'PR needs to be taken seriously – by employers, customers, the media and the public'

21st April marked the National PR day. 39 years ago - in 1968, the 1st All India PR Meeting was held by the PRSI National Committee. PRSI Chennai Chapter – the Chapter that has been named the Best Chapter for 2005 – 06 – organized a meeting to co-inside the day.

The key note speaker was Mr R Fernandez, Head, Press & Public Affairs, British Deputy High Commission, Chennai who addressed the participants on ‘Opportunities and challenges for PR practitioners’.

Moses perhaps was the first aspiring PR person: Mr R Fernandez cited the story of Moses, who, some 3,500 years ago was perhaps like the first aspiring PR persons, who wandered the deserts in Africa as he led thousands. Moses desperately needed God (THE CEO OF THE ORGANIZATION) to believe that he was up to the job and he needed the thousands of Israelites (THE TARGET AUDIENCE) to believe that God would indeed not let them down. Did he succeed? Did he get as a reward for all his labours? He was ordered by God NOT to enter the Promised Land and was cursed repeatedly by the people who although were benefited time and again from his countless feats!

What did Moses think he was up to? Where did he go wrong? He “thought” he was actually adding value. He “thought” he was improvising. Neither his employer nor his customers thought so. Down the ages that simple lesson has not changed much.

Mr Fernandez reflected on PR as a profession, and stated that this problem of perception remains at the crux. The role of PR in adding value to both ends has remained to be questioned. This perception is critical; whether one is an in-house Head of PR, a PR organization or an independent consultant. This is true whether the employer is an NGO, a government Department, a University or a multinational in the private sector. In the simplest terms when one removes all the jargon, this value add is “making things better for both” – whether it is more profit, increased revenue, reduced costs, a reliable customer base in terms of happier repeat customers, a wider base in terms of newer customers, altered perceptions, new or higher awareness.

The speaker noted that very often, we as PR professionals carry on our jobs, ‘thinking’ we are adding value (and often cajoling both employers and customers into believing us). We ‘think’ we are doing a good job, fetching wide and positive media coverage, Targeted advertising exposure with the best slots in outdoor or print space and prime time TV and just good-old ‘publicity and goodwill’ in networking events.

On most occasions, employers and customers would have an opinion that the PR professional and his output is perhaps not worth the money he is paid.

This is true across the world, not just in India. However it is more so in India because of poor standards in PR procurement, inconsistency, lack of professionalism in client briefing and, worst of all, highly arbitrary evaluation and monitoring. So what do we do? We tend to blunder along. Employers spending billions on publicity not knowing if they are throwing good money after bad. Marketing Departments signing new contracts with PR consultancies. And PR professionals hacking away at media plans, press releases and special articles, setting up photo-ops with smiling celebrities, product launches with film stars, road-shows with hot-air balloons, interviews and press conferences.

PR needs to be taken seriously – by employers, customers, the media and the public. This is the first and biggest challenge before the PR profession today.

It is a Perception Issue! Why is it important to ensure that everyone recognizes that PR makes a difference? Crucially. Decisively. Because there IS a credibility issue.

Very rarely does anyone in an organization or outside of it, perceive the sincerity, the hard work, the hours of research, the uphill task of contact-building, the effort and time that goes into struggling to understand a client. The PR man has to be at it all the time!

Mr Fernandez referred to most CEOs who will quite readily pat themselves on the back when Q2 results are embarrassingly healthy - but they won’t hesitate to ring up Head of PR at five o’ clock on Sunday morning when they see a bad story about falling margins on the Business channels, hauling them for mismanagement.

He sought to seek to measure about how PR efforts actually improve performance – profitability, revenue, customer base, shareholder perception, competitive edge, leverage with the media, increased awareness, enlightened perception, greater buy-in from management into the use of PR as a powerful business tool.

He urged PRSI Chapter to provide real leadership to the research/audit effort across India and set the standard high. The more transparent and willing we are to subject ourselves and our work to standards, to measurement and evaluation, the more we are likely to be taken seriously. The longer we shy away from this task the longer we are likely to be referred to as “avoidable” expense heads in crisis and “affordable” expense heads in the good times.

A second challenge that is already upon us is the break-neck speed at which the media, marketing and technology environment is changing.

