ROLE OF PR IN DIFFERENT

SECTORS
Presentation By:
Dr. Tanu Dang
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Journalism and Mass
Communication, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu,
Arabi – Farsi University, Lucknow
 ROLE OF PR IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES
 Role of Public Relation (PR) in Education sector
 The Educational sector is a very large sector in India. It includes primary and high schools, under-
graduate and post-graduate colleges, B-schools etc. Though a large part of India is still rural, the
education institutions at that level include small government and private schools and vocational
colleges.
 PR has seven major roles to perform for any educational institution:
•Expanding the number of applicants to the institution
•Helping the institution to become better known
•Helping the institution to gain an enhanced reputation
•Influencing decision makers to smile upon one’s institution
•Improving internal relations
•Maintaining good relations with the community
•Maintaining positive relations with the alumni
 These aims are used in any kind of educational institutions be it schools, colleges or senior colleges
offering professional courses. They seem to apply in large measures to such institutions, although
their relative importance may be different.
 PR initiatives by Educational Institutes - The educational institutes try their best to create and
maintain a very positive image amongst the minds of the people.
 They do so through measures like press conferences regarding any new development in the
institute, press releases concerning the activities, branding of the institute, maintain contacts
with the people who can benefit the organization in any way. It includes the who’s who of the
society, the media people and also their alumni.
 They organize large scale events and hold public meetings. The institutions nowadays believe
in the trend of branding, which is done through specially designed logos that convey the mission
and vision of the institute. The logo becomes the identity of the organization. Just like any other
organization, the educational institutes also have their ups and downs which they try to cover up
through crisis management. A Public Relations Officer uses all ways of communication to build,
maintain and hold a good reputation of school. Reputation arises from what you do, what you say and
what others say about you.

ROLE OF PR IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES
 Role of PRO in Educational Institutes
 - Public relation officer informs and assists board administrators with news media
and public relations/community matters.
- Prepares and implements communications plans.
- Writes news releases, media advisories, newsletters, speeches and promotional
scripts for radio and television.
- Serves as staff coordinator for public relations and special events coordinator for
the school
- Serves as spokesperson for the school division
and responses to media and public requests for information
- Conducts and develops periodic training in communications/public relations
development
- Plans Public relations campaigns and strategies for new students and parents
- Monitors public and media perception of the school
- Public speaking at presentations, conferences etc about the charter and activities of
the school
- Represents the school at different events.
- Maintains online presence of the school through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and
other social media tools.
 PR IN POLITICS
 Until very recently political communications was dominated by primarily one PR technique:
‘ Media Relations’. From the early1960's through to the early 1990s research focused primarily
on the impact of mass communication, especially television. As a result, political communication
stressed the impact of journalists and political actors on shaping public opinion.
 However, since the mid-90's the dominance of mass communications has been challenged by
three interrelated developments.
 Firstly, the introduction of the permanent campaign which has blurred the difference between
campaigning and governing so that politicians seek to dominate the agenda every single day.
 Secondly, there has been an increased professionalization of communication with public
relations and marketing professionals transferring their skills to the political arena.
 Thirdly, the growing importance of new communications technology, namely new media,
especially the internet, has encouraged political actors to use a much wider range of PR tools.
 Under such developments, political communicators do not rely on one dominant channel to reach
their target audiences.
 U.S. President Barack Obama showed other politicians how to harness the power of the Web in
2008, bringing political campaigns kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Obama went
beyond the static web pages of most past campaigns, by tapping the power of web 2.0 tools
including Facebook, YouTube, Blogs and discussion boards, to create an engaged conversation
with potential voters. The same has been done lately by Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi.
 Political PR encourages a rich interaction at a range of different levels between those active,
interested or even uninterested in the political process and political discourse. Politics also offer
a broad range of PR activities at international, national and regional level. PR communication is
required both at party level and in related organizations (chambers, associations, trade unions).
PR IN POLITICS
 The aim of PR in politics is to present functionaries their manifestos and programs
in comparison to other parties in society. This involves attracting attention and
interest of the people towards the work done by the party for the development of
the people, as well as raising the level of awareness about the party and its
leaders. PR in politics is employed to convey information and shape political
opinion.
 In our society filled with media, information, attention and communication,
political institutions consider it very important to use media for political PR.
Keeping the media aware about the positive activities of the political party is the
is key to successful political PR.
