Dr.Prithika Chary,
Consultant Neurologist & Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals

"The Power of Communication"

Ms. Saradamani Dey,
Sr. Manager – Corp. Comms.
Reliance Communications Ltd., Chennai

"Corporate Communications in the mobile world"

Ms. Neenu Ittyerah,
Chief Public Relations Officer
Southern Railway
Presided by: Ms. Suneeta Reddy
Executive Director, Finance
Apollo Hospitals Group
(Memorial lecture in honour of Mr. Gyan Haksar and Mr. M.Gopalakrishnan
jointly conducted by PRSI and Dept. of PR, Stella Maris College)

”Best Practices in Public Relations"

Mr. N. Vaghul,
Chairman, ICICI Bank Limited

”Worldwide Economic Recession - What it means to us"

Ms. Shailaja Tennati,
Global PR Manager, Spirent Communications, USA

”Leveraging New Media for Technology PR "

NATIONAL PR EDUCATION DAY
Dr. Bhavani Sitaraman,
Associate Professor, The University of Alabama in Huntsville.

”PR in Education"

Mr. J. Radhakrishnan, IAS,
Commissioner, Prohibition and Excise Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu

”Communication in the time of Disaster"
Efforts to face a challenge called the Tsunami

Dr.Prithika Chary,
Consultant Neurologist & Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals

"The Power of Communication"

'Communication is all about social bonding, says a doctor’

What is communicated and how it is communicated matters, and the goal must be to establish trust and credibility, says Dr Prithika Chary, consultant neurologist and neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals, adding that communication is a skill - the qualities of a good communicator are building rapport, having creativity and patience.

The subject was the ‘power of communication’, but Dr Prithika Chary, consultant neurologist and neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals, dwelt at length on the biological aspects to drive home the point. She also made the point that humans hurt humans more than by anybody else - all the negative news in the print and electronic media was proof of that, she said, adding that no animal hurt a fellow member of a species. “Newspapers should put the good news on the front page. How can each one of us do something to improve this? Through better communication,” she was convinced.
According to Dr Chary, the brain stems that motivate humans to form emotional bonds with others first evolved to mobilise the high-quality maternal care necessary for reproductive success in placental mammals. “The quantity and quality of maternal care received during infancy determines adult social competence, the ability to cope with stress, aggressiveness and even preference for addictive substances. The development of neuro-chemical systems in the brain regulates aggression and other types of social behaviour. Social neurobiology has the potential to provide new strategies for treating and preventing violence and associated social dysfunction,” she explained.
Dr Chary listed five essentials of PR: prominence (how big is it really), timelines, punch (impact) of story on readers/audience and how they will be affected, proximity (local, regional, national), and the personal or human element. Stating that PR was not only about positioning statements and press releases, solving problems or identifying solutions, understanding reporters and interviewing styles, and helping to improve the corporate image, Dr Chary said that employers were not satisfied with the emotional and social skills of graduates (referring to a 1993 British report on employer satisfaction). It was not only the intelligence quotient that mattered, emotional and spiritual quotient mattered, too.
What was communicated and how it was communicated mattered as well. There were different kinds of communication and, according to Dr Chary, 8% of communication was in words, 38% sound, and 54% body language. “We must acknowledge that differences exist even as we seek to apply encompassing solutions to large problems. Only then can true equity be achieved. The two halves of the brain are not alike; each hemisphere has functional specialization. The goal is to establish trust and credibility. Communication is a skill. Avoid negative words or even hedging words (may be, possible etc). The qualities of a good communicator are building rapport, having creativity and patience,” she said.
Chemistry played an important role in how a relation progressed, Dr Chary pointed out. Phermones (also found in sweat) produced sexual attraction, what she referred to as the “invisible social impact that heavily influences human behaviour.” Research suggested that chocolate released serotonin in the brain, which served to heighten senses and brighten moods. Oxytoxin, the “hormonal superglue” increased sensitivity to touch and encouraged grooming and cuddling. “It bonds us with people we love more and is usually discharged during orgasm, delivery and breastfeeding. The shortage of serotonin is widely associated with depression.”
Dwelling on the aspect of man-woman relationships and the communication aspect,
Dr Chary said that understanding the strengths of the male-female chemistry was the key to a successful marriage. “Togetherness and independence are necessary for the success of a relationship. Human beings are social animals and need to live with each other to thrive and survive. Appreciate each other's differences, develop different sets of friends and keep love alive. Mature love nurtures intimacy,” she said.
Perception is reality, Dr Chary said. She exhorted the audience to aim to establish trust and credibility, and to show empathy and caring. “Be polite and kind in your dealings. Allow each other space. Life is all about social bonding,” she said.

Ms. Saradamani Dey,
Sr. Manager – Corp. Comms.
Reliance Communications Ltd., Chennai

"Corporate Communications in the mobile world"

'PR should not ignore local issues’

Developing and deploying complete telecom solutions for customers in the world's second largest market for the mobile industry is a lot dependent on effective corporate communication strategies, says Saradamani Dey, senior manager, corporate communications, Reliance Communications.