Just a few years ago, terms and practices such as web-publishing and e-groups were unheard of. Today they are common. Many respected media groups of the 20th century are nothing more than advertising vehicles in the 21st. Leaving customers convinced that the line between accurate, objective news/information and paid-for propaganda is not just blurred; it no longer exists. But instead of sitting on their newspapers or TV remotes in resignation, customers are moving to the Internet for answers. They are using meta-search engines; they are creating their own sites and blogs. They are making the news come to them, through their keyboards and their mobile phones.

“Moses learnt the hard way” said Fernandez. “What do we do? We move to the second opportunity. The need is for providers of products, services or ideas to speak more directly to customers”.

This is a real opportunity for the PR profession. The longer we cling to traditional tools the tougher we are going to find the transition. Yes we can rely on traditional practices selectively and as long as they serve a purpose but not beyond that. This mode - of direct persuasion - is used only in fits and starts in India, when it should become ‘mainstream’. It is perhaps the most crucial medium of the 21st century.

Mr Fernandez sought to Communicating with a customer in real-time; Finding out, almost in real-time how a customer perceives and responds to an offering; and reacting, in quick time, to tailor-make that offering so that bottom-lines grow and customers come back to drink from the same well.

The third challenge is probably a little more complex. That of the world becoming flat very fast but staying stubbornly very round at the same time.

High growth, high inflation and high prices on the same shelf. Rich and highly informed thousands in the cities but poor and very illiterate millions in the towns and villages. Technology that hopes of putting a man on Mars but still cannot effectively tackle HIV/AIDS, kidney/heart failure and cancer. This is a challenge of ideas and the fight for a receptive and lasting space for those ideas.

What is the opportunity this presents? One of partnerships. So that we think not of customers or clients or employers or stakeholders, but “partners”. PR professional’s success in responding to this challenge lies in who we decide are our partners, how quickly and effectively we build and manage those partnerships for success.

This is the opportunity of raising our game in the field of skills and standards. Can we train clients in the way they procure and manage PR talent/time? Can we improve standards in the way clients brief PR providers and hold them to account? Can we ensure that our own teams realize the difference between a vision and a strategy, between an objective and an outcome? Can we standardize the measurement of PR performance so that we are not only happy that clients pick us over competitors but we “know” that we are indeed better than the competition?

Do we take the trouble to be aware and respectful of intellectual property regimes or do we put our clients and our customers at risk in the way we transact with patents, copyright and trademarks? Can we convince Directors on the Board that if they hold PR to account in a crisis they should also give PR due credit during the good times? Can we convince CEOs and Presidents that CSR should not be an add-on but integral to the very being of the organization so that it permeates every operation, every department, every process, building respect and trust in the community?

Seeing the PR crystal ball, Fernandez notes that in the coming years the partnership response will manifest itself in two ways:

One that produces a large beast of a PR organization – that swallows smaller outfits, grows capital, competencies and capacities to become even larger so that, it can be almost all things to all people. There will probably be just one or two of these organizations in any given region. Another manifestation will be niche PR – creating teams so small and specialized that they are no threat to the big organizations but continue to offer value that allows them to co-exist with the giants, perhaps as partners of a sort. Niche PR can be for instance those that address really small segments or have a tiny but unique offering. For instance, specialists in the vernacular medium or specialists in developing written material.
The middle-of-the-road organization may not vanish altogether. It may survive but will certainly not be able to “thrive” for too long.
PR is about as good as your product, service or idea - not the other way around. Once in a while we’ll get a PR magician who comes along and makes a pocket-sized product hit the headlines -but if the product is wanting, we will find profits vanishing sooner than the magician.

'Time to put your hands up and be counted in the war against AIDS'

India has the largest number of HIV / AIDS victims in the world. In some regions in the country, more than five per cent of the population is affected. Although the dreaded scourge does not discriminate among victims, youth is the biggest risk category. The dangers of reduced productivity and the GDP falling are all there. Is there a way out? There is no room for complacency, says T.T. Ashok, Chairman, Corporate Social Responsibility Subcommittee, CII, Southern Region, and Managing Director, Taylor Rubber.

