definite and clear objectives and goals to be achieved at the end
of the programme. Generally the main objectives are :
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1. To establish the mutually of interests between suppliers and purchasers.

2. To estimate what suppliers think about the company’s purchasing and overall policies
and procedures.

3. To establish the company as a friendly partner, genuinely co-operative exclusively

in working out production and supply problems.

4. To show suppliers how they can improve their methods of production and thus
increase their net returns.

5. To maintain a friendly relationships with the representatives of the suppliers through

fair and equitable treatment.

6. To provide materials and suggestions for improving supplier relations to their staff
of purchasing, receiving, inspection, engineering accounting departments that work
with suppliers.

Public relations programmers always keeps in mind the above objectives to be achieved
and gears the whole programme towards it.

Check your progress - II

1. Write short notes on:

(a) Partnership and Functional Relationship

(b) Functions of Public Relations Officers committe

5.8 Summary
A better understanding of the relationship between the distributor ad dealer, types of
distribution policy, relationship of distributor and dealer communication programme will enable
the Public Relations students to have a better knowledge of the avidiene forms of print media
and special occasions.

Students of Public Relations should have a better understanding of Public Relation's role
in business firms. These are several aspects to be concentrated such as suppliers demand,
selection philosophy of partnership functional relationship Public Relations committees, their
functions, meeting, case research, policy programme execution communication strategy,
interviews, meetings, case etc.
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5.9 Key Words

Distributor, Dealer Relations, Understanding the Audience, Contacting Consumers,
Suppliers Demand, Supplier Relations, Philosophy of Partnership

5.10 Answers to check your progress

I 1. See Section 5.2, 5.5, 5.5 and 5.5

II 1. See Section 5.7 and 5.7.

5.11 Review Questions

1. Explain the distributor-dealer relations.

2. Bring out the types of distributor policy.

3. Explain the basic role of Public Relations in business firms

4. Give a brief account of suppliers activities where Public Relations in invested

5.12 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

5. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.
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LESSON – 6
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able to:

• Define and discuss the release of community and areas of community relation
programme

• Trace and analyse the community relationship

• Analyse the organizational arrangement of community relations and communication

process

• Explain consumer relation, group functioning etc. of general motor corporation and
the theoreticalaspect of employees consumer communication.

Structure of the Lesson

6.1 Introduction

6.2 What is a Community ?

6.3 Areas of Community Relation Programme

6.4 The Evolution of Community Relationship

6.5 Organization of Community Relations

6.6 Communicating with the Community

6.7 Consumer Relations

6.8 Sub-Group in Consumer Public

6.9 Organisation for Consumer Relations

6.10 Media Communication and Consumers

6.11 Summary

6.12 Key Words

6.13 Answers to check your progress

6.14 Review Questions

6.15 Suggested Books for References

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6.1 Introduction
In the previous lesson, we dealt with the distributor, dealer and supplier relations and their
importance. This lesson will teach us about the community relations and its related programme.
“Community relations, as a public relations function, are an institution’s Planned, active and
continuing participation with and within a community to maintain and enhance its environment
to the benefit of both the institution and the community”. Wilbur Peak considers both business
and its community as ‘organisms’. Therefore both affect as well as are affected by their mutual
environment.

The challenges confronting cities and suburbs today are not simple. They require the
unified commitment of both the public and private sectors of society, the combined talents and
energies of both individual and organizations. However there are two important differences
between a community and a business: A community surrounds and permeates a business. A
community is unfettered by the policies and organisation that control restrict the operations and
performance of a business.

Since we live in an age in which religious, educative and governmental institutions at all
levels can be shaken through the efforts of small minority groups, no company can ignore the
likelihood of being similarly affected.

6.2 What is A Community?

A community is defined as.

(1) A Social groups of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share
government and have common cultural and historical heritage”.

(2) A group of plants or animals living together in the same surroundings, usually
dependent on each other from the means of existence”.

Now the meaning of the term community has changed. Formerly community stood for the
“home town”. Now we have begun to understand each community as a complex unit of diverse
forces. These forces have begun to organise themselves well and voice their opinions and
demands powerfully. “Community” is a complex organism, a collection of diverse, changing and
potent forces. The basic unit of a community is of course, the individual. He or She is directly
responsible for the changing nature of the community.
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Greater knowledge, affluence and highly sophisticated means of communications and

transportation have given forth the desire to lead a comfortable life. Luxuries have turned into
necessities. Women are no more willing to lead a life of drudgery. Individual have begun to
recognise not only their needs but also their rights as consumers.

While an individual finds he can achieve certain ends by speaking out for his “rights”, he
also learns two other important facts. One is that if he joins with others in seeking essentially
the same rights, the group voice will be louder and have greater impact. The success of many
“consumer groups” points up how effective such voices can become. The other is that within
the community are other individuals with common problems who collectively have common
control or leverage in a vital function of that community.

Teachers, doctors, plumbers, maintenance, personnel, cab drivers, policemen, firemen -

these natural grouping, become strong bargaining units in any community. Their leverage is the
possible withholding of their service to a community. Furthermore, any group can achieve at
least three things: recognition, a hearing, and consideration. These things it can get with minimal
effort in a free society with the means of communications.

When a group gets ‘recognition’ it begins gain additional sympathy and support within the
community. As a result the force of the group grows. Rotary, Lions, Chamber of Commerce,
and the like are common community groups. Such groups generally are so identified with the
community, that we take them for granted. They can be potent forces working in support of
sound company community goals.

But there are still other groups that we can identify with much less certainly. They are :
minorities, dissidents, liberals, radicals, Yippies, left wing and right wing groups. All the groups,
plus perhaps a few social segments not yet organised, constitute the community. All of them
work for change in the community’s environment.

Some of these groups may serve the company’s best interests. They could also turn their
force against the company, with or without good reason. In a community relations programme,
the first step is to understand the community. Until recently, a company coming into a community
generally was considered a benefit. A new company meant more jobs and more money in the
community. In short the community needed business to survive.

But communities today have begun to realise that they cannot remain passive. There are
other survivals that require adequate consideration. At the same time communities have learned
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that they must compete for business. A community that is unattractive, problem - beset, or
otherwise unhealthy can fail to attract the new business it needs.

The community, unable to cope with the growing magnitude of its problems, is being
forced to turn to business for help. For large urban communities, both the problems and their
magnitude are patently evident. Businesses in smaller communities may yet have the advantages
of responding to community needs. Responding to the community needs in time can contribute
positively to the growth of the business organisation. The failure to do so would damage the
reputation of the company.

6.3 Areas of Community Relation Programme

A community relation programme may have to concentrate of three areas. 1) to gather
intimate knowledge of the community’s components. 2) knowledge of the community’s strengths
and weaknesses. 3) "in house” analysis of the company in terms of its own needs. No company
can deal with all components of a community or take on all of a community’s problems. Nor
should a company try. Only some groups and individuals can serve a company’s needs. Only
some problems can be tackled by a business house.

Listing all the problems of a community - crime, pollution, shortages in housing or

employment, poverty, inadequate health or education faculties is important. But so is listing
community strengths. A community needs to maintain its strong points and try its best to enhance
them. The weaknesses of a community could not be minimised if the attractions to that community
decline. It would become all the more difficult is nearby communities begin to excel.

For example, if your company is in the community because of its strong purchasing power,
a campaign to attract more industry to town may be highly advantageous to your firm. Promoting
your community as a good place to live and work may be an important step in easing a tight
labor market. Once you know the makeup of your community and the environmental factors
that affect it, a little cross-indexing can improve both research elements. Relate the wants and
needs of individuals and the causes of groups, to the community strengths and weaknesses.
Note those areas that require attention.

Community, Business Interdependence

The people who live in a community and the institutions that serve them are mutually
dependent. The people cannot enjoy a good life without he institutions and the institutions can
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exist only with the consent and support of the people. Business organisations are among the
more important community institutions. Business serves the community by providing regular
employment, reasonable wages and financial benefits; by purchasing goods and services from
local suppliers, by paying taxes to maintain local government; by contributing to charities and
cultural projects; and by assuming in all respects the role of a good citizen. In these and other
ways, the progressive business institution is in a prostitution to contribute to the welfare of the
community.

The people, for their part, supply skilled labour, management personnel and investment
capital; and they consume the goods and services which business produces. Through local
government, they provide fire and police protection, public utilities, highways and sanitary
services. The welfare of both community and business depends upon what each contributes to
their mutual benefit. For these reasons a company must accept its responsibility to the community
in which it operates, not only by providing jobs and paying taxes, but also by being a good
citizen taking an active part in community life, assuming cultural leadership, supporting education,
promoting community health, combating lawlessness, and working for efficient government
and providing facilities for recreation.

6.4 The Evolution of Community Relationship

The attitude of business management toward the communities in which it operates has
changed. In the past, almost everything consumed in the community was made in small shops
and sold by local merchants who frequently were not actively interested in community service.
As communities grew and commerce and industry expanded, however, companies from outside
the community build factories and established stores in the area. These newcomers realized
that they would be regarded as ‘foreigners’, interested only in making money for absentee
owners residing in distant places. To overcome community resistance and secure acceptance,
many of them sought to establish closer identify through community relations programs. Today,
most companies recognize a responsibility to work actively for the development of the
communities in which they operate.

Advantages of Good Community Relations

Residents of a plant community are potential stockholders. They can contribute a great
deal to good plant community relations by creating goodwill for a company and defending it
against discriminatory regulations.
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Recruiting employees is facilitated if a company has gained a good reputation in the area.
Employees prefer to work in a community where they can send their children to good schools;
enjoy facilities for recreation, cultural attractions and sports; attend churches and synagogues
of their own choice; live in attractive housing; and have adequate transportation. Business
recognizes that it must work for these community that maintains a favourable community
reputation should, all else being equal, reasonably expect to sell more of its products in plant
communities.

Plant and store efficiency are dependent upon good public utilities - fire, police, and
sanitation and water services which can be obtained only through the efforts of business people
working for good government. Good community relations secure local identify for the plant. The
Community Relations Policy stated by the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation may be
applicable to any company which has a fair share of social responsibility.

To convince residents in its plant communities that the corporation is good industrial
neighbor, willing to shoulder its part in community responsibilities by providing leadership and
support for worthy health, welfare and civic programs; that it prays its fair share of taxes to
support schools and other government services; that it contributes to community stability and
growth; and that it is a good place to work.

Objectives of Community Relation Programmes

The objectives of the community relations programmes should be in such a way that
ultimately there is improvement in the business turn over. Following are some such objectives.

— To inform the community about a company’s policies, operations and problems and
to tell the story of what it makes, how many people it employs, the size of its payroll,
what it pays in taxes, what it spends locally, how it regards its community
responsibilities and what it contributes to the social and economic life of the locality.

— To inform employees connected with a company about its operations and to stimulate
them to pass this information along to their friends and neighbours in the community.

— To answer criticism and repel attacks by local pressure groups who are misinformed
about the company and industry.

— To establish a company as an important factor in community life through contributions

to local institutions and participation in neighbourhood affairs.
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— To find out what the community is thinking and saying about a company and its
policies and operations.

— To promote the welfare of a community by advertising its attractions to tourists and

its resources and industrial potential to attract new industry.

— To get acquainted with the people in a community by inviting local groups and
opinion leaders to meet corporate executives and to see how the company operates.

— To cooperate with schools and colleges by providing educational materials and

furnishing training facilities and equipment.

— To provide cultural leadership by encouraging greater appreciation of art, music

and drama.

— To aid agriculture in areas where community welfare is dependent on the prosperity

of surrounding.

— To promote community health by supporting local health programmes.

— To supply sports and recreation activities and sponsoring events for the community.

— To promote a better understanding of national and local economic and political

affairs by organising discussion groups.

— To sponsor forums for the understanding of business and the economic system.

— To show citizens of the community that a company is a good citizen and a good
employer.

— To convince the community that a local plant is not simply a branch of a large
corporation, but is a local business that fully accepts and acts upon its local
requirements.

— To maintain harmonious relationships with community leaders.

— To create a business climate conducive to efficient economical operations and

establish the company as a good place to work in he eyes of prospective employees.

6.5 Organisation of Community Relations

A basic community relations program is developed by the headquarters public relations
department in Multiplan corporations and made available to individual plants, which adapt it to
the needs of their communities. The headquarters public relations department plans and prepares
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releases and offers advice and assistance to local plant managers. Field or regional public
relations officers of large companies also work with local plant management on their community
relations programmes.

Employee's Role in Community Relations

As citizens of the community in which a company operates, employees are the best
persons to speak for its policies; their words and actions have an important influence on corporate
relations. Opinion surveys very strongly support this view.

Employee participation in civic affairs is an important index of the effectiveness of a

community relations program. Large corporations customarily question employees on this subject.
If employee attitudes are favourable, if employee participate in civic activities and if they are
informed about company policies, practices and contributions to community welfare, the company
has a sound foundation upon which upon which to build its community relations program.

The people in plant communities have a natural curiosity about their business neighbors,
just as they have about the family next door. The community is interested in the nature of a
company’s business’ the number of local stockholders; corporate investment in local property;
products produced; plant output; local expenditures for fuel, rent, supplies and maintenance
contribution to community welfare; taxes paid in the community; research and development;
financial status and growth potential.

Before initiating a community relations program, a company should know the attitudes of
local citizens toward the company and, equally important, the civic, social, political and economic
problems of the community. This information can be determined through opinion surveys.

6.6 Communicating With the Community

There are several modes of communication for communicating with the community.
The main modes are discussed in the following passages.

Annual Reports

Annual report is a widely used medium. Companies send annual reports to community
leaders, editors, schools and libraries besides distributing them to employees and plant visitors.
Annual reports are also published in local newspapers in the form of advertisements. By going
through the annual reports the community comes to know the financial position of the company.
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Newspaper Ads

Institution newspaper advertising is one of the principal media of communication with

people in plant communities. The newspaper reaches a large proportion of the community at
comparatively low cost. Although it is a mass medium, newspapers advertising offers a reasonable
degree of audience selectivity through choice of newspapers, position in the paper and schedule.
This permits and advertiser to concentrate on a particular community or to reach a specific
segment of the community public. Quick action in communicating an important message to the
community is possible with daily-newspapers advertising.