Addressing members of the Public Relations Society of India, Chennai Chapter, Saradamani Dey, senior manager-corporate communications, Reliance Communications, explained the complexities of PR and corporate communications in the cellular world. “From a small, niche market with limited technology a few years ago, the world of mobile phones today has expanded and adapted to the ever-changing global trends and technologies. India's leading integrated telecom companies, with millions of customers and a leapfrogging annual customer base, have to cope with the digital revolution that is taking place. India has today the world's second largest market for the mobile industry. The telecom industry today encompasses a complete range of telecom services covering mobile and fixed line telephony. It includes broadband, national and international long distance services and data services, together with an exhaustive range of value-added services and applications. Our constant endeavour is to achieve customer delight by enhancing the productivity of the enterprises and individuals we serve,” she said.
According to Saradamani, Reliance Communications was instrumental in harnessing the power of information and communication by “bestowing it in the hands of the common man at affordable rates”. The industry served only the top-end customers at the time of the mobile phone revolution in India, costing Rs. 16 per call made or received, she pointed out, adding that there was then hardly any trained manpower to service customers. “Today we can leverage on our network and strengths and build a national brand. We endeavour to extend our efforts beyond the traditional value chain by developing and deploying complete telecom solutions for the entire spectrum of society.”
Saradamani said that the mobile phone industry was the largest income generator in India, way ahead of the IT sector that many thought was the only money-spinner. “The success has a lot to do with effective corporate communication strategies. Given the complexities of the industry dynamic market, skilled manpower, complex value chain the corporate communications department handles a lot of areas such as internal management, external communication, lobbyists and media consultants. From an also-ran department, it has become part of the core strategic business team. Its multi-dimensional role extends to crisis control, creative thinking and doing, providing the management link, and as an economic and publicity tool, and a revenue generator. Communication through media is a complex issue since the audience in each state has to be addressed, keeping in mind the local culture, language, festivals etc. Hence, the communication strategy should be: Think Indian, act regionally.”

Ms. Neenu Ittyerah,
Chief Public Relations Officer
Southern Railway
Presided by: Ms. Suneeta Reddy
Executive Director, Finance
Apollo Hospitals Group
(Memorial lecture in honour of Mr. Gyan Haksar and Mr. M.Gopalakrishnan
jointly conducted by PRSI and Dept. of PR, Stella Maris College)

”Best Practices in Public Relations"

'Challenge is overcoming ‘crisis of perception’'

At the memorial lecture held in honour of Gyan Haksar and M Gopalakrishnan, Suneeta Reddy, executive director, finance, Apollo Hospitals Group, subtly drives home the point that PR should also encompass a deeper under-standing of Indian history, philosophy, language, culture and religion. Communication plays a large role in retaining customers and preventing value erosion in the company, she says. Neenu Ittyerah, chief public relations officer, Southern Railway, is all for truthfulness, clarity, accessibility and effective communication. You must be able to distinguish between fact and opinion, you shouldn't exaggerate, she stresses.