It was an interaction with HIV-positive activist Kausalya and a humourous street play on HIV / AIDS by 13 students of Loyola College led by Mahesh that stole the show at a meeting organised by the Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter, to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Boldly addressing members of the PRSI, Kausalya, who is training for leadership in advocacy and earns a stipend, said that she did not know anything about the dreaded scourge till she was affected. Thanks to support from her family and friends, she started working with women in Namakkal, the trucking centre in Tamil Nadu, and learnt more about the disease. Under medication the past six months (she says anti-retroviral drugs have become cheaper now), Kausalya lives with her uncle and does not face discrimination in her village. “I think positively. More educated people are supporting us. Many women are willing to come out in the open and say that you can live happily with HIV / AIDS,” she said.

A short film on HIV /AIDS dwelt on the aspects of safe sex (using a condom) and safe blood transfusion. And in the words of the narrator: ‘The AIDS person is normal. There is more reason to take his hand in yours’.

There are more than 50 million people living with AIDS worldwide. Every few seconds, a few people die. In Africa, often pictured as a colourful and vibrant continent, the average life expectancy has reduced by 15 years. But it is not Africa that has the world’s largest population of AIDS victims today. It is India, which has 9 per cent of the total number affected by AIDS.

“Do you know that people die of AIDS even as we watch TV? The UNO has predicted 49.5 million deaths from AIDS by 2015. In some regions in India, HIV prevalence is five per cent of the population there, and these places lie in some of the fastest growing states. More than one-third of the victims are between 15 and 24 years of age. Young women and girls are the most vulnerable, and biologically and socially the most susceptible, accounting for 35 per cent of new infections. The high-risk group includes young homosexual males, intravenous drug users, sexually exploited children and unattended children of AIDS victims. The reach of the disease exceeds all social boundaries – it can affect colleagues, bosses and office boys. So, accept it… take a deep breath,” said T.T. Ashok, Chairman, Corporate Social Responsibility Subcommittee, Confederation of Indian Industry, Southern Region, and Managing Director, Taylor Rubber Pvt. Ltd, the main speaker for the evening.

Ashok talked about the lessons from Africa: a sick labour force, declining productivity and reduced profitability. “Our GDP could reduce by 17 per cent by 2010. The impact of HIV / AIDS has grown and our response is far from adequate. We as parents are more diffident talking about it; kids are much better. It is time to accept, acknowledge and get involved,” he exhorted the audience.

The CII, in partnership with the India Business Trust, New Delhi, has launched a series of workshops to target 150 industries in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry; 112 CEOs have been sensitised so far. “The southern states have a better system of governance and reporting. Recent figures for Tamil Nadu show that the HIV prevalence rate has come down due to sustained efforts. Quite unlike in Africa, where the rate has reversed thanks to American President Bush’s campaign against condoms,” Ashok pointed out, adding that getting companies on board in the campaign against AIDS was the biggest challenge. “We have had very little success with IT companies. They don’t want to face facts. We need you to help us out.”

Earlier, Ashok ran through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the CII, Southern Region. CSR is no longer just about giving some money to worthy causes. It is about becoming a sustainable business, he said, pointing out that combating HIV / AIDS, malaria and other diseases was part of the UN Millennium Development Goals which the 191 member states had pledged to meet by 2015.

“Business does not stop at the factory gate. Operating people have just no time in making CSR part of the company’s psyche. The assurance and driving force must come from the top management,” Ashok stressed.

"Prevention is better than cure"

Rising incomes and better purchasing power have dramatically changed lifestyles in urban India. With urbanisation and changing lifestyles have come diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. Can something be done to battle the four silent killers (diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and cholesterol)? Yes, indeed, by creating awareness about such lifestyle-related diseases, a role that PR practitioners must play, says Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Jt Director, MV Hospital for Diabetes & Diabetes Research Centre.

Malaria cases in India reduced from 75 cases per million in 1951 to 2.2 cases in 2000; leprosy cases from 38.1 per million in 1951 to 3.74; and polio from 29,709 cases per million in 1981 to 265. Small pox has been eradicated. Through the years, from 1951 to 2000, life expectancy has increased from 36.7 to 64.6. With increasing life expectancy, urbanisation and changing lifestyles – more stress, smoking habits, lack of exercise and consumption of fast foods – four silent killers have emerged: diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and raised cholesterol. All lifestyle-related diseases, stressed Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Joint Director, MV Hospital for Diabetes (P) Ltd & Diabetes Research Centre, addressing members of the Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter.