Radio, Television

Radio and television broadcasts effectively communicate institutional advertising

messages. These media exploit the human choice through sound effects and music. Here,
audience selection may be achieved through thoughtful choice of station, time etc.

Open Houses

“Open house” means a time (or day) during which a company is open to public for
exhibition. Usually companies set apart one day in every year for the ‘open house’. Public
Sector organisations prefer to have the open house on the National and Science Day (Feb. 28).

This is an effective way to inform the people of the community about a business is to
invite them to visit the plant and witness its operations. A plant tour can effectively demonstrate
that a company is a good place to work and that it is interested in the welfare of its employees.
Seeing is believing. So open house gives the community an accurate impression of the business,
and is therefore an effective way of building understanding. In addition, interest of the employee
is stimulated by giving them an opportunity to show their families and neighbours where and
how they work.

The local manager and his community relations staff are responsible for deciding when
and how plant tours and open houses should be scheduled and conducted. The cooperation of
department managers is sought and through them the assistance of employees as guides and
lecturers is obtained. In planning an open house, the plant community relations manager may
confer with the headquarters community relations staff.
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Meeting with Community Heads

To promote better understanding of company polices and operations, many companies

arrange meetings with community leaders in plant cities. Opinion leaders such as teachers,
ministers, city officials, state and national legislators, bankers, doctors, lawyers and engineers
are invited to interact with the employees of the company.

Company Personnel Visiting Community Institutions

The executives of the company make it a point to keep in touch with various institutions
in the community. Temples, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and jails provide scope for
welfare activities and sponsored programmes. By sharing their responsibility and in participating
in their programmes the executives get to know more about different segments of the community.

Exhibit and Displays

Exhibits and displays of finished products, raw materials and steps in the production
process are set up in display windows of local stores, air terminals and banks to inform the
community about a company and its products.

The California Packing Corporation, the Monsanto Company and other large corporations
have installed displays of their products in brokerage houses throughout the country.

The Chase Manhattan Bank, New York City, uses timely institutional window displays in
all its branches to inform the community public of its services.

The Equitable Gas Company, Pittsburgh, develops community goodwill by using its first
floor for continuous displays featuring ethnic group in the area, holidays, school artwork, fashion
shows, and the armed forces.

6.7 Consumer Relations

Consumerism and consumer relations would be the great ironies of modern business
history. One of the major roles of the public relations advisor is counselling his employer in
ways of winning the confidence and consequently the repeat patronage of the consumers of his
products or services. It has been observed that “Consumerism is a reaction to a tension that
has developed in the U.S. economy which is geared to the mass consumption of goods by
masses of people who still want to be treated as individuals”.
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Development of Consumerism

Consumerism is simply the result of a breakdown, in the contractual relationship between

the buyer and the manufacturer. Things bought may not be up to the expectations of the buyer
and this happens often. Buyers make complaints and they demand protection by the government.
Political leaders senses the powerful public (voter) appeal in this situation and promise the
consumers that they will protect the consumers again such activities of the producer if they are
elected. Consumerism in America today covers a multitude of widely felt grievances. People’s
protest about product safety and packaging, lack of product information, deceptive guarantees,
misleading price comparison, poor service, and refusal of refunds make consumerism as a
political issue.

Two aspects of the phenomenon of the consumerism are to be understood by those

who develops constructive public relations approaches : (i) consumerism is a mass movement
it is inseparably related to all of the other mass manifestations of frustration or protect such as
public protect groups who march under the banners of peace, clean air, and water, equal
employment opportunity etc.

Rise of consumerism : Legislation to protect consumers is about 100 years old in the
U.S. although consumerism as such is generally accepted to be a development of relatively
recent times. In 1872, the congress enacted the criminal fraud statue following exposes of
drastic market abuses and in 1887 it established the inter State Commerce Commission.

Consumer Regulations

The topics covered in these consumer regulations include : drug labeling and safety,
packaging and labeling of consumer goods, cigarette advertising, meat inspection, product
safety, flammable fabrics, licensing of clinical laboratories, consumer credit, automobile
insurance, gas pipeline safety, poultry inspection, fraud lent land sales, control of radiation,
freedom of information, protection of Individual privacy, fire safety, warranties and guarantees,
class legal actions to re-cover damages for groups of consumers, safety closures on drug
packages, and loss or theft of credit cards.

(1) They stated that business is partly at fault in allowing the movement of consumerism
to reach its present omnibus proportions.

(2) They are unanimous that the only proper response is a constructive one and that
there may be opportunity as well as difficulties for business in the consumer revolt.
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Both of these concepts are of major importance for people in public relations.

Consumer Relations

Public relations practice has brought a good image of an organization. American

consumer public who are more than 30 crores determine the success or failure of every industrial
and commercial enterprises in the nation. Thus the main aim of every business corporation
should be to plan its course with the existence of the consumer clearly in mind. A sincere
concern for the consumer brings about a new direction in business enterprises. The consumer
movements have given motivation for the business to give due consideration for consumer
relation. It has been remarked by James Ferguson, the president and chief executive officer of
General Foods in 1975 as that “responsible consumerists as another source of market research
information identifiers of developing trends who are providing the insight into the latent and not
so - latent concerns of the bonafide consumer - people to whom business should listen very
carefully. Consumers, particularly consumer extremists have cited as a pressure point on business
and are responsible for social reforms. There has emerged a clamouring for consumer rights in
every part of business relations - product safety, truth in advertising, sufficient labelling and full
warranties - all with the support of the government.

Consumer Public

For many big business corporations, developing better relations with their massive
consumer public is a difficult task. Consumers in America organise themselves into groups and
then they use these brands of mutual interest to communicate their opinions. Business companies
have selected this type of smaller public whose good will and patronage are most essential to
the welfare of the companies. These sub-publics are organised according to the characteristics
of age, sex, occupation and interests. These groups consist of men, women, children, parents,
labour unions, professional associations, safety groups etc. For e.g.. companies producing
home need goods such as food, cosmetics etc focus their attention and consumer relations
activities on women public. Farsighted corporations seeking acceptance of the consumers of
tomorrow cultivate the youth public.

6.8 Sub-Groups in Consumer Public

The Sub-Groups in the Consumer Public are classified into five.

(i) Female public

(ii) Youth Public

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(iii) Customer Public

(iv) Business - Manager Public and

(v) Farmer Public

(i) Female Public

The female public is a most important consumer group for a wide variety of home and
family goods and services. Women constribute for more than 50 percent of nations savings and
privately held securities. They purchase billions of dollars in goods and services annually and
also influence the expenditure of additional billions of dollars. Women also account for more
than 50 percent of the total population growth and labour force growth. Many American women
are organised into thousands of women’s club which are important channels of communication
with female public. Women’s club members are opinion leaders in their communities meet at
regular intervals. They discuss many aspects of such as cultural, political, economic and social
subjects. These women clubs are interested in program material that is supplies by the consumer
relations staffs of co-operations, union, social service and other oganisations.

(ii) Youth Public

The good-will of youth between the ages of 14 and 17 is vital to the welfare of industry
and commerce; not only they are consumers themselves but they also exercise and important
influences on the consumption of goods and service done by their family. The future of democratic
form of government depends upon their understanding and support of the society and economy.
Business organisation have to cultivate young people through public relation programs.

Youth public consist of publics from elementary school, high school and college. Each
group is reached through its own media and influenced by its own motivations and acts in its
own interests. Effective relations with youth must take into consideration their behaviour, attitudes
and inter Scourts, Girls Scouts, Future Farmers of America, Future Home Makers of America,
YMCA, YWCA are a major channel of communication with boys and girls.

Business corporations provide a wide variety of educational and character - building

activities to the boys and girls within the age group of 6 to 21 in order to win the good will of
them. To create a better understanding of the American Business System; many corporation
sponsor one or more of the nation’s Junior Achievement Companies. Each is formed and operated
from 8 to 15 boys and girls between the ages of 15 to 21 years. The companies elect officers,
select a name, sell stock, buy raw material, lease ages of 15 and 21 years. The companies
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elect officer, select a name, lease machinery, advertise, sell, keep accounts and perform all
functions of a business enterprise under the guidance of corporation executives.

For instance, A Junior Fireman’s Day is sponsored annually by General Motors Guide
Lamp Division for boys and girls. The children are given rides of fire trucks and presented with
a junior fireman’s helmet. The boys and girls sign a pledge to observe basic rules for reducing
fire hazards. General motors’ corporation encouraged youths of high school and college age in
fine craftsmanship and drills them in its practice by means of an automobile model - building
competition in which generous awards serve as incentives.

(iii) The Customer Public

Many industrial and commercial firms are interested in “customer” public in their consumer
- relations activities. For business corporations “customers are most valued assets. They are a
source of repeat sales, testimonials and references; and they are also a primary references;
and they are also a primary source of new customers. Less time and expense are required to
keep an old customer than to get a new customer. Cooperations seek to retain the goodwill of
customers by regularly communicating with them through. Cooperations seek to retain the
goodwill of customers by regularly communication with them through sales representatives, by
correspondence, through meetings, by surveys and by regular mailing of the company magazine.

Companies adopting various strategies to satisfy their customers on the proper use and
maintenance of products.

They are :

(i) Recipe books, instruction manuals instruct customers in the proper preparation of
food and beverages and in the proper operation and case of mechanical products
are given to customers.

(ii) Salesman are trained in instruct owners in operation and in making adjustments
and minor repairs.

(iii) Adoption of service policy providing for periodic inspection and essential maintenance
assure the customers to obtain maximum satisfaction and trouble due operation of
products.
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The merits of these stragies are

(i) Continuous information about the products to the customers will help people to
effect economies in use, secure added comfort and convenience, speed up
performance and enjoy greater safety.

(ii) Customers when informed about new or additional uses for products which will
bring them greater satisfaction and profit.

Companies adopted many ways to maintain good relations with owners / customers. An
electrical appliances manufacturer conducted an essay contest giving customers an opportunity
to express their satisfaction with the product and asked the owners for suggestions for the
improvement of the product.

Illustration

The Chevrolet Motor Division of the General Motor Corporation has adopted four different
activities to enhance the customer - company relations by establishing owner - relation department
in 1956. To develop owner good will; this department has adopted the following :

(a) establishment of Forward Development Boards.

(b) establishment of owner panels.

(c) conducing charrolet owner meetings.

(d) sending questionnaire to get the opinions of the customers.

(a) Establishment of owner - relations department

Owner - Relations department functions through :forward development boards”. Each

board is composed of nine wholesale executives regional manager, branch manager, city
manager, regional department manager, zone department manager, and four district managers
- in addition to five dealers. Board members suggest recommendations for improving owner
relation for the company and dealers.

(b) Establishment of owner panels

In every state, owner panels representing a random section of 1,200 chevrolet owners
who serve as owner counsellors have established panel owners are clarified into two namely
passenger - car owners and truck owners. They are contracted periodically by mail to secure
their opinions on specific areas of chevrolet products and services.
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(c) Chervolet owner meeting

Conducting owners meeting a group consists of not more than 15 chevrolet owners,
selected at random meet with the owner - relations staff in their home cities to express their
views on chevrolet products and services. Opinions are tape-recorded and forwarded to operating
departments to be utilised in improving products and services.

(d) Sending questionnaires to customers

Chevrolet’s owner - relations department is sending questionnaires to a representatives

number of new customers, asking for their opinions on the product, delivery and matters which
concern owners at the time of making their purchases. These questionnaires are furnished to
management so that its may be aware of owner's interests.

(iv) The Business - Manager Public

Managers of the business enterprises continue the important business - manager public.
Business managers are responsible for the consumption of raw materials, fabricating parts,
machinery, installation equipment, transportation, construction, processing, communication etc.
Business managers not only control the consumption of the volume of goods and services used
in the operation of plants and in the production and distribution of products.

Business corporation supplying industrial and commercial concerns cultivate business

managers through oral and printed communication program involving technical specialists,
engineers, sales representatives, advertising, exhibits, films, meetings, correspondence,
periodicals and publicity.

Consumer - relations programs show business managers how they can make better
products, reduce their costs, and increase their sales and profits. Relations with the business -
manager public are responsibility of sales and advertising staff assisted by public relations
people in planning and executing public relations and sales - promotion programs to gain and
maintain the good will and patronage of business managers.

(v) The Agrarian Public

In recent years, significant changes are taken place in farming and thus farmer public
forms an important sub-group in the consumer - relations programs of many business
corporations. Business companies supplying farmer’s needs of processing farm products have
to establish consumer relations with farmer public. Farmer public relations programs are
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conducted with the help of agricultural organisations and leaders. For example, in U.S.A., Searts
and Roebuck companies are conducting relations with farmers. Sears’ farmer relations are joint
responsibility of the educational programs, consumer - education, rural programs, and medical
programs section of Sears’ public relations department. Many of these public relations activities
are financed by the Sears, Roebuck Foundation. These organisations provide agricultural
scholarships for farm youth for producing better products, poultry and dairy projects.

6.9 Organisation for Consumer Relations

In a business corporation all persons employed are responsible for better consumer
relations. Among the various departments in the corporation, marketing is highly responsible
for executing consumer - relation programs. Sales personnel, distributors and dealers are in
continuous personal contact with consumers to sell products and services. This sales relationship
with consumers is often inadequate to develop the understanding, good will and confidence of
the consumers. Public relations supplements marketing activates by research, planning,
programming and producing information, educational and service programs for consumers.