Srinidhi, a second-year public relations student led in prayer as the memorial lecture in honour of Gyan Haksar and M Gopalakrishnan got underway at the Stella Maris College. Dr. Sister Jasintha Quadras, principal of the college, extended a special welcome to members of the Haksar family and to R.K. Baratan, who, along with Haksar and Gopalakrishnan, had founded the PRSI, Chennai Chapter, and laid its strong foundations. While Haksar was national president of the PRSI, Gopalakrishnan was head of PR at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay. The three were also instrumental in helping Stella Maris set up its PR department in 1975.
Calling Haksar, Gopalakrishnan and Baratan, the “doyens of PR education”, Daniel Dass, chairman, PRSI, Chennai Chapter, said that business education had become global and post-Independence, the real challenge was to create educational resources. “The B.A. programme in PR was started in 1974 at the University of Madras. There has been a steady flow of talent, but it is very important that academia and industry talk. New entrants must be able to grasp reality as soon as they join,” he said, adding that several PR students in the college had been inducted as student members.
Reminiscing about the first PRSI meeting in Madras he attended, R.K. Dharan, National Vice President, PRSI, South, said that the Chennai Chapter had come a long way. “There were about 250 people who attended that first meeting. In 20-odd years, PR hasn't really grown. It is struggling. The onus is on youngsters to ensure that PR plays a major role. Getting the Best Chapter award has not been easy,” he said.
'Best practices in PR' was the subject of the evening, apt indeed for a memorial lecture in honour of Haksar and Gopalakrishnan. Presiding over the function, Suneeta Reddy, executive director, finance, Apollo Hospitals Group, said that the evening brought back wonderful memories of her days in the college when “we understood our role towards society and interacted with industry and organisations.” She added: “He (Haksar) had the courage to push for PR when people hardly knew what it meant. PR went on to a deeper understanding of Indian history, philosophy, language, culture and religion. Today, Indian industry is facing a crisis of perception; it has affected stakeholders. It is a serious thing that all of us need to take cognizance of.”
Reddy said that people were looking at quantum physics and at energy fields because those were driving change and the economy. Pointing out that a 360-degree view of business was needed and that PR was not just about taking a view but also about altering perceptions, she said that that was not possible without strong fundamentals. “You cannot portray anything that is not truth.”
Referring to the clinical model followed at Apollo and corporate governance, Reddy said that PR should understand the needs of various stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was about integrating goals with the needs of society at large, she said. “Communication plays a large role in saving (retaining) customers and preventing value erosion in the company. While advertising sounds so glamorous, PR has a lot to do with building the brand. A good brand brings in customers,” she said and quoted Charles Revlon's famous words: We manufacture products but sell hope.
Delivering the memorial lecture, Neenu Ittyerah, chief public relations officer, Southern Railway, a US Fulbright scholar who joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1988, said that her PR department also catered to public grievances. It interacted with railway groups and other government departments, engaged in safety propaganda and worked through the media. “We have to be crystal clear. A badly worded press release, and you get a wrong message across. People need accurate information and transparency. You have to be truthful and clear. You have to be accessible and should be able to communicate. I must be able to win their trust. But I can't have everything sweet in the paper the press needs freedom. Most important, you must be able to distinguish between fact and opinion; you shouldn't exaggerate. You must be willing to face criticism; every question must be answered with humility,” she said. Ittyerah referred to responsibility, listening skills, honesty, transparency and respect for people as the important factors in PR.
Earlier, Ittyerah presented the structure of the Railways and dwelt a little on its history of Madras Railway Company being the first railway company in South India, the Royapuram-Wallajah 65-km run that was led by a locomotive manufactured in Philadelphia, and how the Southern Railway was a merger of three companies based in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. She also referred to the over 100-year old Nilgiris Mountain Railway, a world heritage site, the only metre-gauge section in India that has a steam locomotive.

Mr. N. Vaghul,
Chairman, ICICI Bank Limited

”Worldwide Economic Recession - What it means to us"

'Slowdown has impacted India: Vaghul'

The Indian economic scenario does not look very bright, says N. Vaghul, chairman, ICICI Bank. The growth rate of 9 percent, according to him, is likely to come down to 6.5 percent, and further to 5.3 percent in 2010. Pointing out that India needs 35 percent GDP growth for investment purposes, Vaghul says the country's infrastructure is abysmal, even basic infra-structure is missing. The government should spend more money on infrastructure, he says, and wonders whether government subsidies are reaching the right people.

The subject 'Worldwide economic recession - what it means to us' was topical and the person delivering the address was a person with decades of experience in the Indian financial sector. He was instrumental in starting an investment bank, a commercial bank, a venture capital company, an asset management company and in promoting CRISIL, a credit-rating agency. He joined the State Bank of India in 1957 and leaped the rungs to become chairman of the Bank of India in 1981, its youngest ever. In 1985, he became the chairman and CEO of ICICI Bank and served a 11-year stint in that capacity. Now the chairman of the bank, N. Vaghul, addressing PRSI, Chennai Chapter members, said that age did a lot of wonders and he was not too keen on making speeches these days.
Stating that much had been written about recession (economic slowdown in India, not recession as yet), Vaghul referred to five factors that were relevant for Indians: What has suddenly happened to global business? How soon will it end? Is the assessment by the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Chairman of the Planning Commission that India is only marginally impacted correct? Will India be the first to bounce back to normality? If all this is not true and India still has a problem, should the government be doing something?
Responding to questions from PRSI members, Vaghul said that the present crisis, unlike the Great Depression of the 1930s, was different. Unlike earlier crises situations when the manufac-turing sector was affected, it was for the first time in the history of the capitalist economy that the financial sector was affected. Explaining the sub-prime crisis in the United States that led to the present world economic crisis, Vaghul said: “The crisis was fuelled by indiscriminate lending by banks that wanted to make profits. US banks funded whole amounts to borrowers and sought repayment only through refinancing, based on appreciation of land value. The borrowers in effect did not pay EMIs. The banks bundled all these loans as securities and sold them across the world. The affected banks were also traded in the stock market, leading to the stock market crash. Banks lost confidence in each other, liquidity got squeezed, there was no money for industry. This spread to the manufacturing sector. Hardly any country has been spared.”
Vaghul added that it was very difficult to predict when the economy would recover. Although a small number of people believed that the second half of 2009 would be good, others saw the year as one of collapse. Referring to the Obama administration infusing a trillion dollars into the US economy, Vaghul said it was “a bottomless pit”. “Jobs are being lost in the US. There were hardly any Christmas shoppers. Like the typhoid virus of the 1940s, the economic virus has to run its course. It could last till 2011.”
The Indian scenario was not too bright either. The growth rate of 9 percent was likely to come down to 6.5 percent, and further to 5.3 percent the coming year. “Order books have become dry. Many are without jobs. So how can you say that India is not impacted? India is impacted very strongly,” Vaghul stressed.
Although the Indian economy was primarily a domestic economy and not integrated internationally, exports constituted 35 percent of GDP. With exports under stress, foreign institutional investors could go back, leaving a “gaping hole” as Vaghul put it. Pointing out that the country needed 35 percent GDP growth for investment purposes, Vaghul was convinced that the Indian domestic crisis was enhanced by the global crisis. “We have never really come out (opened up) after the 1990s. Fiscal deficit is very high, at 8 percent to 10 percent. Government continues to spend far more money than what it earns. The infrastructure is abysmal; basic infrastructure is not available. The government should spend more money on infrastructure. There are subsidies for everything, but are we giving them to the right people? We have not been able to do anything to deal with corruption. When a sick economy is suddenly exposed to the vagaries of the global economy, India may take a long time,” Vaghul explained, and added, “We can only minimise the pain suffered by employees, bring a sense of comfort. We need to give them a measure of confidence.”
Vaghul was of the view that insurance companies' investment portfolio would take a nosedive and that their growth would be stunted. Only three sectors would prosper, according to him healthcare, entertainment and the liquor business. “I think the situation is serious, but I don't see seriousness in the government. Inaction is the cardinal virtue you can do nothing wrong,” he said, and gave the assurance: “In India, bank failures are unlikely; 40 percent (of investments) go into government securities.”