 PR professionals in the context also conduct continued dialogue with other major
target groups, such as members, functionaries, voters, other political parties and
stakeholders, to build up and promote a climate of mutual understanding and
trust. They act as two-way mediators between politics, the media, the economy,
the administration and civil society.
 They Consult political decision-makers, and govt. functionaries in formulating
policies and concerns.
 They access the party image in the society and suggest corrective measures
wherever required. They also analyze the feedback of people in various political
actions and Develop strategies on the basis of analyses (e.g. analyses of strengths
and weaknesses)
 The PR function of publicity is a great tool of gaining awareness for candidates and
cause. Whether through mass media exposure, special events or targeted direct
communication, making candidates' names known to voters is a basic function of
political PR. Candidates can't win if voters don't know their names.
 QUALITIES OF A POLITICAL PRO
Regardless of their field of activity PR consultants have sound knowledge and experience in a number
of different fields of communication.
 Knowledge of theory and practice in politics.
 Talent as journalists, the ability to analyse facts and sort them according to relevance.
 Wide knowledge of national and international media.
 The ability to tackle specific fields of communication including corporate identity, internal
communication, crisis/risk communication, media relations, online communication, personnel
communication, lobbying, sponsoring, amongst others
 Experience in creativity, planning and evaluation techniques, as well as market and opinion research
 Knowledge of and skills in professions related to PR, such as public affairs, lobbying, marketing,
advertising, direct marketing etc.
 Knowledge of contemporary methods in print and electronic media.
 Knowledge of communication technologies for communicating politics, for moderation, presentations,
negotiations.
 Extensive knowledge of political systems and processes.
 General knowledge of economics, law and society and thorough command of one foreign language.
 Professional handling of team work, communication in the context of (party) political activities.
 The ability to communicate empathically with staff and voluntary supporters.
 Their personal profile is expected to include the following: excellent communication skills, committed,
able to work under pressure, team player, able to work in committees, social skills, able to act and
think flexibly, responsible and creative.
 PR IN HOSPITALS

 Hospitals have become more specialized – from neurology to oncology; some have multiple wards,
some have only one while others have more than fifty specialization. Patients have access to the
Internet, they can easily find information about a medical unit or about a doctor and so hospital find
themselves competing for the same patients. Public relations and marketing strategies have become
important in health care because “through those forms of communication, hospitals are better able to
let others know what they provide and how what they provide can benefit patients.
 Hospitals, like other organizations, are competing between each other in a market and the stakes are
high. Like every other institution, a hospital which communicates that it is trustworthy, that it can
provide quality and specialized services, while being transparent will earn the trust and respect of
the people. Public relations can close the gap between a hospital and its audiences and it can build a
bridge of trust between the organization and its audience. Also, public relations have the
responsibility of managing media relations; mass media can play a vital role in how the image of a
hospital is perceived by the public, especially when the hospital is dealing with a crisis. Mass media
can also offer legitimacy to some of the actions taken by a health care institution and can increase
the organization’s reputation.
 Building a brand for a hospital and managing its reputation are also two important aspects of
public relations. Moreover, public relations can and must maintain a prosperous inter
organizational climate – the relations with investors (fund raising activities), public authorities,
nonprofit organizations and other similar institutions. Last, but not least, public relations deal with
the internal dimension of the communication system. Members of the system who are happy and
satisfied with the organization they work for are the best promoters; word of mouth is a powerful
communication instrument.
 To summarize things, we will subscribe to George David’s statement, who believes there are three
major activity areas for a PR practitioner: internal communication, community relations (in order to
gain the trust and support of authorities, neighbors, sponsors, etc.) and media relations (especially
because mass media has an impact of a wide audience)
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AT
HOSPITALS
 Communication Strategies at hospitals - These strategies employ means of communication in all
possible forms to enable the hospital to convey its message to the public. - Some of these are also inter
mixed with the internal functions of the hospital and operative methods. - The other deals with Media.
 Communications in hospitals can be used in the following ways –
1. Providing appropriate information to patient’s, their relatives & visitors (At enquiry & registration/On
patient’s discharge regarding his/her health status and follow up/Discharge interview with attending
physician can also be arranged to serve this purpose).
2. Signage & Name boards - Easy to follow signage and boards and Floor plans displayed at strategic
places add to the comfort of the patients. All rooms should be numbered for the convenience of the
patients and the guests.
3. Complaints , Compliments and Suggestions strengthen the bonding with the public and also reflects
accountability. Therefore, a suggestion box must be provisioned at an appropriate place.
