PR for Good Governance

NEED, MEENINGS, CONCEPT AND EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Public Relations means different things to different people. Theoreticians consider it a philosophical and moral concept. The PR practitioners see it as nothing more than ‘art of getting things done’. However, the basic purpose of PR and PR techniques is more or less the same in all sectors – Government, Public and Private institutions. Nevertheless, there are certain aspects of PR that are specifically applicable to a given class of institutions.

Simply stated, PR is the art and science of creating and maintaining purposeful relations with the public. Such relations must necessarily yield good results. Public Relations therefore, involves an understanding of the people i.e. people from various walks of life in relation to the organization with which PR

In other words, PR is a way of decision-making. It is a key ingredient in the democratic process. It is effective motivation and two-way communication. For some, PR is a process of doing good work and taking credit for it. PR also involves image building. Some view PR as a mirror, which gives the organizations clientele a clear perspective of their relationship with the organization.

Public Relations as a profession has made rapid progress during the past 3 decades. The major public sector and private organizations today have recognized the importance of public relations. Moreover, Public Relations as a management function is fast graining recognition in our country. Further there is a wide scope for public relations consultancy service. The number of new openings advertised in the mass media makes one optimistic about the growth of the profession. The next few decades with its over all progress in agriculture, industry, commerce and greater awareness among the masses owing to increased exposure to mass media will call for greater two way communication and public relations than have hither to been needed.

PR activity is more often an invisible input; but all the same it is essential for the better working and understanding of an organization. Unless people know what your organization is doing and what its objectives are they seldom can appreciate your efforts.

Meaning

Webster’s dictionary says that PR is Promotion of rapport and good will between a firm or institution and other persons, special public or the community at large through the distribution or interpretative material, the development of neighborly interchange and the assessment of public reaction; The degree of understanding and good will achieved between an individual, organization or institution and the public and the application of techniques for achieving this relationship; The art or science of developing reciprocal understanding and good will and the professional staff entrusted with this task.

Other meanings

PR is an art of getting the things done; Image building; Mirror; Everything and sometimes nothing; an invisible input; Social Engineering; Human Engineering; Engineering of consent; Management function; Promotion of goodwill; Managing of information; Handling of communication and Media;

PR is daily application of common sense, common courtesy, common decency and common etiquette. PR is Performance coupled with Recognition. PR is getting the right facts to the right people at the right time and in a right way. In other words communicating successful the right message in the right medium to the right audience.

Definitions

Robert Heilib - Practice covering a lot of acreage, blurring out into advertising and sloping over into selling, dipping into publicity and touching or at least aspiring to the making of the public opinion itself.

Prof. Byron Christian – PR is a conscious effort to motivate or influence people, primarily through communication to think well of an organization, to respect it, to support it and to stick with it through trial and trouble.

Cutlip and Centre – PR is the management function, which evaluates public attitudes, identifies policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with public interest and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.

WT Parry – PR means the development of cordial, amicable and therefore profitable relations between a business, industry, organization and the public it serves.

Rex Mardaw – PR means processes whereby an organization analyses the need and desires of all interest parties in order to conduct itself more responsively towards them

British Institute of Public Relations – PR is a deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public.

Philosophy

Albert Schweitzer - No ray of sunlight ever lost; but the greet that it wakes needs time to sprout and it is not granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work worth anything is done in faith.

Mahabharath - Enjoy the pleasures bestowed on you, and bear the pain inflicted on you, wait patiently for what time brings as does the farmer for the fruit.

Nature & Scope

What the PR function embraces, where it fits in the administrative scheme of things and who is responsible for the PR? There is some confusion. Isn’t it? This confusion is cleared if we understand the distinction between the two concepts

Public Relations is an operating concept of management and

Public Relations as a specialized management function

The first is static, general operating principle that guides the administrators to a greater or lesser degree and is the responsibility of every person identified with the organization while the second is dynamic, specialized function for which skilled practitioners are hired.

Now let us take a closer look at PR as a management concept. In a democratic society, all institutions are invested with public responsibilities. They must accept accountability for all their actions that affects others. Today’s public opinion, though it may appear as light as air may become tomorrow’s legislation for better or for worse. Therefore, a wise institution or an organization makes public relations a function of the management so that every decision is considered from the standpoint of its public impact.

It should not be forgotten that responsible performance on the part of a Corporation, Government Agency, profit or non-profit organization is the foundation of sound public relationship.

A stage has been reached that every official shall have to practice public relations. If it is not feasible to practice PR it shall at least be possible to have a PR attitude towards the public they deal with.