Ms. Shailaja Tennati,
Global PR Manager, Spirent Communications, USA

”Leveraging New Media for Technology PR "

'Today's digital age calls for new PR skills'

In today's digital world, journalism is not about print media alone. Indeed, even in developing countries such as India, there is a perceptible shift from traditional media to new media. For any PR exercise to be wholesome and effective, new media cannot be ignored. More often than not, it might be the gateway to success. Bringing her experience at Spirent Communications, U.S.A., to the fore, Sailaja Tennati, the company's global PR manager, spells out some of the ways by which new media can be leveraged for optimum PR.

The print media is no longer on a strong wicket in North America and in other developed countries. It is no longer perceived as the only reliable source, there is a lot of reliance on online sources. Stressing the need to have a re-look at the way PR is being conducted, in the context of today's digital age, Sailaja Tennati, global PR manager, Spirent Communications, U.S.A., provided an overview of how to leverage new media for technology PR. “We are always connected, there's always something happening and we need to keep a track of it,” Tennati said, explaining how the perception that PR is needed only to the extent of communicating to an audience is changing fast.
Backed by eight years of experience in telecom and wireless and networking industries, Tennati recognises new opportunities in PR in the marketplace and helps companies plan and implement suitable PR programmes. “Doing PR for a technical company is different. But at the end of the day, you still need the basic skills. PR is still about building relationships, still about credibility. But the audience you are trying to reach is different. Some amount of branding needs to be done,” Tennati said, speaking about her Spirent experience and what the company would do if it needs to be perceived in the league of Cisco and Nortel.
Some of the ways to use new media, according to Tennati, is to leverage the Internet and go beyond the editorial community, to the end-customer, to embrace online news and services, and to be creative while developing PR campaigns. She said that while companies have to talk to editors, press releases have to target end-customers as well and communicate with them.
Tennati spoke of multimedia press releases, complete with images, graphics and video, and how such releases are colourful, engaging and attracts the attention of the editor, helping the latter to cut through the clutter in a sense, and how they also provide the prospective customer a good idea of what the product is.
Spirent is not a public company, the reason that newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal do not pay it much attention, according to Tennati. “However, we try to get noticed by using certain key words to ensure that they are picked up by the audience,” she pointed out, referring to the search engine optimisation tool. “We put in words what we feel would drive our releases.”
Referring to blogs that have today considered credible sources of information and are no longer “random persons opining”, Tennati told the audience that it is important to know who the experts are, to seek influential bloggers. “Building relationships with bloggers is not the same as building relationships with journalists even though many bloggers tend to be journalists. Bloggers are usually experts in their chosen fields, so you cannot pitch them a story; it has to be more of a consultative relationship. You can introduce them to your senior executives or invite them to work in your lab, for instance,” she said, and cautioned, “Bloggers have no compunctions about reporting on reporters though… Bloggers are hard to influence.”
Mentioning Nortel's example, Tennati suggested that companies create their own blogs. “You have to make a fine balance between PR propaganda and credibility. Having a moderator helps as does keeping it outside your corporate website.”
Another aspect of new media Tennati touched upon was Web videos that do not need much technical expertise to produce. “Videos and product demos are useful for a journalist,” she said. Stating that YouTube is much more than “videos put together by crazy teenagers”, Tennati said that the site is a great opportunity for companies to create videos and hosted them on it, especially since YouTube is also linked to many, many blogs. An 'online media room' that can provide an engaging experience on a company's Website is what companies must create, she added.

