LESSON - 5: PR Models & Process, PR & Planning

B A (JMC) (3-YDC), SEMESTER SYSTEM

SEMESTER –IV

SEC III: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

Unit -1: PUBLIC RELATIONS

LESSON - 5: PR Models & Process, PR & Planning

Objectives:

Explain Indian models of Public Relations

Learn about Western PR models

Know the PR process involved in a communication campaign

Understand the role of PR in Planning & Development

Introduction:

During the course of history, many PR models have evolved. Indian models starting from the state of propaganda to independent public relations with a global perspective, have their uniqueness for each period in history. Western PR models evolved through press agentry model, public information model, two-way asymmetric model and two-way symmetric model.

PR practitioners have long spoken about the intangible character of their discipline, which in their view cannot be measured easily. According to many practitioners and academics from the field, more research is needed to build a body of knowledge and gain credibility about this indispensable discipline, which unfortunately is reckoned as spin-doctoring by the critics. This laid back attitude is now changing. Mapping the audience before a PR campaign and post testing the campaign have become essential ingredients of any public relations process and planning. Good and effective PR just does not happen in vacuum. At the heart of every successful campaign is research process, planning, communication, evaluation and the use of strategies.

In this lesson we will learn different Indian and western PR models, learn about the four stages of PR process and the Role of PR in planning & Development.

Indian PR Models

A model is simply an example for comparison. Here, PR model means a representation of the system or the communication process under which PR profession is practised. Any communication process is based on certain models of communication. The five broad public relations models in relation to the Indian context are (1) the Propaganda Model (the state of propaganda) from 1500 BC to the end of East India Company rule in 1858 (2) the Publicity/Public Information Model (the era of publicity) during the era of British rule in India from 1858 to 1947 (3) the Gandhian Model (public communication model) 1947 to 1991 and (4) the Indian PR model (with global perspective) from 1991 to date.

Propaganda Model:

Propaganda is to propagate things. PR was born out of propaganda. It is very difficult to determine the origins of public relations in India because it is as old as human civilisation. Employing professional lyricists to sing the glory of the king was an ancient custom in India. Much of what is known today about the exploits of the kings and ancient civilisations is the result of scribes seeking to glorify the achievements of a royal patron. The great religious teachers from Jain Mahavira, Gautama Buddha and Sankaracharya to Nanak and Kabir were master communicators. They preached through parables, small stories with a moral and in idiomatic language which the common people found easy to understand. The rock inscriptions of emperor Ashoka were written in local dialects for easy communication. A unique contribution of Indus valley civilisation was the introduction of seals made of terracotta and stone. Such seals were means of communication.

Mahavira travelled the country barefoot and taught Ahimsa, Satya, Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment) and Asteya (no stealing). Buddha set forth four noble truths namely the truth of suffering; the truth of the sense of suffering; the truth of the end of suffering; the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. Aadi Sankara, founder of Advaita Vedanta was an excellent communicator. The mutts established by him were the source of information and propaganda. In propaganda model the purpose is to promote a point of view or ideology or religion among the public with motives. It was propaganda of their faiths.

Kings in the propaganda age like Chandragupta Maurya attempted through information dissemination to create a massive wave of faith amongst the masses. His minister, Chanakya through his work “Arthasasthra” gave an exposition on dissemination of information and collection of people’s reactions through an intelligence network. Emperor Ashoka reached out to his subjects through rock edicts, stone pillars, iron pillars, copper plate inscriptions, stupas, paintings, music and dance.

Mughals introduced Jharoka Darshan or window audience for hearing the grievances of the people. The bell of justice was introduced by Jehangir to redress public grievances. All these were different means of propaganda adopted during the timeline of history to remain in power.

Publicity/Public Information Model

Publicity means giving out of information about a product, person or company for promotional purposes. When the Mughal empire became weak due to infighting, Robert Clive of East India Company defeated them and established British East India Company in India. Later Christian missionaries came and had their own methods of propaganda. The press was suppressed for most of the period. Raja Ram Mohan Roy excelled in social communication by targeting societal ills. He started newspapers and became the father of social communication and Indian language journalism. 

After sepoy’s mutiny in 1858, the British Govt put an end to East India Company and ruled India through Viceroys till 1947. The East India Company always kept citizens in the dark as they refrained from giving out any information. After the British Govt took charge, public information got importance and information flow commenced. The Viceroy Lord Cannings founded the Editors Room wherein journalists could come and peruse Govt papers of public interest. In 1876, Viceroy Lord Lytton wanted to better the relations with the media. He suggested the establishment of a Press Bureau for developing rapport with newspapers.