Diabetes has become a major cause for concern in Asia. In 1998, there were more than 140 million people with diabetes in the world. According to the World Health Organisation, the figure is likely to rise to about 300 million by 2025. Significantly, more than 150 million will be from Asia. A recent population-based study reveals that genetic susceptibility to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is high among Asian Indians; so also coronary heart disease, which is often premature, severe, extensive and follows a malignant course. Coronary angiograms have shown more severe disease in Asian Indians than in whites.

As Daniel Dass, Vice president, PRSI, Chennai Chapter, said at the beginning of the programme, although it was the best of times (8 per cent economic growth, stock markets scaling new peaks, and salaries going through the roof), it was also the worst of times. People today have just no time for simple pleasures. Progress, it appears, has exacted a heavy price on society.

So is there a role for PR practitioners here? Yes, indeed there is, said Viswanathan, urging members to spread awareness through the media about lifestyle diseases and ways to prevent them. “The four silent killers are preventable to a large extent by following a proper lifestyle. Lifestyle diseases depend on the individual. We are irresponsible. It doesn’t happen in the USA. For example, if the government had played a more active role, we would not have had chikungunya. So, motivate employees in your organisations and take time off to address groups like the Lions and Rotary,” he added.

Viswanathan related the four silent killers to bad eating habits. “God has given us a mechanism to dispose glucose. But if we eat more, there is insulin resistance and we build a fatty liver that is metabolically harmful. Since awareness is low – 26 per cent of people don’t know that excess blood sugar means diabetes and 53 per cent of those having diabetes think they are fine – primary prevention is a major challenge,” he explained.

With increasing per capita income, the frequency of eating out has increased. “However, we eat the wrong food and choose to snack instead of eating more vegetables and fruits. Offices should offer employees tender coconut water rather than Coke or Pepsi,” Viswanathan pointed out, adding that a sensible individualised diet, regular exercise and a weight reduction programme were essential for good health. He said that there is the need to screen high-risk individuals. For instance, children of diabetic parents must undergo a glucose-tolerance test as much as adults must check their body mass index (weight in kilos divided by height in metres square) to see if they are over or underweight.

Emphasising that prevention was better than cure, Viswanathan pointed out that most doctors saw patients who had a problem. Ninety per cent of hypertension cases were detected during a casual BP check, he said.

“Losing weight is not easy. Eating an ordinary lunch gives you 500-600 calories. So, you have to exercise to burn out your calories. Every Indian above the age of eight must get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Walk for an hour. If you do this, you may lose about ten per cent weight in six months,” he said. Viswanathan was for encouraging patients to build physical activities into each day, such as getting down from the bus one stop before the destination, parking the vehicle a distance away and then walking to the store, and climbing the stairs instead of using elevators.

'Do we need to be unnecessarily stressed?'