NATIONAL PR EDUCATION DAY
Dr. Bhavani Sitaraman,
Associate Professor, The University of Alabama in Huntsville.

”PR in Education"

'U.S. Universities now recognise strategic role of PR'

Generally, PR practice in universities serves routine and crisis situations. However, in the United States, several factors - attracting students and seeking to expand the pool of potential recruits locally, nationally and internationally among the two main - have pushed universities to become conscious and strategic in their use of PR. Just as much as damage control is an important function of PR in all organisations, PR also plays an important part in crisis management situations in universities today, says Dr. Bhavani Sitaraman, associate professor, University of Alabama, Huntsville, U.S.A.

The inaugural meeting of the PRSI, Chennai Chapter, for 2008-09 was held at the Stella Maris College on August 6 to commemorate National PR Education Day which falls on the birthday of Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddy, considered the father of PR in India. Dr. Reddy was a former national president of the PRSI.
V.S. Ramana, past chairman, PRSI, Chennai Chapter, welcomed 35 students of the Stella Maris PR department who had enrolled as student PR members of the Chapter. Explaining the significance of National PR Education Day, R.K. Dharan, vice president-south, PRSI, said that the PRSI was a 50-year-old body that had grown in stature. He told the students that PR, as an important organisational function, had not yet taken off in India, and that the time had come to use PR to create a brand image for an organisation.
Dr. Sundari Krishnamurthy, head of the PR department at Stella Maris, introduced Dr. Bhavani Sitaraman, associate professor, University of Alabama, Huntsville, who was the chief guest for the evening. Dr. Sitaraman had graduated in PR and Journalism in 1980 from Stella Maris, and Dr. Sundari was her teacher.
Dr. Sitaraman said she was delighted to be asked to speak to students of the recently established MA Public Relations programme and the members of the PRSI. A career academic who has been teaching in the United States for the past two decades, she spoke about the growing importance of public relations as a conscious strategy pursued by universities that saw themselves in an increasingly competitive environment for students and funds.
According to Dr. Sitaraman, 'PR in Education' refers to two aspects. The first aspect refers to PR as an academic discipline within higher education. The second refers to PR as it is practised within colleges and universities as they seek to establish their presence and grow within an increasingly competitive environment. Her talk focused more on the second aspect and she outlined factors that contributed to the explicit pursuit of public relations by U.S. universities as a strategy for image creation, impression management, fundraising and student recruitment.
Her speech for the most followed a written text that was given to the PRSI, Chennai Chapter. Here are excerpts:
It is useful to begin with an understanding of universities as institutions. The term ‘university’ derived from the Latin ‘universitas’ refers to a community of students and scholars. The notion of community in turn implies shared goals, values and relationships based on trust between students and scholars. Universities in the U.S. are defined by three core functions: teaching, research and service, with all three implying meaningful contributions to society. Universities in the U.S. depend on a wide range of sources of funding for their survival including student tuition, alumni donations, federal grants, state government funding, and industry grants. Consequently, a university's publics (in PR terms) or target audience includes current and future students, local and national industrial partners, state and federal government, alumni, the media, community patrons, high schools, faculty, and competitors for funding and students.
In the past, universities as 'ivory towers' isolated themselves from the town and city, which they characterised as dangerous places with loose morals. The quintessential American 'campus town' was a self-contained community that could sustain all the intellectual, social and economic needs of students with little need to leave the campus. Higher education was restricted to elite families. This changed with the institutions of land grant (agricultural colleges) universities with public funds in the early part of the twentieth century and access expanded to middle and working class families in the post-World War II era. The GI Bill subsidised college for returning soldiers in the 1940s and 50s and the baby boom supplied a large cohort of students during the 1960s and 1970s resulting in the expansion of universities and colleges. The counter culture of the sixties and seventies also established a reputation for universities as liberal hotbeds of protest and change. The Civil Rights Movement and resulting legislation opened the doors of the ivory tower to minority groups (women and blacks in particular) democratising higher education. Since then universities have expanded not just in the size of students and faculty but also in the curricular offerings and support services offered to students (e.g. day care, counselling or academic support services for students with disabilities).
While the sixties and seventies were good for university expansion, the baby bust that followed the post-war baby boom has resulted in a more challenging climate for campuses seeking to recruit students. Current demographic, economic and technological trends have created a highly competitive climate for universities setting the stage for highly visible PR campaigns that seek to differentiate universities, brand their images, and extend their reach nationally and globally.
For example, in 1900, four percent of the U.S. population attended college; in 1999, 43% did. In 1900, 2.7 % of 25-year-olds completed four or more years of college; in 1999, it was 23.6, a ten-fold increase. College enrollments are expected to continue to rise by 15 to 20% through 2014, in every demographic segment. Since 1980, the number of Hispanics enrolled in colleges has more than tripled, to nearly 1.5 million outpacing the rate of Hispanic population growth. It is projected that eighty percent of new students added by 2015 will be of minority ethnic background. The baby boom generation that expanded American universities is now aging and creating a new demand for continuing education programs. Universities now operate in a climate of declining state funding for higher education as they compete with other social services (healthcare for an aging population), schools (with a broader constituency), and successive conservative governments that have prioritized defense and national security over social services. A significant challenge is the shifting view of higher education as a ‘private good’ as opposed to a 'public good'.
