India’s first corporate PR ezine VOL 2 Issue 2 –April 07
Published by Prime Point Foundation
(Supported by Chennai PR Club)
PR-e-FACE: From the desk of Chief Editor
“Re-orient PR bodies to avoid being dumped into history“
PR movement in India PRCI reflect the new trends.
was started way back in Probably, majority of the members do
1957 by few enlightened not even belong to the PR or the
visionaries, when the PR Communication profession. The
profession itself was managements of these organisations
unknown. Presently, the should be able to, if not, integrate
PR profession is gaining themselves with the changes in the
its due importance thanks technology and dreams should not
to the increasing competition on the remain in 'un-updated' websites as
business market place with the growth 'Mission and Vision".
of the Indian industry and economy,
entrance of MNCs into the country, the With large number of young
proliferation of the media, adoption of professionals entering the PR Industry
global PR standards by PR agencies now, PR associations in India need to
through mergers, affiliations, or 'introspect' themselves and adapt to
otherwise. the new professionalism. Instead of
every organisation announcing the
The irony here is that at a time when same scheme, (like Accreditation)
we are going to celebrate the 'Golden causing confusion amongst the young
Jubilee' of PR movement in India, people, they need to shed their 'ego'
many in the industry are divided and sit together to prepare a 'master
among PR groups and associations plans' for future generation.
with each having their separate
ideologies and thinking, that often They may even adopt the 'Singapore
come in the way of having a model' of ’Young PR Council" to
collaborated effort in taking the develop professional and leadership
industry forward further. Also many skills. PRSI and PRCI, being respected
choose not to join any of these national professional bodies, need to
associations as they feel that major 'institutionalise' their bodies like CII,
national PR bodies in India like PRSI FICCI, NASSCOM, instead of being
and PRCI have been reduced to more 'personality' centric.
of 'regional outfits', due to various
factors like in-fighting, ego issues, PRSI and PRCI should realise that if
absence of leadership succession they do not 'reorient' themselves to
policy, lack of involvement of youth, the changing trends in the industry by
etc. synergising their strength and
wisdom, they might be 'dumped' into
Currently, more than 90 percent of the 'history' and the industry might march
professionals in the PR industry belong forward without them.
K. Srinivasan
to younger generation. We need to ask
ourselves whether the membership
and leadership profile of the PRSI and prpoint@gmail.com

2
PR-e-CISE – Inside this ezine
• •
An exclusive interview with Ms Views by the Presidents of PRSI,
Bhavani, President, Institute of PR, PRCI and ABCI
•
Singapore Views from Senior and Junior
• Expert views on PR bodies by Dr C professionals
V N Reddi and Mr C J Singh.
PR-eXCLUSIVE
“IPRS aims at making Singapore as a PR Hub in the Region”
Listen to the full interview through podcast at
http://www.primepointfoundation.org/presense0407.htm
Ms K. Bhavani is the This Young PR Council is a platform to
President, Institute train some of the young professionals
of PR, Singapore. for eventual leadership for PR
She is the Director Institute. They can also excite other
(Corporate young people in the Industry to come
Communication) and forward, participate and do activities.
Press Secretary to They learn from and help each other.
Minister of They can learn about PR strategies
Information and through different programmes.
communication,
Govt. of Singapore Besides this, other way to raise the
professionalism is ‘training’. We are
In an exclusive interview with K. conducting various training
Srinivasan of PR-e-Sense, Ms Bhavani programmes in Singapore. IPRS
explains the initiatives of Institute of organises Certificate courses and
Public Relations, Singapore to promote Diploma courses to provide more
professionalism amongst the young knowledge. Certificate course is for
people. three months.
Her interview may also be listened Diploma course provides more in-
through podcast (click the link given depth knowledge and is offered upto 9
above) months. PR practioners have to
understand ethical standards and code
Excerpts from her interview: of ethics. Eventually, they should get
accreditation. This will help the
In Singapore young PR professionals employers also to understand that
are not involved in the Institute. these people are qualified people. I
Institute of Public Relations, Singapore hope, with these initiatives, Singapore
(IPRS) has formed ‘Young PR Council”. can be a Regional Hub for PR
This Council is led by PR practitioners, practioners.
who are new to the Industry. ‘New’ is
a subjective term. Whether it is age
or experience? For us, ‘young’ means Ms Bhavani may be reached at
‘new’ to the industry. bhavani_k@mica.gov.sg