A Zen Buddhism student was sitting at the feet of his master. How do we get peace and where does knowledge come from, the young lad asked. The master explained by citing the example of a coconut. The coconut has a hard covering and a soft interior filled with water, but from that nothingness grows the coconut tree, he said.
“This is the age of technology and technology has spoilt us. Knowledge is within us. However, with knowledge, comes problems,” said Dr U. Gauthamadas, Senior Consultant, Neuro-Behavioural Medicine & Stress Management, Apollo First Med Hospitals, and a Fellow of the Indian Psychiatric Society, addressing members of the PRSI, Chennai Chapter, drawing from that analogy. He added, “No wonder the bright youngsters of today face what is known as the burnout syndrome! In our minds, we have what are called 'mental modes', which are simplified versions of reality. When our mental modes match reality, there is cognitive resonance, but if we don't get what we expect, there is cognitive dissonance.” Dr Gauthamadas cited three examples to drive home the point. Bharat, a Plus-2 student, did not wish to talk to anybody in his family; he just would go to sleep. The student of a school in Perambur had scored 60 percent marks in Class 10 and his parents wanted him to do engineering. They put him in a school in Anna Nagar. From morning to night, seven days a week, the boy was saddled with schoolwork and tuitions. There was just too much to take. The result: low marks and the plummeting of his self-esteem.
Ratna, a Class 6 student, displayed irritable behaviour. The reason: between 2pm and 6pm she and her small sister would wait in their school in West Mambalam for their father to pick them up while he was returning home from work.
Lokesh, a BA graduate, was a call centre employee. At work, while speaking to clients, he had to talk and act like Luke. When he had to handle irate clients, pressure started building in him. As the pressure on him to perform increased, his stress levels shot up and it led to poor health. He envied his classmate who was a successful radio jockey. Experiencing cognitive dissonance, Lokesh became a victim of the burnt-out syndrome by the time he was 21.
A study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, revealed that for 35 percent of students, exams were stressful. Private school children expressed more stress. The perception of stress increased with age. High performers faced more stress. A recent study in Tamil Nadu showed that 15 percent of all suicides was in the 10-19 year age group. According to Dr Gauthamadas, 13 suicide cases were reported in Chennai in 2003 after the public exam results were announced; there were 200 suicides across the state.
Dr Gauthamadas referred to what he called “over-scheduling”, that is putting the child through various activities so that he can match up to competition and score the required marks. It has become fashionable to get the child to do something all the time, he said.
“The stress comes mainly from the parents, who are themselves stressed out. There are negligent parents as well as parents who do not know how to teach children to cope. Parents tend to compare their children with the next-door neighbour's child, or the child's friend or cousin. Today's children face the tension of growing up. If a particular 'gang' or group has destructive tendencies, then the children learn the wrong things. In the past, the joint family system helped children immensely in dealing with the problems of growing up,” said Dr Gauthamadas, adding, “Teachers also create a lot of stress. Some children try to cope on their own. Even so, they are penalised because they are expected to do what the teacher tells them.”
Abuse, Dr Gauthamadas pointed out, could be physical or emotional. It would make children feel insignificant, ignored and neglected. In the BPOs and call centres, for instance, employees faced erratic work hours, leading to forced changes in social and family life. “While there are marriages within the call centre, there are divorces outside. There are youth who fail to develop any skills. What is the future of the youth of our country?” Dr Gauthamadas wondered.
Parents, teachers and children must accept that stress is part of everyday life. Parents have to be educated on the need for an active relationship between them and their children. Schools and colleges must advocate development-oriented education and tailor a curriculum to suit children.
“We must identify the areas from where stress is coming and then address the issues. We need health-friendly conditions, friendly supervisors and counselling services. The PRSI must advocate stress-optimised work conditions. Stress is nothing but how we perceive life. If there is a need, you must approach the right person, in this case the psychiatrist. The stigma of seeking such help
must go,” Dr Gauthamadas stressed.

Speaker:
Ms. K. Kalpana,
Conservation Architect

'Senate House restoration has a larger message'

To commemorate the 367th year of the founding of the city of Madras that is Chennai, the Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter, hosted a lecture on 'Restoring the Madras University Senate House' as part of the Madras Musings series of lectures during Madras Week (August 22-29). It was in chairman V.S. Ramana's words, “the right way to kick-start PRSI activities for 2006.”Conservation architect Kalpana, a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) who co-authored the book, Madras: The Architectural Heritage, had played an active role in the restoration process and she took the audience through a presentation showing what classical restoration of a heritage building actually meant.
Restoration of the Senate House, a Robert Chisholm masterpiece built in the 1870s as the first building of the Madras University, comprised of the Vice Chancellor's chamber in one wing and a lecture hall for convocations and gallery seats in another. Many an important function was conducted in the Senate Hall but in the 1980s it was shut down and has since remained in ruins. The reason: bad maintenance and the building had started to rot. There was the threat of the building being pulled down. “The restoration of the Senate House is only a small part in the whole exercise of heritage conservation. Until the early 1900s, the boundaries of Madras did not extend beyond Adyar, Aminjikarai and Royapuram. All of us have forgotten the tiny fishing villages that existed long before the English arrived. The city actually grew with these villages and today, even the few that exist are in danger of being wiped out,” Kalpana said, adding, Old Madras was extremely green, full of water, and the local people looked after the tanks… till the British took over. There were tree-filled cart tracks; one such is today's Nungambakkam High Road. Heritage is also about old houses, old school buildings like Doveton Corrie that still have wide verandahs and airy rooms, and even the little shops like the nadar kadai.”
Dwelling on the consequences of a building falling into disuse, Kalpana pointed out that once a building starts rotting, water enters and then the deterioration is extremely fast. “However, the Queen Mary's College had not reached such a state. One balcony falling down did not mean that the whole building was going to collapse. We must keep buildings in use and conservation can be tailored to suit pockets,” she said.
Unlike modern buildings, where the labour component is 20 percent, the labour cost incurred for the restoration of the Senate House was about 65 percent (Rs 5 crore or so has been spent on the restoration so far). In Kalpana's view, the Senate House restoration is not an example of how much conservation will cost but how conservation should be done. The Madras University Senate House Project was funded by the Madras University Restoration and Maintenance Trust. The working committee was headed by P.T. Krishnan, Convenor, INTACH, Tamil Nadu. It comprised L&T’s team, PWD and Archaeological Survey of India officials.
Restoration of the senate House started with the roofing work, on the Mangalore-tiled roof. Eighty percent of the tiles were in a re-usable condition. “When we started work on the interiors, we had really no idea what we were letting ourselves into. We managed to source old books published in Britain that talked of Madras Plaster, which includes several applications of lime plaster and lime patti (the smooth and silky plaster was also called Chettinadu Plaster because only the Chettiars could afford it).
Kalpana spoke of the tedious process the restoration team went through discovering how to make Madras Plaster. She recalled how a store attendant led her to a timber merchant in Madurai after everybody in the team had lost all hope of finding out how to make Madras Plaster. She then came to know that the red, yellow and earth oxides (that go to make the plaster) were mined illegally. “The challenge was to try different proportions, find the right one and then make a fine paste out of it,” she said. Today, Kalpana is able to see the use of Madras Plaster in almost every old building.
Earlier, echoing the views of S. Muthiah, editor, Madras Musings, V. Sriram, Associate Editor, said that the destruction of heritage buildings was snowballing and that unless Chennai citizens did something, there would be no old buildings left. “If a building has to survive, it has to be lived in continuously. The earnest desire of heritage lovers is that heritage buildings be remembered,” he said.
The event kicked off with the address by the host - Geoff Magee, Chief Executive Officer, The Accord Metropolitan.