Every big business corporation is having separate section of their public relations
department devoted to consumer relations. People specialised with product publicity, product -
testing, home economics, fashion, public speaking, consumer publications are appointed in
this department. To co-ordinate the efforts of these departments in the enterprise which have
constant contacts with consumers, a consumer - relations committee composed of heads of all
departments in constituted. The director of consumer relations department may be acted as the
chairperson of this committee. The main functions of this committee are examine the consumer
relations of all the departments and evaluate the effusiveness of the consumer program.

Jim Fox, a business executive has introduced a concept known as “consumer - affairs
orgnaisation” in 1975. He has specified ten characterists for an effective “Zew depects”
consumer affairs operation in the corporate organisation. They are :

(1) The ideal department will report to the chief executive officer.

(2) Consumer - relations department should from a committee organisation to achieve

companywide involvement.

(3) There should be a written policy statement.

(4) All the staff involved in the programme to be known with the consumer - relations
policy / programs.
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(5) The Director of the consumer affairs is the chief authority to stop or to executive any
program.

(6) There should be a method for finding out whether the complaints made by the
customer regarding a bad product are true or not - that is, identifying the cheats.

(7) The consumer - relations department has to have the right to review advertising
claims.

(8) Thus has to be no warranty at all. The department would be willing to talk about the
hazards and limitation and thereby avoiding legal actions.

(9) There must be a complaint handling system.

(10) Avoid the companies of the customers by using straight talk methods.

Thus the main objectives of the consumer - relation policy are :

(a) to convince customers that the corporations products and services are constantly
being improved in quality, variety and usefulness.

(b) to provide a consistent source of supply with a rational constructive pricing policy.

(c) to treat customers fairly and

(d) to expand its own markets

(viii) Objectives of consumers relations program

The consumer - relation policy along with types of goods or services involved, character
and size of the consuming public and resources of the enterprise determine the objectives of
consumer relations program. They are :

(i) to determine what consumers think about the policies, products of services of the
companies.

(ii) to see that statements given by the company regarding price, value and quality are
unexaggerated.

(iii) to improve consumer service by more satisfactory handling of complaints.

(iv) to educate employee to give prompt, accurate and friendly service to the customers.

(v) to disseminate the information given by the public about the products, services etc.

(vi) to make the product more satisfactory to the customer through product research.
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(vii) to label the products and to establish grades or standards of product quality.

(viii) to maintain and develop relations with home - economics, teachers and agents for
food stores etc.

(ix) to prepare and distribute directions, recipes on the use of products so that consumers
will derive maximum satisfaction from using products.

6.10 Media Communication and Consumers

While planning a consumer relations program, the public relations staff must first get a
clear understanding of the attitudes of the consuming public about the company of its products.
Secondly, in addition to opinion surveys, the complaints to the customers should be referred to
the consumer - relations department for immediate action. Thirdly, based on the information,
the company would give facts about the company to the customers.

Finally, subjects for communication, as indicated by the research are selected and written
by public relations staff writers. The next step is selection of media of communication.

The different methods of media of communications are :

(i) Oral Communication with consumers.

(ii) Audio-visual Communication

(iii) Printed Communication

(i) Oral Communication

It is the most effective means of presenting facts and creating an understanding of the
company’s policies and programs to the consumers. The oral communication with the consumer
public would be of two types namely.

1) Employee - Consumer Communication

2) Plant - Visit by Consumers

1) Employee - Consumer Communication

(A) Training programs

The public relations department should develop an employee training program for the
staff in the various departments of the organisation to create a feeling among them that they
should participate in consumer relations program. This type of training programs will create.
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(a) a responsibility among the organisation’s staff in developing good public relations.

(b) a source of information about the company, its functions and polices.

(c) a realisation of the importance of good public relations.

(d) to impress on line executives their responsibility to interest employees in speaking

well of the company.

(B) Group discussions

Companies use group discussions with supervising personnel, and employees,

pamphlets, motion pictures, bulletin-board posters and employee publications.

(C) Formal and Informal conversations

Formal speeches by executives to community groups, informal conversation of employees

with their families, relatives, friends and neighbours and discussions group composed of
employees and representative of community orgnaisations are effective media of communication.

2) Plant visits by Consumers

Visits by consumer groups such as women’s club, students, teachers, civil and fraternal
organisations to the companies will give a chance to the people to see the operations in the
company and hear from the executives. Such visits will help to create a impression of good
working conditions.

There are two types of plant-visiting program

(a) Special - occasion open house and

(b) regular visiting hours

Effective plant visits require orgnaisation with trained guides to answer the questions of
the visitor - customer relating to the products, services, or process.

(ii) Audio - Visual Communication

(a) Communication through radio and Television : For very big companies television
telecasts and radio broadcasts are the basic medium of consumer communication. Promotional
aspects of the company may be broadcaster under the sponsor / commercial programs.
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(b) Motion Picture:They are also a major audio visual medium. The major merits of this
medium are :

(i) they appeal to the eye as well as ear

(ii) it combines information and entertainment

(iii) to speed up understanding

(iv) capture the interests of and inform consumer audiences.

(c) Exhibits with lectures and taped recording : They are used to inform
consumers about the scope of corporations’ operation, the variety and quality of its products, its
growth and progress.

(iii) Printed Communication with consumers

Printed communication are used along with oral communication media. There are various
types under this medium.

They are

(a) Publicity (b) program kits and study materials (c) library reference materials (d)
external periodicals (e) correspondence (f) institutional advertising and (g) direct - mail advertising.

Publicity

consumer opinion is formed from information transmitted by the press, television and
radio. Public relations department in the organisation is responsible for writing and distributing
releases, photographs to editors of daily newspaper, radio and television.

Program Kits and Study Materials

Number of women’s club in U.S.A. are many and they have a wide variety of educational
programs for which they seek program information from business. Program kits and study
materials prepared by public relations departments are distributed to club program committees.

External Periodicals

Very big business corporation publish external magazines relating to company’s products,
policies and accomplishments. Usually many companies publish monthly pocket - size magazine.
For example - Ford Motor company published the magazine called “FORD TIMES” for owners
and customers of ford company.
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Correspondence

Large corporation public relations departments have established separate sections

responsible for handling correspondence with consumers.

Institutional advertising

This method is used by an increasing number of corporation to inform consumers about

company program, operation, research and contribution to the public welfare. For example,
some enterprises advertise public service themes such as highway safety, forest preservation,
combating disease, narcotic addition etc.

Direct - Mail Advertising

Booklets, folder, bulletins and pamphlets are used to promote public understanding and
appreciation of a company and its activities.

Thus corporation’s relation with consumers is the basic for the success of the business
companies.

Check Your Progress

1. Write short notes on

(a) Community and Communication

(b) Consumer Relations

(c) Sub-group vs Consumer Public

6.11 Summary
Discussion about the realse of community and areas of community relation Programme
is necessary. Hence are has to trace and analyse community relationship besides a debate an
organizational arrangement of community relations and communications process. The illustration
of General Motor Corporation has provided a better wright into the practical approach.

6.12 Key Words

Community Relations

Organisations
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Group in Consumer

Media of Communication

6.13 Answers to check your progress

1. See Section: 6.6, 6.7 and 6.8

6.14 Review Questions

1. Define community and discuss area of community relation programme.

2. Explain community relationship and analyse its objectives.

3. Describe the organisatioanl arrangement required for the success of community

relation programme.

6.15 Suggested Books for References

Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the practice.
Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale,

NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth:

Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

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LESSON - 7
PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AND OFFICER
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able to:

 Put forth the major considerations in the field of Public Relations in the place of
trational approaches in Public Relations.

 Describe the difficult task of work assignment of Public Relations

 Explain the Public Relations role in government

 Discuss the status of Indian press, the relationship between press and public and
the functioning of the press

Structure of the Lesson

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Major Consideration

7.3 Status and Structure of PRD

7.4 Public Relations Consultancy

7.5 Pros and Cons of PRD

7.6 Public Relations Officer

7.7 Public Relations Role in Government

7.8 Role of Press and Media

7.9 Summery

7.10 Key Words

7.11 Answers to check your progress

7.12 Review Questions

7.13 Suggested Books for References

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7.1 Introduction
The previous lesson discussed about the community relations and programmes. This
lesson will focus on Public relations department in organisations, the pros and cons of the
same.

The traditional public relations functions have gone far in scope, content and substances.
The older public relations functions today are but a small part of a very much larger PR activity.
Furthermore, the nature of organisations varies widely from organisation to organisation and
also from country to country. And if we compare commercial with government, educational,
social or charity organisations, the differences among them in terms of structure and culture
are even greater. It is, therefore, not surprising that the nature of the PR set-up will also vary
enormously if the organisations are different in size, objectives, geographical dispersion, nature
of ownership, technology and competitive environment. Many PR persons, who switch jobs
from one organisation to another with sizeable diversity instantly forget the old lessons and
values and try to learn the new. No doubt PR today has to operate on a broader canvas but PR
education and learning never envisages totally doing away with conventional structures and
wisdom. While organising or reorganising a PR department, it would stand the public relations
and management personnel in good stead to keep these aspects in view.

7.2 Major Considerations

It involves time, thought, pertinent discussion, fact-finding exercise, planning skills and
careful execution to reorganise a PR set-up anywhere. The task is no less easy to organise an
existing department in a new way. The essential aspects of consideration and process of
execution are normally contingent upon :

 nature and structure of the organisation itself for the intended PR set-up as a part of
the whole. Whether it is an industry, private or public sector, a profit or non-profit
organisation, government department or an institution and its style of management.
Every unit will have its own particular type of PR outfit and the management will
demand fulfilment of its larger objectives anyway. In this context, the actual image
of the organisation in the public eye has to be taken into account.

 Management perception of public relations, nature of delegation, authority and

support that the management would be willing to extend.

 Actual role and tasks PR would be expected to perform both internally and externally.
120

 Whether organisational and public relations objectives match with each other for
realisation of set aims and goals.

 Whether PR personnel have made a sincere effort for a deep understanding and
knowledge of the economic and technical characteristics of the organisation. PR
will be required to have a sensitivity to social and political forces that have an impact
of the functioning of the organisation and the PR department.

 Management’s readiness to provide adequate budget allocations for successful

execution of a planned PR programme.

7.3 Status and Structure of PRD

In many western companies, the top PR official is a member of the policy-making team
that runs the company. Of course, more often, he is one or two stages below the highest level
but enjoys a status equal to members of the policy-making group. In many organisations, however,
whether in India or in other countries, the PR official is simply a minor functionary without
adequate authority even to speak for the company.

Strictly speaking, there is no international formula which can guide the basic structure of
a public relations department. There are fundamental principles which are applicable to
practitioners throughout the length and breath of the world. AT any rate, there is no dispute over
the widely-held view that public relations is a function of management and that PR is an instrument
of management. Earlier, PR had a very limited role because corporate doors were mostly shut
to the public and the press. Exceptions were sometimes made to boast about particularly excellent
year. For that too, the job used to be completed mostly by a press hand-out. The seeds of
distrust were thus laid easily between the organisation on the one hand and the press, government
and the public on the other.

Happily, business today has reached the apex level of information age and announces
point blank that “the management of change” is what company officials get paid for. The emerging
trends in business and societal demands have thud opened up a new vista for PR to review its
own status and position in the organizational structure. In a model situation, the public relations
chief should report directly to the Chief Executive, and the department under him should enjoy
an independent status like the other components of management organisation. This is applicable
to any multi-unit or single unit industrial, commercial or even large trading organisation. In the
government or statutory department, there are age-old public relations and information
 121

bureaucracies who have to work within a strict system of control and guidelines. They have, of
course, the rotational advantage from one unit to another. The structure and reporting procedures
are fixed with occasional refurbishing here and there with the change in government policies
now and then. In the new context, the Indian public sector has geared up fairly well and is in the
process of carrying out structural transformation of public relations philosophy, outlook and
actual performance.

Ironically, there is a vast gap between theory and practice of evolving viable organisational
structures. In this context, it would also be necessary to understand the respective advantages
and disadvantages of in-house PR and of consultancy.

In-House Public Relations

The ideal set-up for an in-house PR department envisages coverage of all aspects of
public relations and communication activities. The department will be expected to possess
adequate infrastructure, resources and capacity to fulfil its assigned tasks independently.

Chairperson / Chief Executive

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In general, the PR professionals who are themselves insiders feel that only they can lead
the way with confidence and achieve self-reliance in PR and communication tasks. It is true that
they usually have a far better grasp of organisational policies and objectives than any outside
consultants. A truly meaningful relationship, internally and externally, calls for a deeper mutual
understanding that comes with a continued relationship over a period. Such relationship covers
a wide spectrum of the concerned public including management, labour, community and the
media. Moreover, the in-house person acts as a spokesperson which no agency can do.

Internal communication, specially, is almost synonymous with in-house PR. Correct

internal communication intensifies interest in the organisation and underlines, strengthens and
supports its indemnity. IN order to propagate the organisations’ identity and to stand up for it in
time of crises, there cannot be any adequate substitute for in-house PR.

7.4 Public Relations Consultancy

PR consultancy in the West is already big business and attracts the best talents, clients
and fee structure. In India, a major compliant against consultancies is that they are mostly
headed and manned by non-professionals. They easily switch jobs and their totally commercial
approach is disapproved. At the same time, the in-house phenomenon that dominates the
scene today might well deserve a fresh look.

The truth is that even in India most of the PR consultancies have a good number of
clients and are financially viable. The trend indicates that the corporate sector today is showing
keen interest in PR agencies even through many companies have their own PR departments.
As in many there countries, PR consultancy profession in India has already built a strong base.
It has also achieved, to a large extent, appreciable professionalism to meet the corporate demand
for specialist services.

Admittedly, PR consultancy has changed dramatically in recent year but it is getting more
difficult also. The reason is that the client needs are becoming more complex. The unprecedented
growth of business, the globalisation of operations, the shortage of highly competent
professionals, the need for continuous innovation and specialist advice have resulted in the
increased demand for PR consultants, for the management and the in-house PR chief realise
that the consultants can be helpful but they must know how to use them. They should listen to
the consultants but never let them arrogate to themselves the role of the in-house PR manager.
In the face of controversy, it may not be wrong to say that the emergence of Pr consultancies is
 123

a stimulating factor in the overall PR scene. It has given a healthy push to PR as a profession
and provided a much-needed market orientation to its outlook and performance.