The First World War and the Second World War required much publicity and propaganda. The Govt set up Central Publicity Board during First World War to develop cordial relations with journalists who were till then looked down as anti-government. Later in 1919 Publicity Cell came up. Journalists were taken to battlefields for first-hand reporting. Towards the end of 1920, the name of Publicity Cell was changed to Press Information Bureau. Publicity machinery in India was strengthened during the period of the two World Wars and the year 1941 saw the government using the word “public relations” for the first time.

Public Communication Model

Public Relations played an active role in Indian Independence. Public communication system and the Indian Independence movement were closely linked. Most freedom fighters who turned into journalists used their newspapers as communication vehicles to carry the message of freedom movement and to mobilize public opinion against the British.

Mahatma Gandhi’s entry gave a boost to journalism and public communication. On his return from South Africa in 1917 Gandhi went to almost all the parts of the country for gaining experience and to understand the land and its people. His tour was akin to the situation analysis stage in public relations process. Many agitations were launched by Gandhi between 1919 and 1947. He launched Satyagraha movement in 1919. In 1930 he took a pledge for Purna Swaraj and organised the Dandi march to break Salt law. Alongside Swadeshi, in 1942 he gave a call for Quit India. He launched his own newspapers Youngh India, Navajivan and the Harijan weekly. His ITM model of communication comprise Interpersonal, Traditional and Mass Media. This model was successful because of two-way communication for mobilizing public opinion.

Public Relations Model

When India became independent, the Govt felt the need of keeping the citizens well-informed about its policies and programmes. As a result, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was established in 1947 with mandate to inform, to educate, to motivate and to entertain the people as active partners in the democratic and development process of the country. The media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting such as PIB, Publications Division, Photo Division and other units were strengthened to disseminate public information. As such the concept of publicity began in India during British rule and graduated into public relations in Independent India. Thus began the era of public relations in independent India.

Multinational companies operating in India for several years felt the need to communicate with the Indian people more meaningfully. In order to adjust their corporate policies to the democratic set up, these companies increasingly turned to public relations. The public sector has however made a significant contribution to the birth, nurturing, growth and professionalism in public relations. PR in its true sense started with PSUs like HMT, BHEL, NTPC, IndianOil, VSNL, ONGC to name a few.

Public Relations Society of India set up in 1958 is a national association for professional development of PR practitioners and communication specialists. It seeks to promote PR as an integral function of the management. There are, however, certain areas where PR has yet to make a full dent. These include strengthening the programmes for training in this field, publication of literature on PR, equipping PR departments with professionally trained personnel and above all continuous trust and support by the management.

Global Public Relations

PR model of India entered into global public relations in early nineties as the new industrial policy 1991 that envisaged liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation has opened Indian doors to foreign capital and foreign companies. This resulted in global competitive market environment and. Corporate public relations got fillip to meet the growing competitive marketing environment and as such Indian public relations is now passing through a public relations model with global perspective.

Western PR Models

There were no public relations theories that had been formulated specifically. So, early practitioners had little or no guidelines for directing them to crafting communications, plans, tactics and strategies. James Grunig and Todd Hunt have suggested models that have helped tremendously to create awareness in the field of public relations. Their theories have guided practitioners to become better and more professional in their field. The four models evolved by Grunig and Hunt are (1) Press Agentry/Publicity Model (2) Public Information Model (3) Two-way asymmetric model and (4) Two-way symmetric model. Let us look at them one by one.

Press Agentry/Publicity model

During the 19^th century press agents laboured to create news to influence public opinion. Press agents wanted to manipulate the behaviour. Accuracy and credibility were not their priorities. Newspapers were the key media. This is a one-way communication from the press agents to their publics that uses persuasion and manipulation to influence behaviour of audiences. This method is usually employed by practitioners for one-way communication to sell products or services without any quantitative analysis of the results. There was no scope for feedback in this model.

Public Information Model

From press agentry, there developed public information model in the second stage of growth of public relations in the early 20^th century. The purpose is to disseminate information through newspapers based on accurate information about a cause, product or service. This model is still a one-way communication method but accuracy of the message has become vital. In the early 20^th century there was a move among some enlightened public relations practitioners towards more truthful and accurate messages. In this model “public be informed” got prominence. The move away from half-truths and outright falsehoods was the precursor to increasing ethical practices. Although this model still does not have any methods for quantitative analysis of the results practitioners are slightly more inclined to gather feedback from their audiences. This model is used mostly by government agencies, military units and Not-for-Profit organisations.