Public relations thrives in a competitive environment. It is not surprising that universities are increasingly engaging in conscious PR campaigns to help with student recruitment, fund raising and community relations. Universities in the U.S have to not only recruit from a wider base of high school graduates but also minimize the dropout rate resulting from the highly variable preparation for college among the ever diverse population of freshmen. Managing academic and social diversity among college students poses its own challenges requiring additional resources to recruit, retain and integrate an ethnically diverse student population. PR campaigns are thus an integral part of strategic planning in many universities.
PR practice in universities serves both routine and crisis situations. Routine functions such as publicity are often handled by a ‘university relations’ office, fund raising may be managed by an alumni relations office, and recruitment initiatives by an admissions office. To my knowledge there is no central designation of an office of Public Relations that handles all of the relevant publics. The increasing importance of a conscious PR campaign can be illustrated with two successful university campaigns.
The first is an award winning campaign, ‘Driven to Discover’, launched by the University of Minnesota. The campaign's goal was to increase visibility and image of the university within the state and to establish the university as a place of research and discovery on topics of importance to the public at large. Innovative TV and print campaigns asked people to submit their single greatest question, and matched them with answers from faculty active in the research. From the launch of the campaign in September 2006 through August of 2007, nearly 4,000 questions were submitted to the ‘Driven to Discover’ website. On the first day of the campaign, website traffic spiked 11%, with an additional 20,000 visits to the University's home page. The University reported a 39% increase in funds raised from the previous year. The campaign utilised new media like the website and traditional media like billboards and sidewalk clings to exhibit questions and answers. Questions ranged from ‘Why do songs stick in our heads?’ to ‘Do human rights trials work?’ or ‘What will happen if we switch celebrity and teacher pay?’ Answers linked these simple questions to faculty research in the arts and sciences. The campaign won the prestigious Gold Effie award. A survey of Minnesotans indicated that nearly half of Minnesotans recalled campaign messages, and solid majorities saw the underlying themes - conducting research to improve lives, discovering cures for diseases, and finding solutions for world problems - as important goals for the University.
A similar campaign by a private university, Rice University, illustrates the growing use of PR campaigns to craft the brand image of American colleges. Rice University’s New Century Campaign sought to position and differentiate the university as an outstanding education and research institution. It’s campaign position was defined as ‘Unconventional Wisdom’ with the theme ‘Who Knew’, a logo element, and question used in billboards, posters and websites to post thought provoking questions with unconventional answers. The university claims that they succeeded in raising $500 million targeted for the four-year period of the campaign.
To summarise, several factors have pushed universities in the U.S. to become conscious and strategic in their use of public relations. First is the buyer's market in which too many universities are chasing a few students and seeking to expand the pool of potential recruits locally, nationally and internationally. A related issue is the threat that ‘if you don't do it, someone else will.’ Public support for higher education has also declined at the same time that pressures for accountability (accreditation) require documenting and showcasing a university’s achievements.
Public Relations also play an important part in crisis management situations in universities today. Damage control is an important function of public relations in all organizations. Two examples of this function are (1) the recent Duke University scandal involving the lacrosse team in allegations of alcohol abuse and rape of a black female student by white male athletes; and (2) the mass shooting by a troubled student at Virginia Tech. In the first instance, public relations practice involved confronting accusations, sharing information or transparency and taking actions to investigate complaints. The accused athletes in the Duke case were initially suspended along with the team until the case was eventually dropped. Even when the accused athletes were allowed to return to the campus to finish their studies, the President set up committees to investigate the campus climate and make recommendations on improving it. Virginia Tech has now alerted all campuses to the need for a security and crisis management system. A communication system for alerting the campus community to an emergency and counselling support services to detect and monitor troubled students have emerged as important steps in minimizing (if not preventing) threats to campus security.
PR education in the U.S. has been historically tied to schools of journalism and mass communication. Core curricular elements of an undergraduate PR programmes include social science research skills, communication and/or management theories, communication skills (public speaking and media writing), ethics, and practical training through internships. The global context of business and economics suggests that future programs may also need to train students for linguistic and cultural competence. PR campaigns also increasingly use new media such as Internet blogs, social networking sites and websites requiring familiarity with new technologies.
On a positive note, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% growth in the demand for PR specialists in the next decade a rate exceeding that the growth rate for all occupations. Nevertheless, competition is likely to be high for entry-level positions and placement for jobs will be enhanced for those with practical experience and additional language capabilities.