The top management and the PR chief, in conjunction with each other, turn to consultants
for broadly four things :

1. Advice on coping with change. Consultants are often known as change agents. this
would include new information techniques, problem analysis and solutions, effective
public relations programmes and making available a high standard of professional
service.

2. A fresh and independent look at overall strategy, PR organisational review,

restructuring and providing valuable inputs towards total PR and communications
effort.

3. Provide efficient support services relating to audio-visuals, print work, photography,

film and other tools of communication in preference to unproductive paper
consultancy.

4. Advice and package on investor and financial relations, government affairs and
employee relations calling for communication techniques and programmes of the
highest order.

7.5 Pros and Cons of PRD

By all account, a mutually beneficial interaction between the in-house PR and the external
PR consultant would be for the ultimate good of a company whether in the private or in the
public sector.

Why should PR managers be ready to pay handsomely to consultants for which they
themselves are paid. Indeed, this is a question which many find hard to answer. They don’t
think counselling or PR strategies can be entrusted to outsiders. Many more experts in the field
feel otherwise and claim that potential business for consultancies appears limitless. In a world
of accelerating client needs, there is no denying that PR consultancies can make genuine and
far-reaching contribution towards professionalising public relations practice. And truly, consultants
in other disciplines are feely commissioned by management for advice and fresh ideas. And
this is done without any reflection on insiders. The same guidelines should apply as well to PR
if the profession is to be treated on par with other management disciplines.
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Views and perceptions are endless and, possibly, meaningless, Each discipline has its
own advantages and disadvantages. Each can survive separately as well as in a combined
manner. The pros and cons of each in the light of organisational needs are well worth a look.

In House Public Relations

Pros Cons

1. Organisations having people 1. As a result of loyalty to the

- oriented structures will require organisation, many PR person lose
in-house PR more to promote and unbiased behaviour, as essential
maintain good relationship with requirement in the profession.
emphasis on people aspects at
all levels of working.

2. In-house PR provides full-time 2. In-house PR people normally do

service with continuity of functions. not have, nor are they interested in
They have direct access to decision knowing, the good aspects of PR
makers within the organisation. activity in other organisations.

3. Management can easily ensure value 3. Chief Executives of many

for time and money spent on PR organisations are easily lured by the
activity in diverse fields. slick talk and appearance of
Consultants while ignoring the in-
house PR capabilities.

4. Relations with the media will be more 4. Employment conditions prohibit

direct which will ensure immediate doing away with inefficient PR persons
feedback and prompt action. and in effect they become redundant.

5. PR personnel become identified with 5. In-house PR persons normally fail

the aims and objectives of the to elicit information of value from
organsiation. They protect the interest various sources involved and are at a
of the organisation better in important disadvantage pertaining to national or
PR activities like crisis communication, global communication matters.
investor relations and consumer
communication.
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Public Relations Consultancy

Pros Cons

1. Consultancy firms are like 1. Lack of continues functioning is a

advertising agencies who hindrance to effective build-up of
can be dispensed with if found reputation and attachment for the
inadequate or inefficient. consultant.

2. They normally possess wider range 2. Lack of sufficient knowledge about

of experience and exposure by the organisation for which the
working with many organsiations. consultant is working.

3. consultants can provide unbiased, 3. While dealing with the Press and
impartial service facilitating correct the government, a consultant will be
assessment of situation by the needed to make frequent reference to
management e.g. in emergencies the management for seeking approval.
like strikes, natural calamities,
consumer resistance etc.

4. They will have lavational advantage 4. Partial service and divided loyalties
enabling companies situated at of consultants create barriers of
distant places for maintaining line of communication for an organsiation.
contact with the government,
media and other agencies.
5. Consultant are better equipped 5. Most consultants employ
to collect a host of information inexperienced personnel with lower
from multiple sources which will salaries resulting in half-hearted
be of value to the management. performance by them.
they are also able to reach across
the world for global communication
matters.
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Twenty Point Public Relations Agenda

1. Preparation of written public relations programme and fixing targets for fulfilling
defined objectives.

2. Development of good working relations with the press, including newspapers,

magazines, trade journals, radio and television and other media.

3. Regular dissemination of professionally written news, photographs and feature

stories to all media, reporting significant scientific or commercial developments,
human interest stories, company organisational changes, visits of important
dignitaries and scientific and technical personnel.

4. Holding press conferences, professionally arrange and conducted, when the

company has news of genuine importance to release.

5. Maintaining a Media Information Service. To act as a clearing house for all available
data and information related to publics with whom PR and management have to
deal with including retention of a distinct media information service.

6. Arranging and guiding press, radio and television interviews of management and
carefully selected persons within the organisation.

7. Maintaining a photographic unit and a picture library.

8. Editing and producing house journal and organising other forms of internal
communication such as video cassettes, slide presentations, wall newspapers etc.

9. Editing and producing external journals aimed at distributors, users, customers etc.

7. Writing and producing print material such as company literature, annual reports,
induction brochure etc.

11. Commissioning audio-visuals such as documentary films, synchronised slide

presentations, video cassettes together with their distribution, cataloguing, showing
and maintenance.

12. Commissioning and organising PR exhibitions and representation of the organisation

in various outside meetings. Handling PR sponsorships and commissioning opinion
surveys.

13. Attendance at appropriate meetings of the company and meetings of production,

marketing and sales. Also attend sales and dealer conferences.
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14. To understand key issues of corporate communication such as long-term socio-

economic, legislative and industry trends and develop strategic programmes to
influence public opinion.

15. Planning, developing and executing PR and advertising campaigns. Supervising

general advertising and liaising with the advertising agency whenever this forms
part of PR duty.

16. Investor relations and financial communications depending on the nature of the
organisation or business. To understand the market for capital formation, identify
existing and potential investor audiences and recommend and participate in goal-
oriented strategies.

17. Maintaining regular, friendly contact with a variety of organisations and special groups
whose members can have influence of the success or failure of the company’s
operations (employees, government, community, opinion leaders, business groups,
trade unions, civic and service organisations and sports and cultural bodies).

18. Engaging in a broad range of special projects and public services designed to
increase knowledge and acceptance of the company.

19. Organising feedback through press clippings, radio and television transcripts and
convey outside opinion to management.

20. Research and analysis of feedback and evaluation of the results of efforts in relation
to the declared objectives.

7.6. Public Relations Officer

Since the states and nature of activities of public relations are undergoing tremendous
change due to advancement in science and technology and the impact of computer
advancements the nature of work of the PRO is also changing. The work assignment of PRO is
interesting in several respects.

Work Assigment of PRO

1. Writing : News releases, newsletters, correspondence, reports, speeches, booklet
texts, radio and television copy, film scripts, trade paper and magazine articles,
institutional advertisements, product information, and technical materials.

2. Editing : Special publications, employee newsletters, shareholder reports, and other

communications directed to internal and external public’s.
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3. Media Relations and Placement : Contacting news media, magazines, Sunday

supplements, free-lance writers, and trade publications with the intent of getting
them to publish or broadcast news and features about or organised by the
organisation. Responding to media requests for information or spokesperson.

4. Special events : Arranging and managing press conferences, convention exhibits,

open houses, anniversary celebrations, fund-raising events, special observances,
contests, and award programs.

5. Speaking : Appearing before groups and arranging platforms for other before
appropriate audiences by managing a speaker’s bureau.

6. Production : Creating communications using multimedia knowledge and skills;

including arts, photography, and layout for brochures, booklets, reports institutional
advertisements, and periodical publications; recording and editing audio and video
tapes; and preparation of audio visual presentations.

7. Research : Gathering intelligence - enabling the organising to plan programs

responsive to it public’s and problem situations, monitoring public relations program
effectiveness during implementation, and evaluating program impact.

8. Programming and counseling : Determining needs, priorities, goals, publics,

objectives, and strategies. Collaborating with management or clients in a problem -
solving process.

9. Training : Working with executives and other organsiational representatives to

prepare them for dealing with the media, and for making presentations and other
public appearances. In service staff development.

10. Management : Administering the operation of the public relations function personal,
budget and programs.

Requirement for Success

Skills
· Effective Writing
· Persuasive speaking

Knowledge
· In-depth knowledge of various media.
· Understanding of management process
· Business, financial acumen
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Abilities
· Problem solver
· Decision maker
· Deft in handling people generates confidence
· Assumes responsibility

Quality
· Stability and common sense
· Drive and enthusiasm
· Wide-ranging interests and intellectual curiosity
· Good listener
· Tolerance for frustration
· Style

Courtesy : Jo Proctor, “the path to the top”, Public Relations Journal, Volume 39.

Profile of Public Relations Officers

1. Help with the public relations aspects of decisions.

2. Skill in articulating principles and in enlarging understanding of the organisation.

3. Loyalty.

4. Inspiration to help all members of the department / division to do their best cheerfully.

5. Influence in restraining other members from saying or doing anything detrimental

to the organisation welfare.

Cantor's Traits for Success

1. Response to tension : Most successful public relations executives are intense
people, although it may not always be evident to themselves. Often they are at their
best under fire, and rather than solving problems by abstract analysis, will reach
practical solutions by direct action.

2. Individual Initiative : The successful public relations executive will usually take
immediate action before a situation becomes blown out of proportion. He or she
usually will not wait for instructions, but takes the initiative to solve the problem;
seeks to anticipate and adjust to change; leads the public relations effort,
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3. Curiosity and learning : The public relations professionals should have an inquiring
mind, should want to learn everything possible about the product, service, client or
organisation, and the competition. Since public relations is not an exact science,
frequently the public relations executive must try a number of approaches in order
to solve a problem. Some of which might not work. If and when they don’t work, the
professional does not regard them as personal blunders but as learning opportunities.
Problems are solved by persistence and intelligence. He or she never stops learning.

4. Energy, drive and ambition : The successful public relations person has energy,
drive and ambition. he or she works rapidly and is not afraid to take a calculated
risk. This is a very important element in the personality of public relations executives.
Most of the top practitioners are stimulated by the problems to be solved, and are
willing to work the hours it takes to reach their goals.

5. Objective thinking : Public relations executives must be as objective and factual

as possible and above all, have excellent judgment. They must know what to do
and say, and when. They must have a sense of timing. They must have a capacity
for intense concentration and attention to intricate details, and keen powers of
observation. This is especially critical in counseling.

6. Flexible attitude : It is crucial that public relations executives have the ability to see
things from someone else’s view point, eg., executive management’s a publication
editor’s or a hostile audience’s.

7. Service to others : Most successful public relations executives have a natural

desire to help people. Pleasure in the success of others is a major motivation for
the service behaviour.

8. Friendliness : Public relations people generally are perceived as likeable, friendly

and genuinely interested in others, rarely as resentful, bitter, or hostile. They develop
and maintain a wide range of personal contacts.

9. Versatility : The successful public relations executive is often able to perform well
in a variety of areas because he or she has a venturesome spirit and a lively interest
in the world at large. The best practitioners are generalists with a specialty. The
desire to learn and the ability to focus on varied subjects helps them adjust rapidly
to new tasks and multiple client problems and needs.

10. Lack of self-consciousness : Successful public relations executives are much

less self-conscious than other executives, perhaps because they often function as
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catalysts. Although some practitioners have large egos, they often are self-effacing,
functioning in the background while projecting others into the limelight. This trait is
indigenous to the public relations professional.

Courtesy : Bill Cantor, The Cantor Concern, the New York based executive search firm
specialising in public relations.

Coping with Bad Publicity of when “Adverse Image” is projected about the
Organisation :

Be prepare with factual information

1. What are you clarify about?

2. Why are you write/clarify about particular event?

3. What is this event?

4. When did it happen?

5. Where?

6. What form (how)?

7. Whether supporting documents are available? (Statistics / Data, Visuals (Photo /

Video etc.)

7.7 Public Relations Role in Government

The Government public relations as contributing to

1. Implementation of public policy.

2. Assisting the news media in coverage of government activities.

3. Reporting the citizenry on agency activities.

4. Increasing the internal cohesion of the agency.

5. Increasing the agency’s sensitive to its public’s

6. Mobilisation of support for the agency itself.

PR for Government

The basic function of the government PR department / agencies is to provide information,

education/instruction to the citizens. The effort should also motivate the people directly or
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indirectly, to discharge these functions in a meaningful and purposeful manner, it is necessary

that the Pr Department / wing should be clear about the broad objectives which guide their
work.

The national objective should be non-political, non-controversial, and on which there should
be a national consensus. The objectives should further the interests and the well being of the
public as a whole and promote the many sided development of the country. The objectives
should be long terms ones and need necessarily change with political vagaries.

PR - A staff or a Line Function

The two aspects of line and staff relationship should be considered. The first is the
opinion that the line goes down the organisation in tune with its own objective. The second is
the view that the line relationship derives its strength from a chain of command as well as from
obedience. In effect, both lien and staff jobs are functional relationship in which one party has
functional authority over another.

Distinctions between Line and Staff

The foremost distinction between these two functions is : line jobs are concerned with
the major operating function of the organisation. For example, in a manufacturing organisation
all those who are engaged in the production of goods are line persons with the chain of command
consisting of the CEO at the helm, down through production and sales. In a commercial or a
financial organisation (a trading or a marketing company, a bank or an insurance company), the
line runs through the entire operational system and in a hotel, the line similarly evolves through
the direct conduct of the hospitality business from the General Manager to the gateman at the
door.

In contrast, the staff function is distinctive by its ancillary nature to the main purpose,
That is all functions which give co-operation and assistance to the line function are to be called
staff functions. The staff functions are no less important but they are not involved in the direct or
face-to-face conduct of production, providing service or conduct of business. Such staff are :
fiancé and accounting persons, personnel and industrial relations department, research staff,
quality control, purchase, administration etc.