'The citizen has a right to know'

The right to information has been part of the buzz lately, thanks to the Right to Information Act, a powerful tool that citizens can use to get answers to questions relating to the functioning of government and public authorities. However, the onus is on the citizen to use the powerful right judiciously. Providing a broad perspective to PRSI, Chennai Chapter members about the Right to Information Act was Prem Kumar Gera, Joint Secretary, Central Information Commission, New Delhi.
"The right to information is enshrined in our Constitution. But the British bureaucratic attitude of being secretive about information seemed to have continued. The Supreme Court has in many of its judgments acknowledged the right to information and the RTI Act we now have encompasses the best practices that are followed internationally,” Gera said.
The RTI Act, however, does not confer on the citizen the right to grievance. For example, if a passport is not ready, the citizen has only the right to know the status. Unless prohibited under Section 8 under the Act (you can find more details about the RTI Act at www.cic.gov.in), the citizen has access to information even in government files, according to Gera. While the Central Information Commission deals with only central government departments, state departments come under the ambit of the respective state. For instance, the Tamil Nadu Information Commission is the final arbiter or authority on matters pertaining to departments of the state. This arrangement is a result of the federal nature of the Indian Constitution. Again, the RTI Act does not give citizens the right to access information relating to private entities, such as the ICICI Bank.
Any citizen wanting information permissible under the RTI Act can frame as many questions as he or she wishes in the prescribed application form (Rs 10, the cost of application, can be sent either by DD or Postal Order favouring the Accounts Officer of the public authority concerned) and address it to the Public Information Officer concerned (the right is available only to citizens of the country; companies or legal entities cannot apply). Gera provided the example of how a gentleman in Delhi wanted information relating to building plans of the previous three years. Although the information ran into almost 30,000 pages, the Public Information officer had to furnish the information in 30 days; five additional days are given if details are to be sourced from various agencies. If the information is not provided within this period, the Public Information Officer will have to refund the deposit amount if the applicant asks for it.
With the RTI Act just coming into force, many citizens are not aware of what the Act means for them and how they can benefit from it. Gera cited the instance of an application that was sent by a person to Doordarshan, Ahmedabad, seeking information about the flag code. The applicant did not know which ministry to approach to get the requisite details. He should have actually sent the application to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The RTI Act not only gives citizens enormous powers, it also makes it mandatory for all public authorities to provide information as a routine matter. Thus, the website of various public authorities are now likely to mention details regarding the names of employees, salaries received, budgets allocated, execution of subsidised programmes, particulars of recipients of concessions, and other relevant facts relating to formulation of policies. The objective is to disseminate information to the public well in advance.
Will the public interest be served if a certain piece of information is disclosed? That might be the question some people wish to ask. Gera pointed out that certain organisations, such as the Information Bureau, were exempt from providing information unless the issue involved one of corruption or violation of human rights. “If the matter pertains to life and liberty, the public authority concerned must furnish information within 48 hours,” he said, citing the example of a relative or friend who is imprisoned without sufficient reason. “Also, you can file a complaint if the information provided on a website is redundant,” he added.
Gera explained that information about public authorities and their functioning would not be provided to citizens if it concerned:

• Security of the country
• Information forbidden by the court
• Breach of privilege of Parliament
• Trade secrets, intellectual property rights
• Fiduciary relationships
• Information received by a foreign government (for security purposes)
• Information that could impede prosecution
• Personal information

However, if the competent authority is convinced that a larger interest will be served, then the information sought may be provided. Indeed, even the Official Secrets Act has been made subservient to the RTI Act, he said.
Gera held that the Central Information Commission did not possess adequate infrastructure to dispose off cases quickly. Only 1,000 cases have been disposed, out of the 2,300 cases received so far. Even so, he stressed that people should not lose heart since the RTI Act has been able to move the highest authority in the land (Supreme Court).

Speaker:
Dr. Nabarun Ghose
Chairman - Marketing, Hospitality Management & Tourism, & International Studies
Professor of Marketing & Global Business, Tiffin University,
Ohio, USA

The clock turns back

The Public Relations Society of India brought home special memories to Nabarun Ghose. It was one evening in 1969 at the Hotel Savera that the first meeting of the PRSI, Madras Chapter, took place. And present on that occasion was Nabarun's father Dr Amol Ghose, a chartered founding member.
Nabarun recalled the special banquet outdoors that evening and the huge fish that the chefs displayed. He remembered the presence of his brother Dipankar Ghose and a girl, Rooma Haksar, daughter of Gyan Haksar, whose brainchild the PRSI was. Nabarun himself was about seven years old then. Dr Amol Ghose in his speech that evening had dwelt on traditional communication. And here was Nabarun, 37 years later, addressing PRSI members on a subject close to his heart - e-communication.

'How to build and profit from e-relationships?'

The Internet is a new world that has brought about a world of opportunity. “People who are scared of globalisation have no future. The world is our market. And building relationships is an area of opportunity. It provides the ultimate competitive advantage, overshadowing price or anything else,” said Dr Nabarun Ghose, Chairman - Marketing, Hospitality, Management and Tourism, and International Studies, and Professor of Marketing and Global Business, Tiffin University, Ohio, USA. He highlighted Larsen & Toubro's 30-year-relationship with the Tata Group, and added, “Electronic communication has expanded the market manifold. People want instant gratification, instant solutions. Customers have expectations and, remember, the customer is always right. So, we must do what the customer wants.”
Ghose classified the new world opportunities in communication as cultural, personal, technical and multi-dimensional. People misinterpret information because they do not know the background of a particular person, according to him. “For instance, on the Internet, if you are logging in, it is better to mention from where you are doing so. Taking advantage of cultural opportunity also means that we take care of the sensitivity of people and empathise with the customer. We have to be careful about the image we create. Sometimes, image perception becomes the accepted reality,” he explained.
Ghose referred to an automated response to an email and said that immediate response in any manner helps to being about a good feeling in the receiver. “If there is an enquiry from a company, let its representative know that you are working on the subject. Remember, you are working with people's feelings all the time,” he said. He added that remembering dates, such as birthdays or graduation day, has its uses. “Keep in touch with a letter, for example, or install a web cam and give a face to your organisation,” he pointed out.
Ghose strongly recommended the use of available technology. He recalled reports of how the power supply in Chennai's IT hub was not affected even after torrential rains last year as a result of which business looked at the city differently now. “Take care of your website and use encrypted communication if you can. Why does the whole world need to know what I like? My business is my business. Also, try to do what people have not done; it'll draw attention,” he said.
“Electronic data exchange, for instance, allows all your suppliers or buyers instant access to a lot of information they are seeking. The benefits outweigh the cost. Even so, never forget traditional correspondence; never forget the personal touch,” he remarked, dwelling on the multi-dimensional opportunities available.
Ghose was for integrating various forms of PR. He was for building excitement around promotions because they attract people's attention and help build brands in people's minds. He urged companies to look at their brand equity with stakeholders, whether it is government, teachers, professors, media or legislators.
Ghose, however, cautioned the PR fraternity not to go overboard with PR activity if it is not fetching the returns expected. “Implement target marketing. Leave out certain people if it doesn't work with them. Never forget you are in business to make profits,” he said, stressing that there is also the need for PR executives to keep track of people who are not necessarily big names but who assist.
Ghose was optimistic about business opportunities in India. According to him India is the second largest economy as far as purchasing power parity is concerned. “It is a lot easy to become No. 1 but staying at No. 1 is a challenge.”