Two-way asymmetric model

Feedback is more important to practitioner but the aim is not to improve organisational practices but rather to influence attitudes of their audiences. After World War I there was no increase in consumer products which also dictated the need for marketing that was targeted specifically for a definite demographic or audience. This model is called asymmetric because communication is slanted towards organisation than public. Although this model advocates two-way communication, practitioners are hardly thinking about balanced communication. The power is vested with the sender whose intention is to persuade the receiver to accept and support the senders organisation, products or services. It is a scientific approach but the goal is to get into the psychology of their audience so that messages can be tailored to get the most effective reaction. The customers’ reaction is used to determine what the public attitudes are towards organisation and its products or services. This is the method most used by advertisers all round the world.

Two-way symmetric model

During the 1960s when the US was confronted with Vietnam war protests, civil rights movement and environmental movement, this model was widely used. This is probably the most ethical method of all the models. The aim of this model is dialogue not monologue. The feedback that the organisation gathers is used to change organisational practices. Negotiation, resolution of conflict, mutual understanding, and mutual respect between the organisation and its publics are the desired results of this model. This model attempts to find a mutually advantageous solution to a problem. Unlike two-way asymmetric model, two-way symmetric model is a two-way communication process between an organisation and its publics. In this model the sender and the receiver both are capable of being pursued to adjust and modify their attitudes and behaviours according to their needs.

PR Process

Process means a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. Be it a PR campaign or an Advertising campaign, it is a communication campaign or exercise and has to go through the stages, commonly referred to as the RPCE i.e. Research, Program, Communication & Evaluation. This four-step process states that to be effective, public relations must be used as a management function.

Research

Research process involves fact finding. This is also called situation analysis. The first step in the PR process is to define the problem and why it is a problem. There are various kinds of problems for which public relations solutions are increasingly sought. The problem could be growing absenteeism in an organisation, drug use, smoking at work place, political interference in union activities, exodus of the core human resource to competitors, critical media, adverse activities of special interest groups, lack of confidence of the shareholders etc. While defining the problem, it is easy to rely on the gut feelings, but these rarely help in the long run. Problem definition must begin with listening to the views of the concerned stakeholders. According to Wilbur Schramm, feedback is a powerful tool. Research is one method of structuring symptomatic listening into the communication process. Ron Smith points out that “public relations without research is like shooting in the dark”. Research provides the foundation for strategic communication planning. Therefore, PR needs research on people’s attitudes, organisational image, political and social issues and media perception about its policies and achievements. Research assumptions or hypothesis must be worked out carefully. In PR, research is conducted to answer specific questions like Who is the target audience? What is the demographic and psychographic profile of the target audience? Which are most effective and expensive channels of communication? What is the public perception of the organisation? Who are the influencers and opinion leaders? etc

Research helps define a problem. Research can both be informal and formal. Informal research techniques of gathering information are by personal contact, through gatekeepers of information, through mail analysis, through field reports and formal research techniques. They include both surveys and qualitative search that encompass benchmark studies, stakeholder mapping, communication audits, social audits, community studies, attitude/opinion studies, survey of social issues, focus group discussions, media content analysis etc

Programming

Programming includes planning. Strategy forms an integral part of planning and programming process. In fact, it is the organization’s overall plan i.e. what the organisation wants to achieve and how it wants to achieve. Keith Butterick defines PR strategy as the “foundation on which the tactical program is built and moves the company from where it currently is to where it wants to be by the end of the programme.” A strategy can be divided into different stages i.e. at corporate level, at business level, at the operational level. Having defined the problem through research, the practitioner would be in a position to define the target audience and communication objectives. Now the stage is set to develop the most appropriate mix of PR campaign elements that include (1) suitable persuasive propositions (2) message packages (3) selection of media of communication (4) media strategies (5) campaign time table and (6) the budget.