4. Organizing Health fairs, Exhibitions, Special Clinics, Health awareness programs, Medical Insurance
programs, Volunteer programs, Holding of an annual Hospital day, Founders day and Special events.
All this helps in projecting every aspect of the hospital’s operations including some of the highly
technical functions.
5. PR wing of the hospital works as the Advisory Committee. It suggests the hospital administration
about the methods to overcome their shortcomings, and interpret the functioning of the hospital to the
community.
6. Planning Advertising Tools - Talks ,interviews & programs on TV Radio, Social Media. Outdoor
methods – Billboards, Highway Signs, Articles in Magazines and Newsletters On medical topics,
Positive News in magazines and newspapers about the hospital.
7. Preparing and sending press releases on the activities, accomplishments and infrastructural
developments of the hospital to various media.
8. Lobbying with the media and administration for the progress of the hospital.
 PR IN DEFENCE
 The influence of defence coverage in the national news media is visible many a times on defence relations between two
nations, sale and purchase of arms, ammunition and equipment, policy decisions R&D in defence, international polity and
security operations. Hence in the current era this makes the Defence PR all the more important.
 The Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) is the nodal agency for the dissemination of information to the media and
the public about the events, programs, achievements and major policy decisions of the Defence Ministry, Armed Forces,
Inter-Services Organisations and Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Defence. DPR came into existence
in June, 1940 as a result of ongoing World War II at that time. Brigadier Ivor Stuart Jehu was the first
Director of Public Relations Department (PRD) in India. At that time PRD acted as a bridge head between the
Public and Armed forces through the media.
 The Directorate with its headquarters in New Delhi and 25 regional offices across the country. It’s main responsibilities
include:
1. Providing media support to ensure wide publicity in the print and the electronic media.
2. It also facilitates media interaction with the leadership and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces
by conducting regular interviews, press conferences and press tours.
3. It has been an important communication tool on issues related to J&K infiltration, Assam crisis, and also during
Kargil war.
4. DPR prepares and operates contingency plans for publicity during operations and emergencies.
5. It also provides feedback on the reaction in the media to the programs, policies, and activities of the ministry and armed
forces.
6. It analyzes the various angles of the stories about armed forces that appear in various dailies.
7. DPR acts as media advisor to the ministry of Defence including the armed forces.
8. The Directorate conducts Defence Correspondents’ Course for media persons to enhance their knowledge about
Defence matters.
9. The Directorate brings out a fortnightly journal, Sainik Samachar for the Armed Forces in 13 languages.
10. The Broadcasting section of the Directorate coordinates and produces a 40 minute program ‘Sainikon Ke Liye’ that is
broadcast daily on All India Radio for the Armed Forces personnel.
11. The Photo Section of the Directorate provides photo coverage to important events related to Defence.
 PR IN DEFENCE
 Media publicity for the major events is arranged by DPR.
Coverage is also arranged in the form of photographs and news reports for various military exercises and
assignments including those abroad. Visits of the Indian Defence Minister and Armed Forces Chiefs abroad
and the visits of foreign dignitaries to India are also prominently covered by it. Major decisions of the Union
Cabinet and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) including the Armed Forces are also widely publicized by DPR.
 The DPR also conducts media tours to various places across the country for major events and
familiarization of visits.
 This Directorate also arranges all media facilities related to the Republic Day Celebrations and brings out a
commentary for the parade on the Rajpath. Other important calendar events such as the Independence Day
celebrations at Red Fort, Combined Commanders’ Conference and NCC Rally addressed by the Prime
Minister and Defence Ceremonies at Rashtrapati Bhawan were also accorded due publicity by DPR.
 It is responsible for projecting the Policies, programs and Welfare Schemes of Directorate General
Resettlement (DGR) regarding resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen, widows and their dependants
through its publications, brochures, leaflets and advertisements. Regular Publication include :-
 (a) Sainik Punarvas News Flier (Biannual English Magazine)
 (b) Punarvas Bharati (Biannual Hindi Magazine)
 (c) Annual Training program for Officers and JCOs/OR
 (d) Brochures, Leaflets, Posters on DGR Schemes
 (e) Annual Calendar
 (f) Year Book / Diary
 The Directorate also interacts with the print and electronic media after obtaining clearance from
Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence.
THANK YOU!
Presentation By:
Dr. Tanu Dang
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Journalism and Mass
Communication, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu,
Arabi – Farsi University, Lucknow