The second distinction is that the line is a definite chain of command whereas staff is not
a part of such authority, except in its own area of command. It must be noted that the staff also
do have a position of authority which is known as functional authority. It provides them with the
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authority to require other managers and personnel to do certain jobs to fulfil organisational
needs. Examples of staff not forming part of the line but exercising such authority are : a plant
or a mine safety officer requiring line managers to observe safety regulations or the cost controller
requiring the line to control costs by way of reduction in overtime or in consumption of fuel,
material or spares. The same extends to personnel department, quality control or accounts
department in exercising functional authority over line functions.

PR as a Staff Function

The essential ingredients in the functional system is that the staff functions are
complementary in nature. PR is basically a service function and can operate effectively only
with the active support and co-operation of other departments including that of the top
management. By its very purpose of advisory and executive services, which are complementary
as well, it can be said that PR is a staff function. Internal PR department, therefore, is a top-
level management function which aids both line and staff departments to communicate effectively
and at the same time it does PR for the organisation as a whole,. Again, as a staff department
of an organisation it is the duty of the PR to inculcate in every one in the organisation, and
awareness of the need for public relations to enable them to contribute their share in building
goodwill and reputation for the organisation.

Status of Indian Press

The Indian media scene has been in state of metamorphosis since the early 80s. From
a scenario in the 80s where options in the 80s with electronic media, particularly television,
overriding all other media. Since 1991, however, the entire scenario has undergone further
changes. With growing choices in media, the value of the Press as a medium started to re-
emerge significantly. Qualitatively too, the Press has made tremendous progress which aided
its survival in quantitative terms despite increase in production costs. With great strides in
technology, glossy colour printing, innovations in print, multiple editions, split-run facilities and
geographical flexibility, it is not surprising that the Press has turned out to be the dominant
medium of the 90s.

The current decade is increasingly witnessing the emergence of the Press in a new
role. Hitherto regarded as a recorder of future history, the Press assumed the mantle of the
conscience keeper of the nation. One of the reasons for this was the increasing tilt towards
investigative journalism. A the same time, however, if the Press really desires to gain acceptability
in this new role, it is necessary for it to gain credibility and public confidence by its unbiased
approach.
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In recent times, a large number of complainants approached the Press Council of India
for the violation of ethical standards by the Press. In many cases the papers had to retrace their
steps and offer apology or regret for having crossed the limits of journalistic propriety. The
Press council commented, “The increasing tendency to play God and think that the Press can
do no wrong is quite disturbing. This is not good journalism”.

At the other end, the Indian Newspapers Society (INS), with considerable factual data,
has focussed attention on the variety and truthful dissemination of news and views in
representative daily newspapers in the country. The INS survey shows up Press in India in a
favourable light in comparison with those in leading democratic countries such as the UK,
Canada, France, Japan, and West Germany. The Indian Press, by and large, has pinpointed
failings in public life and moulded public opinion. it has acted as a forum for discussion and
informed opinion and as a primary vehicle of communication amongst the people themselves.
The INS survey disproves the charges of monopolistic ownership of the Press in India and,
citing instances of gross violation in the Western print media, establishes the complete unbiased
nature and fairness in news coverage and editorial comments in the representative Indian
newspapers.

Press Council and Information Bureau

The Press Council of India was established under the Press Council Act, 1978 for the
purpose of preserving the freedom of the Press and for maintaining and improving the standards
of newspapers and news agencies in India. The Council came into being in April 1979 and its
jurisdiction extends to the whole of India. It consists of a Chairman and Twenty eight members.

The Chairman is an eminent person nominated by a committee consisting of the Chairman

of the Council of State (Rajya Sabha), and a person elected from amongst themselves by the
members of the Press Council. Of the other members, thirteen are working journalists, of whom
six are editors of thirteen are working journalists, of whom six are editors. Six members are
those who own or carry on the business of management of newspapers. One member is a
person who manages a news agency. Three members are persons having special knowledge
or practical experience in respect of education and science, law and literature and culture, of
whom one is nominated by the University Grants Commission, one by the Bar Council of India
and one by Sahitya Academy respectively. The remaining five members of the Council are
Members of parliaments, of whom three are from the Lock Sabha and two from the Rajya
Sabha. The Chairman and other members hold office for a period of three years.
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It would be useful to know at least some of the important functions that the Press Council
is required to perform. These are :

· To help newspapers and news agencies to maintain their independence.

· To build up a code a conduct for newspapers, news agencies and journalists in

accordant with high professional standards.

· To ensure on the part of the newspapers, news agencies and journalists, the
maintenance of high standards of public taste and foster a due sense of both the
right and responsibilities of citizenship.

· To encourage the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all
those engaged in the profession of journalism.

· to keep under review and development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination
of news of public interest and importance.

· To promote a proper functional relationship among all classes of persons engaged

in the production or publication of newspapers or in news agencies.

· To concern itself with developments such as concentration of or other aspects of

ownership of newspapers and news agencies which may affect the independence
of the Press.

The Press Council deals with the complaints received on two counts - complaints by the
Press and complaints against the Press. Any person feeling aggrieved about anything done
which is likely to impair or interfere with the independence of the Press may approach the
Council. similarly, anyone aggrieved by any publication or non-publication in any newspaper or
journal may lodge a complaint with the Council or breach of the recognised canons of journalistic
ethics and taste.

The Press Council of India enjoys a great deal of moral authority. its decisions are final
and cannot be questioned in any court of law. The decisions of the Council have generally been
honoured and accepted by the media and the authorities alike. One of the unique features of
the Press Council is that it has been set up under an Act of Parliament, while parallel institutions
or similar bodies in most countries of the world are voluntary organsiations.

It has to be noted that “Press Council of India is founded on the concept of self-regulation.
The majority of its members being representatives of the Press, it is supposed to articulate
what is best in the collective conscience of the Press. therefore, it is not by punitive action but
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by moral reprimand such as admonition, warning and censure that it calls the conscience of the
Press, to keep to the path of ethical rectitude” (Refer the Press Council of India Review).

'National', 'Regional' and 'Language' Press

The Indian Press has never been the Press of any language. Although 18 major
languages are specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, in fact newspapers
are published in as many as 87 languages. The picture is complex and in reality there is no
“national press” in India in the sense as it exists in European and western countries. It is however
a fact that English newspapers enjoy the advantage of circulation in several regions
simultaneously covering geographical areas in which a number of Indian language press qualifies,
possibly by default, as the ‘national press’ in the sense that its circulation is not restricted on
regional basis.

The International Press Institute as far back as 1981 commented that “Press has come
of age in India”, significantly, it was in the eighties that the two-century-old dominance of the
English press was overcome by the Indian language press. Today the circulation of Hindi dailies
far exceeds that of English daily newspapers. In that sense, the Indian language press has
successfully arrested the growth of the English press outside the metropolitan cities. Another
peculiar phenomenon of the Indian Press has been the surprising growth and importance
achieved by the daily newspapers of local interest as against the regional and national
newspapers. It was also reported that the English language newspapers in the country were
finding it difficult to increase their circulation, while English magazines were finding it difficult to
sustain their sales. From 1980 to 1994 the English language daily newspapers showed an
almost astounding growth rate. For example, Punjabi language newspapers registered the
highest 184 percent increase over the 14 year period. Oriya press was next in line registering
156 percent growth in circulation.

There is no doubt that although poverty and illiteracy have restricted the growth and
influence of the Press in India, it has succeeded in informing and educating the literate masses
and has been an integral part of the socio-economic transformation in the country. Never short
of professional competence, the Indian Press can certainly expert to make rapid progress in the
third century of its existence (the beginning : “Bengal Gazette”, weekly publication in Calcutta
on January 29, 1780). As a result of liberalisation of economic policies, the Press in India will
have to face the onslaught of increasingly aggressive commercialism. And it is in this area that
it will face the challenge of keeping a respectable distance between commercial consideration
and professional, publishing ethics.
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The Indian Press - An Update

It would be pertinent to record a few essential and discernible traits in the development
of the Indian Press - local, regional and national.

(a) The survey conducted by the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has established the
variety and unbiased character of news and views in representative daily newspapers
in India.

(b) The primarily metro-based English dailies published from Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta
and Madras continue to be regarded as the ‘National Daily’ newspapers in India.

(c) The national readership survey compiled by the Indian Market Research Bureau
and Media Research revealed that a smaller percentage of persons in the
metropolitan cities now read English publications that about a decade ago.

(d) There exists a strong, regional or provincial Press and publications in language
other than English have increasing readership.

(e) As in all other fields of business activity, newspapers and journals today are working
in a highly competitive environment. Revolutionary changes in the technology of
information, communication and printing are taking place.

(f) Newspapers are bought and read by the literate elite who are the well-to-do, the
middle class, and the white and blue collar employees - in short, the educated
minority.

(g) Local weeklies, consumer magazines, business dailies, women’s magazines, trade,
technical and professional journals are on the rise but titles are yet not very large.

(h) Whether large or small, about 28,5000 newspapers in 16 principal language with a
circulation of around 53.5 million copies are the principal voices and monitors of the
nation. They are as yet, in spite of the advance of the electronic media, the basic
source of most of the daily information and opinion received by the Indian people.

(i) The Press has been growing in value but definitely losing in market share. The truth
is that the growth in Press is mainly a function of inflation.

(j) While the technological infrastructure of Indian newspapers has advanced quite
spectacularly, the news content has hardly expanded. The newspapers in India
spend a meager three percent of their total outlay on news-gathering which is one
of the lowest in the world.
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(k) The Press in India has been overwhelmingly preoccupied with polities and political
issues, to the neglect to many other aspects of national life. A complaint is being
often voiced that obsession with political happenings has undermined the health of
the Indian Press as a while. While vast millions of the countrymen have been passing
through varied experiences, the Press has been unable to reflect this rich mosaic.

Press and Public

Justice [Link], erstwhile Chairman, Press Council of India said, “the relationship
between the media and the public should be marked by mutual love and trust”. He added, “It
furnishes a key to keeping the relations of the media with the public harmoniously balanced on
an ethical fulcrum”. The essence of this message is that “the written word will always have the
last word” for the read and it is to be realised that the truth will ultimately give the media its
credibility. Therefore, the trust which the public reposes in its credibility is the greatest bulwork
of its freedom.

In the words of Martin Walker : “The history of a newspaper is almost by definition, the
history of the country in which it is published. Newspapers range beyond the politics of their
nation. The literacy and artistic life, the way ordinary people live, the goods that the advertisers
are trying to sell, the way the nation’s children are to be educated, the way its believers worship,
the behaviour of the police, the justice of its courts - they are all there. A newspaper is a daily
diary of the culture of a nation”. The role of the public interest. The media have a dual character.
On the one hand they are private business for earning profit but at the same time they perform
a public service under constitutional protection.

While it is clear that media in an open society influence the thinking and behaviour of the
public at large, it is also equally important that public as “consumers” must help shape the media
and their contents. In point of fact, news is a commercial commodity subject to market-place
practice and competition. Historically there has been much misunderstanding of the news media
and widespread ignorance of the principles and traditions on which their practices are based.

The responsibility imposed on the media is greater today than over before. The Press,
as Justice Sarkaria emphatically noted, must rouse itself and put its relations with the public by
its self-generated moral force, on a sound ethical basis which would command mutual trust and
credibility with the public. Because of new “electronic information machines”, the extent of
“knowable” news is continually expanding and the availability and transmission of information
have thus gone far beyond its earlier scope.
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The Press is not just a link between the people and the world; the total media as purveyors
of information, largely determine the agenda of public discussion through their selection of
news to include n media focus and thus formulate the public opinion. Thomas Jefferson, noting
that public opinion was the basis of the democratic government observed : “Were it left to me to
decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a
government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”.

Press and PR

Press is one of the most valuable media for the purpose of effective public relations and
communication functions. In many ways, the print world is the most useful and popular mode of
projection compared to any other medium. PR takes into account, with enough reason and
justification, that the press leaves a good and stable impact on the public mind, particularly in
urban and semi-urban areas. Like the Press, PR also acts as a watchdog of the functioning of
the Press from outside but its job relates to advising the organisation as to the best manner in
which the policies, programmes and activities are to be projected through the medium of the
Press. The PR person, as an organisation oriented professional gives out information on a
variety of subjects and canalizes to the press through several of the tools and techniques of
communication. These are press releases, feature articles, advertisements, backgrounders
and face-to-face communications like personal meetings, briefings, press conferences etc.

But more than knowing the technique of getting the message to the press, it is doubly
important for the PR professionals to understand the working of the Press. It has been observed
that many PR persons make very common mistakes while dealing with the Press, owing to a
lack of knowledge of how a newspapers functions. The key to success is in knowing the rules
and giving the media what they need, the way they require it and when they actually need it.

Functions of Press
The simple rule that the job of a journalist is the collection of news and how it is to be
used will rest with the editors may not give a picture of the newspaper functioning fully and
correctly.

One can imagine how many varied professionals are involved in bringing out a daily
paper - a massive publication which comes out each day, every page with fresh material. No
less effort is involved in the production of a daily or a weekly tabloid, a weekly, fortnightly or
monthly journal. In each case, it requires a great amount of editorial, technical and management
skill to put together all parts.
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The five wings of a newspaper publication which have to work close together are (i)
Editorial (ii) Advertisement (iii) Production (iv) Circulation (v) Management.

The status of the Chief Editor or Editor as the sole and final repository of editorial
responsibility and accountability holds as good as ever. He is in overall charge of the editorial
team. In fact, it is the Editor’s job to produce an independent, balanced and objective newspapers,
for which he enjoys and must continue to enjoy and area of editorial freedom. He is assisted by
department editors, news editors and, if the paper is large there will be additional editorial staff.
The special correspondents, staff reporters, city reporters, correspondents, all have to do with
the news coverage whereas sub-editors look after the desk jobs. Photographers take care of
visual interest aspects of news stories and they normally report to the photo editors. Department
editors require the help of correspondents, photographers and sub-editors for production of
important sections of a newspapers such as business page, sports, film and entertainment,
special and Sunday supplements, feature stories, women, fashion, health and life-style.