Communication

Having designed a programme, it is the turn for implementation alongside communication programme. The job is still not accomplished. It involves thorough communications management. The public relations practitioner will have to ensure that the proposed message package reaches the target audience. Merely sending press releases may not be enough. It should be followed up with the concerned media to ensure the receipt of press release and ensure publication. Action plans and messages must go hand in hand for effective implementation. Ray Eldon suggests a four pronged guidelines for developing a message. First, determine what people think about the issue. Second, establish what the problem is. Third, establish the desired image you wish to achieve and Fourthly choose the most suitable communication media to say what you want to say. To be acceptable, the communication has to be credible in context, clear, consistent and compatible with the receiver’s value system. Media strategy is a part of communication strategy. Media strategy would aim at answering the questions like which media are most suitable to reach out to the desired publics fast and at the lowest cost per opportunity? which media are considered more credible? Which media would prove more impactful on the audience? The ways through which information is disseminated to the news media are news factsheet, event listing, interview notes, press release, feature release, soundbite for Radio, audio news release, soundbite for TV, video news release, media kit, online newsroom, social media etc

Evaluation

The fourth and the last stage of PR process is evaluation. It includes feedback. Evaluation will reflect whether the objectives of the campaign were achieved or not. For long drawn programmes, it is advisable to conduct a mid-term appraisal so that adjustments, if any, can be made before carrying on with the exercise. The exercise has to be circular. If the situation after the launch of a campaign reflects that the problem is not solved to the management’s satisfaction, better to go back to the beginning of the exercise. Let us take the example of evaluation of a company’s house journal and see what the evaluation should ideally aim at.

Reach: What percentage of employees received the publication on a timely basis?

Exposure & Recall: How well did employees recall important issues covered in the publication?

Credibility: Were the views of both the management and employees taken? Did the employees consider the journal trustworthy?

Understanding: Did the readers understand company’s position on important and critical issues, which may concern the employees, themselves?

Readability: Were the employees able to comprehend the contents without difficulty?

As a result of this evaluation, management can understand the utility of house journal as part of internal communication. The PR Practitioners need to follow the PR process broadly. No two programmes or campaigns can be the same.

Planning – Development PR

Planning has always been an important part of public relations. Planning is to draw up an action plan to achieve certain set goals or objectives. It is the pre requisite for development. Planning is a continuous process of formulating, reformulating and implementing a set of plans, programmes, activities and tasks for realising selected objectives in a prescribed time schedule is called planning. Planning is the primary function of management that involves formulating a future course of action for accomplishing a specific purpose. Planning enables deciding what task to do, how to do the task, when to do the task and by whom the task has to be done.

Different authors have defined planning in different ways. However, the meaning and substance of these definitions are the same for the purpose of development. Development is a process whose goals are to realise the human potential for global societies and for the total human beings. Development planning is a scientific discipline that studies the mechanisms of mobilisation and reallocation of resources with a view of optimal attainment and pursuance of a global process of change tending to a self-reliant, self-centered, needs-oriented and sustained development.

The information and publicity aspect of planning and development schemes have now become part of the media units of the Central Government, Information Departments of State Governments and also the PR wings of the respective public sector undertakings. The dissemination of information about development schemes also came to be known as development support communication or simply development communication. PR has to shoulder this stupendous task of giving out information to bring about the required transformation in the society. PR here acts as a catalyst for change. The scope for development communication, in other words, development Public Relations arises in different agencies like (1) the Planning commission (2) State level planning boards (3) all Development departments both in the Centre and in the States (4) Democratic institutions like Urban Local Bodies and Rural Local Bodies (5) Central and State PSUs and (6) Media units of Govt of India charged with responsibilities for disseminating development information. To implement development and welfare programmes, there is every need to give out information to the public concerned and gather feedback from them. For this, PR planning that involves identifying the targeted public, preparing the literature, selection of media and feedback mechanism are essential.

Summary                    

Five broad public relations models in relation to the Indian context have been discussed namely Propaganda Model, Publicity Model, Public Information Model, Public communication mode, Public relations Model and with global perspective. Western PR models have helped tremendously to create advances in the field of public relations. Indian as well as Western models have guided practitioners to become better and more ethical.

In the four stage “RPCE” process of public relations, the four key elements such as research, planning, communication and evaluation have been described which influence the PR practitioner in designing and implementing the public relations programme. People who are professionals in public relations use different methods for analysing the results of their work such as focus groups, surveys, and one-on-one interviews. These methods are used in defining what medium of communication will be used in the process of strategy and what tools will be used in relaying the message, such as press releases, brochures, web sites, media packs, video news releases, news conferences and in-house publications.