Mr. J. Radhakrishnan, IAS,
Commissioner, Prohibition and Excise Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu

”Communication in the time of Disaster"
Efforts to face a challenge called the Tsunami

'Nagapattinam: an invaluable experience in disaster management'

J. Radhakrishnan, Commisioner, Prohibition and Excise Department, Tamil Nadu, talks about PR and communications as being one of the most challenging jobs, while describing the rehabilitation efforts he handled so remarkably well in Nagapattinam after the tsunami that devastated the seaside town. He says that dealing with people is one of the most sensitive jobs.

It was vintage Sudha Umashanker, former vice chairman, PRSI, Chennai Chapter, as she introduced
J. Radhakrishnan, Commisioner, Prohibition and Excise Department, Tamil Nadu to the audience. Bureaucratic babus have a hangover of the British Raj, but Radhakrishnan would prove that supposition wrong, she said. A 1992 batch IAS officer and a veterinary doctor to boot, Radhakrishnan has been Collector in four districts, and the youngest Commissioner of Chennai. He distinguished himself with some outstanding work post-tsunami (2001 December) and after the Kumbakonam fire tragedy as well, providing victims psychosocial support, taking up various causes, especially those of orphans and the female child. He has made significant contributions to continuous education programmes. Responsive-ness in crisis situations has set him apart. He has won the Best Collector award four times. Not one to be emotionally carried away during crisis situations, Radhakrishnan made a presentation, juxtaposed with pictures, specially for PRSI members. The focus was on PR and communication and how the Tamil Nadu administration responded to an acute crisis.
A few hours after the tsunami hit the shores of Tamil Nadu that unforgettable morning (December 26), and as news came in of people being swept away by the swirling waters, the State Government realised that it had a battle on its hands. Nagapattinam became Ground Zero.
In the district, 6,065 people lost their lives (76 per cent of the total deaths in Tamil Nadu); 75 per cent (4,592) of the total deaths occurred across a thin 10-kilometre stretch, including Nagore and Velankanni. Nearly 800 people were reported missing, and 1,733 remained unidentified. In Velankanni, there was more than the usual number of religious tourists following Christmas the previous day. Almost 450 deaths per square km over the small stretch raised the magnitude of the scale of the disaster to a level that had no comparison to any other place in the mainland. The Sunday morning made it even more difficult in arranging relief and rehabilitation.
Radhakrishnan pointed to some of the issues relating to communications during a disaster such as the tsunami: the Press seeks quick, sharp stories; there is under-reporting and non-reporting from several areas; some places are left out of reports; there is lack of time for rescue, and relief and rescue managers to share information with the Press.
Radhakrishnan said that the media had to be viewed as plural: local, regional, state, national, international. There are dailies, weeklies, magazines, special reports, TV, Web, blogs, and citizen journalists to be catered to, as well as English and the vernacular Press. “Many a time we mismanage information, aggravating the agony of affected people and sometimes wasting resources. There is thus the need for inclusive sharing and proper information management. The tsunami led media to the grassroots where stories originate and develop. The first few days challenged journalists professionally, ethically and technically. But most disasters happen at an inconvenient time,” he said, providing an indication of the conditions that prevailed then:
73 habitations were affected along 187.9 km of coastline
Access roads were damaged
Many were reported dead, majority being women and children
Power was cut off, water supply was affected
Several villages were flattened entirely
Large-scale panic prevailed, massive evacuation had to be resorted to
Area staff were affected (the revenue inspector's wife had died, for instance) and overwhelmed by the scale of the tragedy
“Nobody really understands the ground situation. We decided that one person cannot handle all this. So eleven teams were formed for seven contiguous villages. We needed manpower, machinery and money - essential as no relief work can be successful without any of the three,”
he explained.
The overall supervision was in the hands of a minister or chairman of the local board. An IAS officer led the team. Others involved in the massive rehabilitation effort included the project officer of the District Rural Development Agency, doctors and paramedical staff, the deputy collector, electricity board officials, water and drainage board officials, Public Work Department officials, the block development officer, municipal commissioner, highways officials, fisheries inspector, deputy superintendent of police and fire and rescue officials. Each member brought to the table his or her capacity and experience.
About 1,000 officers and staff from Nagapattinam and 380 officers and staff from other districts worked round the clock. Two hundred army officers, jawans and naval officers assisted the district administration in rescue and relief operations; 116 medical officers with 120 medical teams monitored health parameters; 2,032 sanitary workers were engaged in cleaning operations.
According to Radhakrishnan, the priorities were removal and safe disposal of dead bodies, restoration of water, electricity, roads, communica-tion, transport, distribution of relief material by government and NGOs, reduction of panic and building public confidence, building temporary shelters and getting people back, restoration of important services such as child welfare centres and health posts, and opening of schools.