PR officials of any organisation must be familiar with a few essential points about the
Press. They are :

(i) The Editorial Policy of Every Publication

Sometimes this may be an internal matter of the newspaper or the journal but this
knowledge helps PR in formulating its own press-relations activity.

(ii) Frequency of Publication

This is an essential input while releasing a press hand-out or arranging a Press tour
or a press conference.

(iii) Copy Date

This is useful information while feeding information to the Press.

(iv) Printing Process

Helpful knowledge in the appreciation of the needs of the Press. Pr will provide
material, data, photographs, charts and graphs accordingly.

(v) Circulation Area and Distribution Method

Information is of considerable value for PR in understanding the reach of the newspaper

and the speed at which the publication is able to reach the target audience. Furthermore, with
multiple editions and split-run facilities, press today allows geographical flexibility which is a key
consideration to enhance reach.
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(vi) Reader Profile

In conjunction with the newspapers, PR attempts to find out or conducts its own
independent survey. With growing choices in media, the PR planning function has acquired
greater importance. Many newspapers and journals offer core and loyal readership. The profile
can be used for communicating with specific target audiences.

7.8 Role of Press and Media

There are many facets of the role of the media in the context of media-public interactions.
In fact, the whole problem bearing on media-public aspects and the role of media was put in a
nutshell my Mahatma Gandhi in a few words. He pointed out : “The sole aim of journalism
should be service. The newspaper press is a great power, but just as an unchained torrent of
water submerges the whole country-side and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen
serves but to destroy. It the control is from without, it proves more poisonous that want of
control. It can be profitable only when exercised from within”.

Historically, there has been much misunderstanding of the press in particular and ignorance
of the principle and traditions on which its functioning and practices are based. While it is clear
that media in an open society influence the thinking and behaviour of the public, the government
and even the corporate world, it is not quite evident that public, as “Consumers”, helps shape
the media and content of what they offer. In reality, news and views are a commercial commodity
subject to market - place practices and competition.

The reasons for the pre-eminence of the Press was physical as well as psychological.
From a scenario in the 80s where options were limited and the print medium was the single
most dominant medium, there has been a sudden proliferation of options in the 80s with television
ruling supreme. High viewership, extensive geographic coverage, cost efficiency in the long
run, audio-visual impact and instant communication facility of the “electronic buzz” made press
it up and feel acutely nervous.

All newspaper houses were asking the crucial questions : “What is the future of The
Fourth Estate? Will it survive effectively in the long run? What kind of publications will survive
and what changes are needed in the infrastructure and attitude of the Press?”

Happily, the Press did not fail. It has won the respect and confidence of its readers with
its forthright and imaginative reporting.
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Objective of PR Activity

The main objective of the PR programme is to make the harmonious relationship between
the public and the organisation and thereby. Develop goodwill of the organisation and eliminate
all the source of misunderstanding.

PR Programme (Component)

· PR Objective

· Communication Objective

· Content / Message Development

· Media Co-ordination

· Impact / Result monitoring

Check Your Progress

1. Write a note an 20 point Public Relations Agenda

2. PRO Role in Government?

7.9 Summary
The traditional approaches in Public Relations have given place for new ventures. Ways
and means have to refund out to manage the new situation. Present status and student of
Public Relations consultancy has to be deleted rather elaborately. The pros and cons of the
present approach in Public Relations be discussed along with the 20 point Public Relations
Agenda.
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The Public Relations Officer today has been assigned numerate function, very difficult to
manage. The role of Public Relations in government has also changed Indian Press has a
crucial role in advertising the general public. The public has yet to make use of the right to
information fully. The role of press and media has to enhance the public relations process.

7.10 Key Words

Consideration

Consultancy

20 Point

Public Relations Agenda

Public Relations Officer

Indian Press

Counseling

Right to Information

7.11 Answers to check your progress

1. See Section: 7.5

2. See Section: 7.7

7.12 Review Questions

1. Give a brief account of the major considerations of Public Relations in the present
industrial set up.

2. Analyse the status and structure of Public Relations consultancy

3. Give an account the process of work assignment of Public Relations Officer

4. Describe the role of public Relations in the present systems of government

5. Elucidate the status and role of Indian Press

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7.13 Suggested Books for References

1. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
Practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

2. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

3. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

4. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

5. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
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LESSON - 8
CHALLENGES IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
PUBLIC OPINION
Learning Objectives

After having read this lesson you will be able to:

 Enlist the pattern of public relations

 Describe the future of Public Relations and analyse the role of media in strengthening
the Public Relations process

Structure of the Lesson

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Pattern of Public Relations

8.3 Future of Public Relations

8.4 Retarding Factors

8.5 World Public Opinion and the Responsibility of the Media

8.6 Public Relation in Government

8.7 PR in the Changed Economic Scenario

8.8 Summary

8.9 Key Words

8.10 Answers to check your progress

8.11 Review Questions

8.12 Suggested Books for References

8.1 Introduction
In the previous lesson we learnt about the powers and functions of Pubic Relations Officer.
This lesson will explore the challenges in pubilc relations and public opinion. In recent times the
economic and political climate of the country has undergone drastic changes. The multi-national
companies that were operating behind the scene have made a head-on entry. Faced with a
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though competition, the Indian heavy weights are in a desperate need to build up their brand
image not only through advertisement but through Strategic Public Relations as well. Before
going into the changes found in the patterns of Public Relations activities it would be useful to
know the pattern of public relations.

8.2 Pattern of Public Relations

These economic reforms have resulted in social changes bringing forth new problems
and new issues. According to [Link], these changes have affected PR in two ways.

Corporations are having to deal with new public, to understand the news issues that are
to devise new strategies to handle these issues and these public. On the other word, these
public are themselves in need of public relations to put across their points of view and to
communicate with the government and the other sections of the public. Take for instance the
question for ecology which was hardly of any significance a decade or so ago but is gradually
moving to the centre of the stage. Even in India, the ecology issue that begun with the Chipko
movement in Uttar Pradesh has spread to almost every part of the country. The ecologists
successfully stalled the Silent Valley project in Kerala, are making a determined effort to prevent
the Narmada Project in Gujarat and the Tahri Project in Uttar Pradesh from proceeding any
further.

The consumer movement is also developing as a potent force. In the United States it has
forced the Federal and the State Governments to pass a number of laws for the protection act
has been put on the statue books and even if its enforcement has been rather tardy, the consumer
movement will in the coming days undoubtedly see that this piece of legislation and indeed
many more are implemented.

The trade unions have been a pressure group that have been functioning effectively for a
long time. With many of their representatives in parliament and with united movements of
workers developing despite the multiplicity of unions there is little doubt that they will not only be
able to wrest an increased share of the surplus but also to be associated with the decision
making process at the highest level.

The agriculturists lobby which emerged in India some decade and a half ago has steadily
gained in strength. In Europe and the United States the farmers’ lobby has for a long time
constituted one of the most organised pressure groups.
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In addition, other minority groups, various women groups, the news class of knowledge
workers, new media and even terrorist groups are emerging as publics and governments as
well as corporations have to reckon with them.

This is just a sample of the new publics that have emerged and the new issues that are
coming up. Corporations are having to devise strategies to deal with these issues and to
communicate effectively with the publics involved.

Another concept that is gaining ground is that of corporate positioning. In marketing we

have been speaking of positioning a product, an exercise that is vital to the success of any
marketing strategy. But there are limits to what can be achieved this way. Public Relations
consultants point out in managing for the long term, companies face only two strategic choices.
They must either hold down prices and margins to gain volume or they must achieve a
differentiated competitive position by delivering added value to their customers. The difficulty in
choosing to be different however, is that in most market products are very similar. As soon as a
new product is launched, competitors, move to fill the gap. It is for this reason, say PR experts,
that communicating the benefits of the company, rather than the product has become vastly
more important. Companies are different, no two firms are the same, nor is what they provide
for their clients and customers. Hence the need for corporate positioning. But this must not be
done subjectively but based on research, analysis and hard data.

PR in politics, promoting Indian Heritage and developing the human potential are
the other thrust areas identified by [Link].

In recent years company public relations people and public relation firms-innocently or
otherwise - have been sometimes misused in politics. Illegal corporate political campaign
contributions have been carried on company books on payments for public relations or publicity.
An outside public relations firm may or may not have been implicated a conduit for such
contributions. Similar “under the table” relationships have been exposed in connection with
some of the multi-million rupees international bribed paid by certain multination companies.
Again, the liability of the public relations people allegedly involved is essentially the same as
that of any corporate office or the other ‘Courier’.

The Public Relations need for relating science, industry, commerce, trade, arts and social
behaviour to the larger ethical values of Indian culture and Heritage does not require
overemphasis; so also the need for evaluating modern ideas against the background of ancient
truths.
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The destiny of many lies in being of service to others. No government or philosophy has
everlastingly endured unless it was based on a ‘religious’ or ‘service’ motive for bettering mankind.
No man, however rich or powerful, can make his proper contribution to society unless his life is
built around serving others. We are placed here to improve the society in which we live and that
should be the goal of business and professional leaders, to-day, tomorrow and forever.

This is a man-made world. What man makes, surely man must be able to control. Wars,
depressions, poverty and strike between groups can all be solved ultimately if we will only bring
our enormous powers of research to bear upon these pressing problems. As management
executive, we deal not only with buying and selling, with economic trends and profits but also
with men and women. We who are trustees and employees of business as a management
team are in the best possible position to lead in the study and the steady development of
individual human beings.

8.3 Future of Public Relations

“For the intelligent and experienced PR person, the body lives in the present but the mind
needs to live in the future.

“The greatest value of the public relations professional is in anticipating and shaping what
is developing, not in reporting or coping with what has already been determined”.

“Dealing with existing attitudes is important, but helping to shape and direct future attitudes
is far more valuable”.

These are some of the view of expressed by Philip Lesly while discussing the future of
PR. He provides some features that would form the foundation for PR in the future.

· In every human society, no matter what else may wither or alter, the attitude of the
people will determine what can and cannot be done. So, whatever course our society
may take, we can be sure the human climate will determine how it fares.

· There will constantly be changes that create new challenges for those who must
understand and deal with human attitudes. There will be changes in technology,
nature, demographies, ideas and tastes. All these changes will create problems,
needs, or opportunities for the organisations that employ or need skilled public
relations people.
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· Excellence in mind and attitude ultimately will prevail over poor standards and
destructive attitudes.

· Reality will prevail over wishfulness time.

These verities provide some foundation for our speculations. We must constantly be sure
that what we dream or plan remains in touch with these points.

Companies and organisations are basing their selection of public relations personnel or
agencies on penetrating analyses of their skills as demonstrated in meeting challenging
assignments, rather than on their persuasive oratory, graphic promises of results, and other
irrelevant sales techniques.

With business and other ogansiations moving precipitately toward using computers and
other quantifying techniques to “get answers” and “organise” efficiently, there has been growing
pressure to apply the same methods to public relations. Since this field deals with the most
intangible factors managers must cope with human attitudes - the discomfort it can evoke in a
man trained to be entirely practical and fact-oriented is understandable.

However, there is danger that the more effort that is made to apply standards of prediction
and measurement to public relations, the more emphasis will be to make progress against the
real problems.

There are several reasons for this:

 The greatest resource of public relations is human intellect and creativeness. The
very ability to perceive why people do not follow the expected patterns and how
they might be reached with messages not projected previously is the greatest value
a client can receive. To the degree that direct measurements are attempted against
these attributes, there is danger that the unremarkable and the undistinguished -
what has been done before and therefore can be measured - will be emphasized at
the expense of the unique and the excellent. If managements expect to be able to
predict and measure quantitatively in public relations, public relations people will be
inclined to confine themselves to things that are predictable and measurable, and
the best thinking and creativity will be lost.

 Public relations must deal with changes in attitude. It must lead its target, not follow
it. The greatest source of problems ad needs is change. If too much weight is given
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to what surveys and computer readouts show attitudes were, it is less likely that the
public relations program will have an effect on what they will be.

 In obtaining data for quantified judgements, it is necessary to probe into the minds
of people. It is not sound to assume that effective measurement of some attitudes
indicates the possibility of accurately measuring all others. In any survey, interviews’
reactions are meaningful only when the subject is really meaningful to them.

8.4 Retarding Factors

Philip Lesly identifies the major factors that have retarded the maturity of public relations
as a profession :

 It has grown very rapidly in response to needs. With effective sources of training
developing much moreslowly, many unqualified persons - often with unsound motives
- have called themselves public relations specialists and offers their services. In
many cases, they have been able to prosper, through damaging confidence in the
field and its practices among many if those they have dealt with.

 It covers an exceedingly wide scope. People with skills in arranging special events
in editing a company publication, for instance, are public relations practitioners.
People who encounter such specialists, however, often do not understand the
difference between a special range of experience and skill and the entire field.
There is considerable difference between an ophthalmologist and a psychiatrist -
both of whom must have M.D. Degrees - and often there is an equal difference
between persons who have concentrated on separate aspects of public relations.

 There have been forces within the field and outside that have created
misunderstanding. Because journalists tend to interpret anything dealing with
communication as a form of journalism, many writers have had a narrow view of
public relations. Many articles have been based on the pre-conceived premise that
“public relations is a pseudo-journalist’s snobbish terms for trying to “use” the press.
As public relations has developed and many of its practitioners have prospered,
this prejudice has sometimes been tinged with resentment. While treatmentto public
relations has tended to improve gradually, it is still among the most stubbornly
distorted subjects covered by the press in general. Some practitioners, in turn,
have tended to create an aura of mystery about the field, to aggrandize their stature
and to glorify talents supposedly only they can provide. This has included sweeping
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promises to make any business tycoon an international personage; assurances

that social and economic tides can be reversed merely through propaganda “magic”;
and claims of solving a great industry’s problems by forming a committee and holding
a conference. Propounding of terms like “engineering of consent” to describe a
public relations man’s functions, that imply both omnipotence and manipulation of
the public, has aroused fears of intellectuals and public officials.