Speaker:
Dr. Ravi Samuel
Consultant Psychotherapist
Secretary, Vision Age India

'Elderly Need Comprehensive Care'

In India, 7.2 percent of the population comprise the elderly (people who are 60 years old and above). This means that there are 76.6 million elderly people, the second largest in the world. Interestingly, statistics (pertaining to 1950 onwards; source: United Nations) show that, across age groups (60-year-plus, 65-plus and 70-plus), women account for a larger percentage of the elderly population than men. For example, figures for 2000 indicate that in the 60-plus category, while men account for 8 percent of the numbers, women account for 8.9 percent. From the statistics it is clear that the mortality in men is more, and women live longer. More husbands die among the elderly. Seventy percent of the population in the 80-plus group is women. While 54 percent of the married elderly women were widowed, only 15 percent of such men lost wives.

These were some of the interesting statistics thrown up by Dr Ravi Samuel, Consultant Psychotherapist, and Secretary, Vision Age India, as he addressed members of the Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter (which had more than a sprinkling of the elderly) and spoke about 'Elderly: Increasing Life expectancy and Compromising Quality of Life'.

“Although life expectancy has increased by about 20 years from 1947, we have not been able to stop or cure diseases that affect the elderly. The quality of their lives has, thus, been severely compromised,” Dr Samuel pointed out, adding that increasing job opportunities for the young have created negative consequences for the elderly, a segment he stressed is still at the receiving end of the problem. Again, while women are used to household work, men do not know what to do after retirement, although in villages people continue to work till bad health takes over, he said.

The number of the elderly is set to increase in the next 20-30 years. Although living alone is a recent trend, a large number (more than 90 percent) in urban and rural areas stay with family and relatives. Strange as it may seem, the quality of life in old-age homes is much better than that of older people living in communities.

Dwelling at length on the problems of the elderly, Dr Samuel said, “In some cases, including in the higher strata of society, the elderly are given left-over food to eat. They are confined to a particular room and not allowed to mingle or participate in a party. Condescending remarks are made against them in a crowd. Of course, sometimes the elderly get into unnecessary quarrels too. Whatever it is, the degree of dependence is very high and only 10 percent receive pension. Many would have spent a lot of money on the education and marriage of their children. They are left with very little or no money to look after their health. The elderly are physically and financially dependant. Today, there is lot of educated among the elderly. Many wonder whether the children will take care.”

Elaborating on the health status of the elderly, Dr Samuel provided startling figures. Studies conducted in 1996-97 showed that 11 million elderly in India were blind, mainly because cataract was left untreated; 60 percent had hearing problems (they didn't use a hearing aid which could have worked wonders), nine million suffered from hypertension; coronary heart disease was three times higher in the urban population and nine million were diagnosed with the disease in 1997; and an estimated five million were diabetic. The majority of the elderly (60 percent) avoided going to a doctor for regular medical check-ups.

Although the Constitution of India contains some provisions for the welfare of the older people rebate on income-tax, retired citizens - can evict tenants, voluntary organisations are provided aid to start old-age homes, day-care centres and mobile medical units, concessions for travel by rail and air - a lot of it remains on paper. For instance, the National Old Age Pension still remains a paltry Rs 200! “What happens in cases of chronic debilitating conditions like dementia when nurses are needed? How can they afford to pay the nurse's fee of Rs 200 a day?” wondered Dr Samuel.

Clearly, awareness amongst youngsters has to be created about the needs of the elderly. “They must know how to walk alongside, guide or escort the elderly to functions, for instance. All that the older people want is somebody to talk to them. Simple acts of kindness can take them a long way. And nobody better than you to show the way,” Dr Samuel said.