A municipal commissioner (dead body disposal and sanitation), medical officer (medical task force), deputy superintendent of police (police strike team) and other officers headed various teams which were self-contained. It was difficult to tell people that their relatives had died. The administration uploaded figures and pictures on a website specially created for the purpose, and also stuck posters and pictures at strategic points. The coordinated action resulted in bodies being recovered and disposed of by December 31. Electricity and water supply were restored. Hot meals were supplied three times a day December 29 onwards; NGOs supplied packaged drinking water during the first 10 days; super chlorination of water sources and sanitation were given utmost importance. Local people got involved in cooking and other social activity and were buoyed up by the freedom provided to them. Schools and colleges re-started by January 10. Temporary shelters were built.
Tackling public expectations was one major challenge. So, grievance redressal counters were put up at the Nagapattinam Collectorate. Police outposts with wireless facility were established at 82 relief centres. Missing people, NGO, psychosocial support and media counters were formed as were special traffic squads to streamline traffic. Relief was brought in convoys to Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai to avoid theft and plundering. Forty-two fire tenders were stationed. Special squads were posted and outposts created to prevent theft in affected areas. A special task force, a rapid action force, and a dog squad together came to the aid of disposal of bodies. The administration had to hear people out, and pacify those from villages that could not be attended to immediately. Visits of VIPs were organised without hampering relief and rescue operations.
The biggest success, according to Radhakrishnan, was the translation of NGO relief work into concrete action. The district administration did not compete with NGOs; NGOs were given a free hand and the control of the NGO centre was given to them. It was an extremely sensitive and delicate activity. Altogether, 419 NGOs volunteered services in the affected places and were grouped under medical, hygienic, provision of clean drinking water, trauma and counselling, housing, repair of boats, and reclamation of agricultural land. “Right from Day 1, we maintained a cordial relationship with NGOs, coordination meetings were conducted daily at a prominent place in the Collectorate, and NGOs were encouraged to set up relief and rehabilitation centres,” he pointed out.
The size of the relief and rehabilitation work can be gauged from these figures: 120 public health camps were conducted; 421 doctors, 175 staff nurses, 587 paramedical staff, and 63 ambulances were present. Extraordinary efforts were taken to prevent the spread of epidemics, 120 medical teams were organized at all relief centres, a scientific method was adopted for quick decomposition of dead bodies and carcasses, and post-disaster paediatric care was taken care of by the Indian Academy of Paediatricians. Bleaching powder was sprinkled in vulnerable places, and chemical disinfection in coastal areas by public health teams, preventive measures against vector-borne diseases and building of temporary toilets were some of the other measures taken. By January-end, removal of dead bodies and debris was completed; monthly free supply of rations and Rs 1,000 per family relief announced for 4 months.
Altogether 2,400 women and 889 children were affected by the tsunami in Nagapattinam. Psychological support for tsunami survivors was crucial; they needed to be listened to, to have an opportunity to process what happened to them, to have someone bear witness to their personal stories and to hear the reactions they were experiencing, to resume routine living tasks, and to have their livelihoods restored. Families were trained to provide such support.
Marriages fixed before the tsunami were conducted. NGO support was enlisted. Livelihood rehabilitation projects were organised for tsunami-affected self-help groups. They produced footwear and leather and eco-friendly paper products; an orphanage was opened for 14-18 year old girl children.
The General Hospital in the town was reconstructed at a cost of Rs. 10 crore, anganwadi centres were reconstructed at a cost of Rs. 6.45 crore, colonies were developed and basic amenities provided; 15,000 houses in Nagapattinam and nearly 4000 in Cuddalore were built. What were the issues relating to PR, media and communications? “We have a large TV audience, and an Internet and mobile network, yet communica-tions failed in the first 2-3 hours. No media provided a public warning of the tsunami. Communication is a vital link between the scene of disaster and the rest of the world. The priority of development organisations is to respond to the emergency on the ground rather than to communicate. This frustrates journalists and information becomes a commodity. The media loves to take an antagonistic position, only sincere action makes them your partner, superficial efforts get exposed sooner than later. You need to strengthen the media set-up; coverage of government and NGO efforts are very important, provide impartial access and do not deny access as if there is something to hide,” Radhakrishnan cautioned the PR members present. “Timing and place of press briefings are important. We briefed the Press in Nagapattinam at 11am. Ensure media is provided with all facilities, distance yourself from coverage organised by private agencies, can't ignore local media. And remember, the human touch helps,” he added.
Radhakrishnan listed some of the lessons learnt:
Investigative reports on institutional readiness are needed
Pre-disaster work needs to start years before a disaster
Institutions need to provide media with easy-to-digest information
Diverse sections of the media need to be dealt with in different ways
A variety of media has to be reached out to
Local languages need to be employed in media campaigns
Editors must be encouraged to include disaster beats
Preparedness needs to be built upon
“Encourage active participation of affected parties in the information and communication process, the goal is to provide information effectively and provide expression to people affected. Media should be treated as part of the public domain. Encourage and support all forms of narratives, visuals; be sensitive and sensitise the press. Training is needed for authorities, donors and agencies to understand how journalism and media organisations work. Let media have access to real information; it should focus on the immediate aftermath as well as the long-term effect; look at the mismatch between available resources and demands. New media can play a special role in bypassing hierarchy,” he said.