 The fact that the best public relations service is often intangible and comparatively
immeasurable has often made it easier for the charlatan to obtain an assignment
than the sound practitioner. The man or organisation to hat spells out specific
promises where none can be made; who finds out what the prospect will buy and
then develops his presentation accordingly, rather than on what sound judgment
calls for; the periodic report that stresses visible items - selected press clippings
and circulation figures, regardless of their relations to the problem and objective -t
these often appeal to the practical - minded management executive who is not
trained to understand the nuances of public relations.

 Until recently there has been little enforcement of any standards for PR practice.

The Need to Grow

For a time it appeared that the trend in the public relations field might be similar to that
in other increasingly complex disciplines, toward development of specialists in the various phases.
A number of such specialties were charted by enterprising workers in the field, such as financial
public relations, and public affairs.

However, the indivisibility of a company’s impression of the people it deals with; the fact
that communications do not stop at imaginary lines between publics but inevitably overlap; and
the practical advantage of dealing with all elements involved in an organisations’ non-selling
communications have increased the need for full-scope public relations people as well as the
specialists.

Adding increasingly to the requirements is the international scope of many organisations’

relationships, carrying the need for a breadth well beyond the borderlines of the Unites States.

As a result, there is need for many intensified and specialized talents, but coordinated
and integrated so they work effectively together and meet all the requirements of the client
organisation. This calls for either a large and expensive internal staff, including a good many
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specialists, some of whose talents will be required only part of the time; a broad public relations
orgnaisation that can provide the talents and skills in all the necessary areas; or an internal staff
augmented by the broad experience, judgment, and skills of an exceptional counsel. In many
cases, a combination of the internal staff and the broad external organisation is meeting the
needs.

Accordingly, the opportunities in public relations are growing in both intensified

specialisation and broad over-all knowledge and talent. The way ahead for success for the
individual can come from either direction.

In a world that at times seems to be tenuously held together by too-little-understood

principles of group attitudes, the challenge and opportunities for the field that specialises in
understanding and developing group attitudes still appear to be a their infancy.

Increasingly it is important for the public relations persons to help his or her organisation
anticipate and deal with future trends and developments, as well as present conditions. Sensitivity
to what people are concerned with, research experience, and judgement combine to make the
qualified public relations person matter able to anticipate trends and to advise on courses of
action than most other people.

8.5 World Public Opinion and the Responsibility of the Media

Links between international politics and public opinions at the national level lead to
consideration of world public opinion. But does this cosmopolitan community of national public
exist? It is exists, it must be admitted that it is still in the process of formation, and thus in fragile,
heterogeneous, easily abused and still unable to be considered as an authentic power.
Nevertheless, it is a question which merits attention here.

World public opinion is being gradually formed either around national problems common
to a large number of countries (under-development, hunger and malnutrition, social inequalities,
the energy crisis, youth problems) or around questions of international scope (co-operation for
development, general disarmament, the establishment of a new economic order, desalinization
etc.) if “world public opinion” is still at its initial stage, it is possible all the same to identity certain
issues around which it is taking concrete shape. World public opinion desires the preservation
of peace through international agreement, and considers it the primary duty of government to
avert the horrors of a nuclear war. World public opinion is opposed to torture and inhuman
treatment, and to the persecution of those holding minority beliefs (although there is no universal
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agreement as to which beliefs should be allowed to be openly expressed). World public opinion
is opposed to privilege or domination on the basis of race or colour. World public opinion wishes
to see action taken more urgently to remedy the conditions of poverty, hunger, and backwardness
which are the common problems of a majority of the human race. On each of these issues,
there are of course people (even, in the aggregate, many people) who dissent from the general
view; but they are increasingly conscious of being at odds with an attitude that has a collective,
world character. Indeed, the problem is often not so my much one of disagreement as it is of lip-
service, causal or shallow awareness, indifferent, lack of strong feeling.

Concerning all of these problems, the media have a moral and political responsibility to
take account of public attitudes and opinions. If Pan African consciousness has not developed
as expected, have media really done enough to stimulate solidarity throughout one continents?
And if may western industrialized national pay scant attention to developing world concerns, is
not this due to some extent to the media? If signs of depoliticization are noted in some socialist
countries, does this not imply that the media’s contribution has failed?

The different forms of communication (oral, Visual interpersonal, mediated and even,
more recently, “computerized”) are used to diffuse information on international questions to
every part of the world. Leaving aside questions of motive, it is clear that governments,
newspapers, radio and TV commentators, reviews, private firms, political parties, trade unions
and countless social organisations all use the media to present a specific viewpoint for which
they hope to gain recognition. All governments have used, and still use, the media to help attain
their objective attitude, or a narrow bias, masking ambition and partisan interests. Even sincere
efforts at informing the public may generate instead a passive state, or lead to indoctrination. If,
in the worst event, information sources are limited, and only one viewpoint expressed, the
public is manipulated by propaganda. The media must attempt to present different viewpoints
as objectively as possible in order for the public to form an independent opinion. “An ill-informed
person is a subject, a well-informed person a citizen” as the saying goes.

It is hard to say whether it would be more accurate to speak of a world public opinion
emerging through processes of its own, or of the convergence of national public opinions. What
is important is that governments - even those by no means attached to democracy - are finding
it necessary to pay attention not only to opinion within their own countries, but also to opinion as
expressed in the world at large. There can, for instance, be no other reason for example of
amnesties, of the release of political prisoners whose names have become known around the
world, and of proposals (whether genuine or deceptive) to soften the harshness of racial
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domination, important, too, is the development of a common consciousness and common

sympathies among women, among the younger generation, and among certain social categories,
regardless of nationality. In all these ways, world public opinion is gradually becoming a reality.

8.6 Public Relations in Government

In India, Public Relations has not been developing as a separate unit of administrative
wing. Most of the administrators think that Public Relations is only to get publicity in dailies and
other magazines or making advertising with spending much cost. It is a pity that majority of
private firms restrict their Public Relations activities within their area of operation by organising
some functions and publishing some house journals. They are realising the importance to reach
the masses and focus their stand effectively in crucial issues. For example, Sterlite project,
Tuticorin which invested a capital outlay of Rs.1700 crores did not attempt to maintain required
PublicRelations and win the hearts of the people, if their versions are true. Whereas
environemntalists and social activists proved their salt by launching agitation and taking the
confidence of the people by highlighting the drawbacks of Sterlite project which produces copper
sheets for foreign countries.

In most of the organisations, directly or indirectly, Public Relations Departments are

functioning.

In Department of Telephones, Insurance corporations, Banking sector etc., public relations

job is being looked after only by their department officers whose services are not liked by the
department heads and hence spared for Public Relations activities. Technical persons,
administrative officers and others those who are hot having any basic skills in public relations
works are allowed to manage public relations affairs. Naturally the quality and the turnout of
their work will not be up to the mark.

CPRO post at the Zonal level is filled up mostly by non-PR persons. A separate printing
press with modern facilities is available for Railways. In Southern Railway, all PROs are rank
promotes who have attained this rank by virtue of their promotions. Most of them think that their
main job is to prevent adverse news items in any media. Their role in administrative decision
making process is not much.

When there is well-knit orgnaisation and infra-structural facilities are available to utilize,
there is a vast scope to improve the performance and efficiency of PR organisation in Railways,
Performance Audit must be done to ensure the functional activities of PR organisation of Railways
and fix the accountability and responsibility to improve the performance.
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In almost all Public Sector undertakings, there is a PR department. Nomenclature may

differ from organisations to organisation. Administrator of PR organisation is designated either
PR manager or corporate manager (PR). Executives are provided to them to carry out their PR
activities. PR activities of some Public Sector undertakings are good (Ex. BEL, NCL etc.). In
private corporate firms also, PR organisations is gaining importance remarkable. Nowadays,
most of hospitals are having their own PR departments. In industrial and commercial undertaking
of State Government, PR activity is being named by the managers or separate PROs.

In civil administration of the state government, Director PR and Joint Director (Exhibitions)
and separate PROs to all ministers including Chief Ministers are functioning. In all District
headquarters, one PRO and APRO is assisting the District collector to carry out PR activities
and the publicity campaign of the state governments. PRO / APRO appointments in Tamilnadu
are made on the basis of political patronage. Tamilarusu (both in English and Tamil) are the
journal of Government of Tamilnadu published by the department of Public Relations and
information to determinate information about the developmental programmes of Tamilnadu
government. Universities also have a PR department.

Suggestions for the Improvement

1. In all government, Public Sector and private firms, personnel trained in mass media,
PR or Advertising should be recruited in the PR department.

2. Administrative decisions should be formulated in consultation with the PR department.

In implementation process also, PR department should be consulted with.

3. The PR department should be allowed to carry out the marketing activities of the
organisation. The PR department should be involved in publicity campaigns and
sales promotion as well.

4. Scientific and professional approach should be followed in PR activities.

5. ‘Cost-benefit analysis’ must be done for all PR programmes to identify good and
beneficial programmes and reject other programmes.

Social Auditions: The Need of the Hour

Now-a-days business organisations cannot keep themselves all of from society. In

carrying out its normal functions a business organisations should so organise its activity as to
be able to fulfill its responsibilities to society. Many business organisations in the world are now
subjecting themselves to a regular social audit which is as stringent and as systematic as the
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audit to which their accounts are subjected. Although unlike the audit of a company’s balance
sheet there is as yet no statutory obligation on a company to undergo a social audit, many
organisations feel that it is wiser to submit to such an audit voluntarily.

What are the factors that are making such social audit a matter of increasing importance
for business organisations? In many parts of the world pressures are developing from
governments, from Parliament and legislatures, from various other statutory authorities, from
financial institutions, from trade unions and similar variety of external pressure groups. In planning
its activities a business organisation has be take note of these pressures.

In India too such pressures are steadily increasing. Consumer Protection Councils,
Environmental Protection Organisations, human rights protection organisations are gaining
momentum. It is therefore clearly not enough for a business organsiation to concern itself
solely with activities such as manufacturing, trading, marketing which so far were considered to
be the sole purpose of business. Whether any one likes it or not, the fact is that the pressures
that are now building up can only be ignored at one’s own peril and could jeopardise he grow
and even the very survival of an organisation. Examples of such pressures around the world
may be cited. Stock brokers in New York and London are talking of the desirability of choosing
‘clean stock’, referring to companies that are not likely to be disturbed by external pressures
because of their social conduct. In America it is not only company merges that come under
scrutiny, business activities are often held up because of legal action taken by environmentalists,
conservationists, civil rights campaigners. In many countries the public, through their legislators,
are demanding more and more information about the men who run business. The judgements
in the pleasant stay Hotel and South India Viscose clearly indicate the drift towards environmental
awareness. The public media are turning their search lights on business house as much as on
politicians.

The way to go about organising the social audit is first to list out the problem areas, to
assess the functioning of the company in relation to its performance in these problem areas
and to consider what changes, if any, should be made or planned in the light of future pressures.
The problem areas of course are not the same for every country. Every company will, therefore,
have to work out its own list of problem areas to be audited. But some of the problem areas
which are being regarded as such in many parts of the world can be referred to and this should
enable every company to draw up its own list safety and health of employees is one such area.
The company has to evaluate whether the company meeting all the legal requirements in this
regard? Are new statutory obligations in the offing which should be anticipated.
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In the sphere of employment the company has to ensure whether conditions of

employments are in accordance with prevailing social norms.

Another set of problems relate to the prevention of pollution and the improvement of the
environment. The company has to take care to find that whether the organisation doing all that
is necessary to see that its effluents do not pollute the rivers, ponds, lakes and other sources of
water supply in the locality? Is everything being done to ensure that the discharge from the
chimneys does not pollute the atmosphere? In terms of noise and smell is the organisation
doing anything that is likely to damage the health and well being of the community? Looking at
the environment in a more general way in the organisation doing all that is necessary to prevent
damage to the environment on visual or ecological grounds?

Participation in community affairs is another area where an organisation should examine

its records. Both as a corporate citizens of the locality in which it operates and as an employer
of a large number of people the company has to contribute substantially in improving the
community relations.

Companies have to examine its performance against an exhaustive check list and consider
seriously whether any modifications in existing policies is called for or whether new policies
need to be initiated. It is this examination which is being referred to as a social audit. A social
audit of this nature may be carried out by an outside agency which would present a confidential
report to the Management after carrying out the audit giving its recommendations for action in
those areas where it is deemed necessary. In other cases an orgnaisation might feel an internal
social audit would serve the purpose better. People within the organisation would know the
problems of the organisation more intimately and might be expected to be more realistic in their
appraisal and come out with proposals that are more practicable. On the other hands, there in
a greater danger of a subjective bias operating whereas internal audit team carrier out the
process. After gauging the pros and cons of both alternatives an organisation should decide on
which of the two methods to adopt. It may be possible for the company to solve all the problems
of the community. However it can choose some serious problems and generally commit itself to
alleviate them.

8.7 Public Relations in the Changed Economic Scenario

In the context of a closed economy and competition lacking, most companies did not feel
the need to listen to what their audiences were saying be they customers, shareholders,
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employees or the media. It did not matter if the product was not up to the mark, it would sell
anyway! Communication was, hence, moistly one-way. The opening of the economy and the
advent of the information age changed all that. Consumers today have a choice. Employees
are free to move to other organisations. Shareholders have a right to know how the company
deploys its funds. The government may or may not support you it is not longer possible to
impede the flow of information as information helps shape opinion which in turn shapes attitudes.

Modern PR is different from the older version in that the main job of public relations today
may be the shaping of the boarder context within the public in general - when used right, public
relations is a two-way function, feeding back readings and predictions as well as executing
plans to affect that perception. This makes public relations a useful tool in the setting up of
policy as well as the implementation of policy.