To implement development and welfare programmes, there is every need to give out information to the public concerned and gather feedback from them. PR planning shall ensure this.

FAQs

1.     List out Indian PR Models

2.     What are Western PR models developed by Grunig & Hunt?

3.     Write about Global Public Relations

4.     Explain RPCE Process

5.     What is planning and development PR?

 

Model Answers

1. The 5 broad Indian PR models are in relation to the Indian context. They are (1) the Propaganda Model (the state of propaganda) from 1500 BC to the end of East India Company rule in 1858 (2) the Publicity/Public Information Model (the era of publicity) during the era of British rule in India from 1858 to 1947 (3) the Gandhian Model (public communication model) 1947 to 1991 and (4) the Indian PR model (with global perspective) from 1991 to date.
2. There were no public relations theories that had been formulated specifically. So, early practitioners had little or no guidelines for directing them to crafting communications, plans, tactics, strategies or programmes. However, James Grunig and Todd Hunt have developed models that have helped tremendously to create awareness in the field of public relations. Their theories have guided practitioners in their field. The four models evolved by Grunig and Hunt are (1) Press Agentry/Publicity Model (2) Public Information Model (3) Two-way asymmetric model and (4) Two-way symmetric model.

3.    Independent India entered into global public relations in the early nineties as the new industrial policy 1991 that envisaged liberalization, privatization and globalization has opened Indian doors to foreign capital and foreign companies. This resulted in global competitive market environment. Corporate public relations/Corporation communication got fillip to meet the growing competitive marketing environment and as such Indian public relations is now passing through a public relations model with global perspective.

4.    RPCE stands for Research, Planning, Communication and Evaluation. Process means a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. Be it a PR campaign or an Advertising campaign, it is a communication campaign or exercise and has to go through a process that is commonly referred to as the RPCE i.e. Research, Program, Communication & Evaluation. This four-step or four stage process states that to be effective, public relations must be used as a management function.

5. Planning gives scope for development communication, in other words, development PR through agencies like (1) the Planning commission (2) State level planning boards (3) Development departments of the Centre and the States (4) Urban Local Bodies and Rural Local Bodies (5) Central and State PSUs and (6) Media units of Govt of India for disseminating information. To implement programmes, there is need to give out information to the public and gather feedback from them. For this, PR planning that identifies targeted public, prepare literature, select media and feedback mechanism are essential.

 Multiple Choice Questions

1.      _________ developed Western PR models

a.       Ivy Lee

b.      Edward Bernays

c.       Grunig & Hunt

d.      Osgood & Schramm

2.      ITM theory of communication belongs to_________

a.    Jawaharlal Nehru

b.    Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

c.    Subash Chandra Bose

d.    MK Gandhi

3.      ___________ is not a stage in RPCE Model

           a.  Evaluation

b.    Propaganda

c.    Communication

d.    Research

4.      ___________ model ensures a two-way communication process.

a.       Two-way symmetrical

b.      Two-way asymmetrical

c.       Press Agentry

d.      Publicity

5.      Public Relations Society of India was established in __________

a.    1947

b.    1956

c.    1958

d.    1962

 Keys to Multiple Choice Questions: 1. (c)  2. (d)  3. (b)  4. (a) 5. (c)

Glossary

Propaganda: It is a deliberate attempt to persuade people to think and then behave in a manner desired by the source and is intended to enhance the relationship between an organisation and the public.

Publicity: The giving out of information to media about a product, person or company for advertising or promotional purposes.

Public Information: Information that is collected, assembled or maintained under a law or in connection with the transaction of official business

Press Agentry: During 19^th century press agents labored to create news to influence public opinion. This is a one-way communication from the press agents to their publics that uses persuasion and manipulation to influence behavior of audience.

Two-way asymmetric model: A scientific approach where the goal is to get into the psychology of the audience so that messages can be tailored to get the most effective reaction but tilted towards the organisation.

Two-way symmetric model: An ethical method where the aim is dialogue not monologue where the feedback is used to change organisational practices.

Campaign: An organized effort to change the opinion of a group or groups of people on a subject

Key Words:

Propaganda, Publicity, Press Agentry, Two-way asymmetric model, Two-way symmetric model, Campaign, Situation analysis, Research, Planning, Communication, Evaluation

Y. BABJI

Academic Counsellor, Public Relations (since 1989)

AP Open University/Dr BR Ambedkar Open University

Editor, Public Relations Voice