With PR reaching maturity, we will begin to see more and more enterprises in which it is
a primary component - perhaps the most important component - rather than just another
promotion aid. The function will be a large and powerful entity in it he corporation of the 21st
century.

According to Prema Sagar “we can confidently say that professional public relations has
finally arrived in India - even thought few people outside the industry really understand what it is
and how much it is capable of achieving”.

She feel those how really understand what public relations can do for them are :

· People who have been exposed in international business and have come to realise
the positive impact of PR on their business. When multinational companies plan to
do business in India, the two main consultancies they confer with are legal and
public relations, for a better understanding of the local environment;

· Those who are forced to reckon with public relations when faced with a crisis ;

· Those working in highly competitive industries, such as automobiles or consumer

goods, where all the products are equally good and where consumer choice in
influenced by perception / attitude via media or advertising;

· Those who are striving to be more professional and who feel the need to use PH to
achieve corporate business objectives; or

· Those who want to introduce a new product; achieve a significant increase in market
share for their products; attract better human resources; raise funds, etc.
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Public Opinion

The term Public Opinion has been defined in changing ways depending upon the
changing meanings of ‘public and ‘opinion’.In referring to public opinion, instead of just opinion,
public may imply any one of the three things.

1. the opinions expressed are publicity expressed

2. that the opinions referred to are about public affairs

3. that the opinion is held by general public instead of some small group.

Another sense in which the word ‘public’ may be used is to refer to mass of the people
in contrast to an elite or minority group. According to William Albig “public are simply large
groups”. Another definition runs, “a group of people with similar interests who have a common
opinion on a controversial subject”. A group of workers discussing the question whether to go
on strike is a public. But is the same groups standing at a bus stop and unanimously agrees on
the perfect weather, it has nothing to do with PO. The same person may be identified with
several publics. An individual may be a member of ethnic, family, neighborhood, social, political,
religious, educational, craft, professional and other groups.

Some of these groups are primary are primary groups and the others are secondary.
Primary groups are formed by closely related blood ties, by proximity, or working in the same
concern. Secondary groups are composed of persons of dissimilar backgrounds and different
interests. Unions, civic clubs and professional societies are secondary groups. While persona
in primary groups tend to share common outlook members of secondary groups are less inclined
to be influenced by group opinion.A pencil involved in PO formation may vary from there or four
persons to millions of them. They may concentrated in one place or scattered nicely, common
interests unify individual members of the public leading the similar view points and unanimity of
opinion.

Meaning of Public Opinion

Very often opinion is contrasted in the knowledge. If you say it needs great deal of
money to get man on the moon it is straight truth accounting for knowledge. But if you say that
the effort to send man to the moon is a giant leap for mankind, it is a opinion. While the first
statement is indely accepted the second one is largely [Link] term opinion is also
contrasted with attitude. While opinion is cognitive attitude is evaluative. An opinion is a
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proposition and attitude is pro or anti something. for instance if you say the proceedings in the
parliament is time consuming. And if you say the proceedings in the parliament are too time
consuming it becomes as attitude.

PO is used as a catch all to designate symbolic expressions of any kind. A writer may
say that in order to win a candidate should have favourable PO. In this sense PO is contrasted
with property or [Link] public today is no longer a homogeneous whole. It comprises,
several groups with interests of their own and very often with conflicting investor. PR involves
the evaluation of attitudes of each one of the segments of the public relevant to an organisation
and makes sure that a regular flow of communication be directed towards them. Only by this
means a favourable PO can be achieved. Opinion is a view, judgement or appraisal formed in
the mind about a particular matter. An opinion is also understood as an expression about a
controversial point. An opinion is stronger than impression and weaker than positive knowledge.
It is a conclusion through out, yet open to dispute. It view is an opinion more or less coloured by
bias.

Public Opinion Historical Perspective

Efforts of persuading others and influencing PO date back to antiquity. The Greeks,
though ‘they did not use the word PO, recognised the value of such opinion when they coined
the expression “Vox Populi Vox Dei” meaning “the voice of the people is the voice of the God”.
Machiavelly strongly believed that the people must be either caressed or [Link] of
yester years lised to go in disguise to feel the pulse of the public the story of the Tamil Kind
Porkai Pandyan stand testimony to this practice. Emperor Ashoka’s inscriptions on stone pillars,
written in local dialects how his concern for informing the public and shaping the PO.

In the West, before the eighteenth century in which the middle class matured, there was
little awaress of this phenomenon. For Hegal, PO meant pubic or social perception coupled
with an evaluation of what was perceived. Voltaire glorified its power while John Stauart Mill
denounced its tyranny. Historically this concept of PO has developed in step with the idea that
the powers of the government should be based on :the consent of the governed”. Sometimes,
the focus was on an enlightened opinion or an the role of social or political avant-garde. Since
the nineteenth century, however, there has generally been an increasing interest in the opinion
of the “man in the street”.

It is also possibel to define PO by what it is not.; It is not innate, but evo** out social and
cultural circumstances. Since it is not imposed by some recognised authority, ** not same as
 161

ideology. Finally it is not equivalent to body of knowledge through it cannot exist without’ the
ingredients of knowledge such as data and concepts. Such data are used to judge whether the
pubic rejects or approves the subject under consideration. Public opinion is considered to be
that of people outside the decision making process, external to power centres, and differs from
that of people who, because of their specific position, knowledge and skills are responsible for
such decisions.

Attitudes in Opinion Formation

Attitudes are generally defined as a mental predisposition toward persons, objects and
events that guides or influences one’s behavour toward those objects. Gorden [Link] defined
attitude as “a mental or neural state or readiness, organised through experience, exercising a
directive or dynamic influence on the individuals response to all objects and situations with
which it is related”.Communication methods are aimed at creating, accounting for or changing
attitudes - as when employers attempt to improve employee job satisfaction, politicians try to
sway public opinion or advertisers seek to create a brand image. Attitudes are seen as a means
to change people’s behaviour. Thus anti-smoking campaigns focus on the consequences of
smoking and consumer promotions emphasise produce attributer.

For PO of form three elements are necessary “communication channels, issues and
publics. An issue may be defined as a question affecting a substantial number of people for
which there is no accepted right answer and which is therefore subject for discussion. The
formation of PO undergoes to following stages :

Step: 1 An individual forms an attitude about an issue as a result of exposure to

communication about it. If this attitude is expressed in words, action or gesture it becomes an
opinion. That is to say that if it is not expressed it does not become an opinion and has no role
in the formation of PO.

Step: 2 As people express their opinions to friends, neighbours and family members, a
common opinion on an issue may develop.

Step: 3 Though interpersonal and mass media networks people become aware of the
opinion of the majority. If it concedes with their own opinion they express of boldly and suppress
if it is otherwise.
162

Step: 4 When partisans become aware of others who share their opinions a ‘we’ feeling
may come into existence. The body of ‘we’ feeling may grow until nearly everyone shares the
‘we’ feeling.

Whether person to person communication or mass communication is importation the formation

of an attitude depends on the individual’s social environment and on the nature of the issue.

Changing Existing Attitudes

Changes in attitudes occur when an existing attitude no longer provides a person with
satisfaction or when the person begins to aspire for better things. Changes in attitudes are
accomplished through communications either by creating new beliefs or by appealing to the
emotions to arouse favourable or unfavourable attitudes. Changes in attitudes are also brought
about when an individual experiences problems frustrations or dissatisfaction with cherished
beliefs, self image, economic status or value system. A satisfied worker may change his attitude
towards the employer after listening to a labour leader describe the need for better working
conditions. Appeal to the physical, social and economic needs for people are most effective in
changing their attitudes.

Attitudes change is directly related to the immediacy of the issue to the individual. An
issue directly affecting the welfare of an individual may cause a change from a passive attitude
to either a positive or a negative opinion. For examples the residents of community who have a
Passive attitude towards nuclear power generation may switch over to positive or negative
attitude is one such state come up in their area.

Events can also transform passive attitudes into positive opinions. The Bhopal industrial
disaster has created as alterness among us to be cautious about the industries as in whole. PO
is shaped not only by events but also by individuals. Opinion leaders or found in every social,
political and economic group. They exert considerable influence on the opinions of the group.

For a business, opinion leaders are found among employees shareholders, consumers
distributors and dealers. About one out of every five persons in a group may be identified as a
opinion leader say Paul Lazarfeled. Opinion leaders usually read extensively and expose
themselves to mass media very extensively. To recognise and appeal to the opinion leader is a
primary task of Public Relations.
 163

Rational Basisof Public Opinion

As a result of education and improved communication, today PO is based more on

rational thinking. More people have began to suspend hasty judgements and wait until they
receive fats from various sources. The public is increasingly on guard against pernicious
propaganda rational groups gathers maximum available facts about an issue before arriving at
a common consensus. The quality of PO is basically dependent upon the quantity and quality
of information. Groups are able to express more rational opinions on issues which directly
affect their welfare than on issues which are not their immediate concern.

In order to understand ‘attitude’ better it is distinguished with values, opinions and beliefs.
A persons attitude towards an object is the sum of his perceptions of how conducive that object
is to the attainment of his values. Opinions are narrower beliefs that attitudes refer to beliefs
about matters of taste and opinions to beliefs about matters of fact. There has been a long
tradition of distinguishing among three types of attitudes called cognitive, affective and cognitive.
The cognitive aspect refers to the intellectual content of the attitude. The affective aspect refers
to the emotional, evaluative component of the attitude. The cognitive aspect involved the
behavioural intentions in the attitude.

Check Your Progress

1. Write short notes on

(a) Public Relations and Indian Railways

(b) Social Audit

(c) Public Relations and Changed economic Scenario

8.8 Summary
The post modern era has witnessed many changes in the life of the human beings due to
so much advancement in many fields in including the economic field. Pattern of public relations
are available to face challenges. This is a trend worldwide to expect progressive changes in
media to help public relations in all fields of activities.

8.9 Key Words

Economic Reforms

Responsibility of Media
164

Economic Scenario

Public Opinion

Changing Attitudes

8.10 Answers to check your progress

1. See Section: 8.6, 8.6 and 8.7

8.11 Review Questions

1. Sketch the emergence of different of Public Relations due to so meet advance
meet in all fields of human life

2. Analayse carefully the factor of Public Relations

3. What is the role expected from media to strengthen the Public Relations process

4. What is Public opinion? Explain its historical perspective

5. Analyze the opinion formation efforts, and rational basic of public opinion.

8.12 Suggested Books for References

1. [Link], Introduction to Public Relations, Indian Publishers Distributors, Delhi,
1999.

2. [Link], Lectures on Applied Public Relations, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi,
1985.

3. [Link], Hand Book of Public Relations in India.

4. [Link] and Frank, Public Relatiosn - Principle, Cases and Problems, Surjeet
Publication, New Delhi, 1987.

5. Baskin, O., and Aronoff, C.E. (1992). Public Relations: The profession and the
practice. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.

6. Bayles, M.D. (1981). Professional Ethics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

7. Berkman, D. (1992). The rush to PR. Quill.

8. Cutlip, S.M. (1994). The Unseen Power: Public Relations: a History. Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

9. Grunig, J.E., and Hunt, T. (1984). Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.
 165

MODEL QUESTION PAPER

[Link]. - MATHE MATICS

SECOND YEAR - THIRD SEMESTER

NON - MAJOR ELECTIVE PAPER

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Time: Three hours Maximum: 75 marks

Part - A (10 x 2 = 20 marks)

Answer any TEN questions.
1. Public Relations
bghJk¡fŸ bjhl®ò
2. Advertising
bghJ m¿é¥ò
3. Publicity
és«gu«
4. Cultural Relations
fyh¢rhu cwÎfŸ
5. NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)
muR rhuh ãWtd«
6. Distributors
éånahf°j®
7. Customer Relations
tho¡ifahs® bjhl®ò
8. Investors
KjÄ£lhs®fŸ
9. Press Trust of India.
ϪÂa g¤Âç¡if¡ FG
10. DAVP (Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity)
oVéÃ
166

11. DTH (Direct to Home)

oov¢
12. Public Opinion
bghJ k¡fŸ fU¤J
Part - B (5 x 5 = 25 marks)
Answer any Five questions.
13. Briefly examine the importance of public relations.
bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®Ã‹ K¡»a¤Jt¤ij RU¡fkhf MuhŒf.
14. Write a note on propaganda
bfhŸif gu¥òjš g‰¿ F¿¥ò tiuf.
15. What is a political relation ? Explain.
muÁaš bjhl®ò v‹whš v‹d? és¡Ff
16. Briefly examine the role of public relations in government
murh§f¤Âš bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®Ã‹ g§»id RU¡fkhf MuhŒf
17. Explain the meaning of target group
gadhë FGé‹ bghUis és¡Ff.
18. Describe the composition of press information bureau
g¤Âç¡if jftš Ãçé‹ mik¥ig étç
19. Point out the objectives of public relations education and training.
bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®ò fšé k‰W« gæ‰Áæ‹ neh¡f§fis vL¤Jiu¡fΫ.
Part - C (5 x 6 = 30 marks)
Answer any Three questions.
20. Explain the meaning, nature and scope of public relations.
bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®Ã‹ bghUŸ, j‹ik k‰W« bra‰gh£blšiyia és¡Ff.
21. Distinguish between commercial and non commercial organizations.
tâf« k‰w« tâf« rhuh mik¥òfis ntWgL¤Jf.
22. Examine the role of public in public relations.
bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®Ãš k¡fë‹ g§»id MuhŒf.
23. Describe the powers and functions of public relations officer in an organization.
xU mik¥Ãš bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®ò mYtyç‹ mÂfhu§fŸ k‰W« gâfis étç.
24. Analyze the recent trends and issues in public relations.
bghJ k¡fŸ bjhl®Ã‹ Ï‹iwa ngh¡F k‰W« Ãu¢Áidfis gF¤jhŒf.