3
PR –e- STIGE – Expert views
Dr C V Narasimha Reddi, Editor, PR Voice, Hyderabad drcvn@hotmail.com
“PRSI and PRCI should make joint efforts to develop professional excellence”
Public people suffer from professional
Relations excellence.
Society of
America My submission is that PRSI and PRCI
(PRSA) and should try to promote Public Relations
Chartered and professionalism.
Institute of
Public The major pitfall in the Indian PR
Relations, profession is lack of ‘in-service
London training’. These two PR bodies should
(CIPR), play a major role in promoting make joint efforts in this area, by
professionalism in their respective approaching Universities and UGC. In
countries. We have to achieve a lot in India we do not have exclusive PR
the field of professionalism, in India. courses.
Whether it is Public Relations Society In Western countries, exclusive
of India (PRSI) or Public Relations courses are available in PR. Whatever
Council of India (PRCI), their aim be the differences between PRSI and
should be to promote PR and PRCI, they should make joint efforts
professional excellence. Need of the for creating “professional development
hour is to promote professional programmes”. This is a pre-requisite
excellence. We have grown for the growth of PR profession.
quantitatively; but we are yet to grow
qualitatively. Of course, there are few
PR professionals in India, who match
International standards. But many
Mr Charanjit Singh, Mg. Director, Core PR Chandigarh corepr@gmail.com
“PRSI and PRCI should institutionalise their set up without being personality centric”
Both PRSI and PRCI are respected entire setup and emerge from
organisations and ‘personality-centric’ and ‘ego-centric’
they are doing a goals. The entire Public Relations
good job. Now, it profession requires a major ‘image
is the right time overhaul’, which requires multifaceted
for all PR bodies to time-bound transparent action plans
show more involving the entire PR community
maturity and within their ambit so as to have
develop a roadmap appropriate feedback on several
for their future issues, which are of larger import than
growth. mere guided by parochialism. Let us
Unfortunately in our country, we are take the first step, develop the
enamoured by the personalities and leadership, and institutionalise the PR
the same is happening with our PR bodies, which can only help in
bodies too. Immediate agenda for professionalising the entire setup.
them should be to institutionalise the
.
Podcast: You can listen to the views of Dr Reddy and Mr C J Singh in the podcast at
http://www.primepointfoundation.org/presense0407.htm

4
PR –e- STIGE – Expert views
Mr Yogesh Joshi, President, Association of Business Communicators of India, Mumbai
winyogi1@gmail.com
“ABCI conducts various programmes to enhance the knowledge”
Association of
Business For those ‘novice’ who are entering the
Communicators profession with some knowledge and
of India (ABCI) want to learn more, we are organising
is soon programmes in printing, publishing, in-
launching house journal, brochure upto web
‘accreditation designing. This will increase their
programme’ for professional skills.
students, who
want to make their career in ‘PR and We are presently conducting two day
Business communication’. training programme on ‘Business
communication” covering wide
ABCI is also launching a ‘rating’ for the spectrum of areas to enhance the
Institutions who are running Public knowledge of people who are already
Relations and Business Communication in the PR and Business communication
Schools. This will facilitate the profession. ,
students to know the ranking of the
schools. This will also enable the
Schools to raise their standards in a
competitive scenario.
.
Podcast: You can listen to the views of Mr Yogesh Joshi in the podcast at
http://www.primepointfoundation.org/presense0407.htm
Mr M B Jayaram, National Council Chairman, PRCI cccm@karnatakapower.com
“India needs multiple PR bodies to develop the profession”
PRCI's good We need more & more professional
programmes can bodies to work for the professional
certainly attract the growth & not a single body to manage
young crowd. Our in a country like India for so many
recent progamme is reasons i.e. financial health of the
one such programme. Professional bodies/ leadership crisis/
( GLOBAL MEET ). We with out any infrastructure facilities/
will try to circulate the lack of team work/ vast area/ different
proceedings of the regions & so many other problems
Meet to everyone, who may be the reasons for not acting
are really interested in PR. (its under together to buildup .the profession. If
print ). more Professional bodies work for the
common goal in different places, may
be in a small way, we can achieve
PRCI"s main motto is to standardize
more, if not 100%. Once we grow to
the profession itself by online
some extent, we can think of a
education,/Accreditation programme
combined effort. In my opinion, this is
etc. Accreditation course will
not the right time to have one
commence from July 2007.
organisation to manage everything
Programmes once in a month on PR
oriented .subjects are also planned for
professionals. by PRCI.

5
PR –e- STIGE – Expert views
Dr Ajit Pathak, National President, PRSI drajitpathak2002@yahoo.com
“PRSI’s commitment has not yet been encashed”
PRSI has set up respect. Focusing on providing a
an advisory platform for development of the
national students and the upcoming PR
committee on professionals is independent of joint
Public Relations / efforts. In fact each of the PR
mass organization is working for the cause
communication of PR, though the routes may be
education which different. PRSI, as the premier
will examine the national body, is willing to support,
present any such activity, be it any individual
curriculum in or the group.
practice in the Indian Institutes and
will benchmark it with international PRSIs commitment for the youth has
best, keeping national requirements in not been encashed effectively, partly
mind. The committee will also examine because of lack of fire among the
possibilities to promote PR literature students and partly because of
and research opportunities in order to inappropriate efforts of our chapters to
bring credibility and professional involve them.
PR – e- Groups – Have you joined discussion groups?
Image Management Group – Second largest yahoo group on PR with nearly 1500
global members. Click here
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Image_Management/
PRpoint Group - The largest Indian group for PR/CorpComm /academic
professionals with700 plus members. Click here
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/prpoint/
New Media Forum Group – A group for Indian journalists with around 350
members. Click here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/New_Media_Forum/
India Vision Group – A group for Indian youth on India Vision 2020 with around
1200 members. Click here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/India_Vision_2020/
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6
PR – e - Views – PR Seniors and Juniors react
A senior member of PRSI and PRCI (Identity suppressed on request)
“Seniors in PRSI and PRCI should give way to younger generation”
Why are the seniors strength of ‘junk’ of members. If PR is
so stubborn at their global exchange of values that we are
personal ego's? We talking about, then let's think and act
see ethics, mission, global.
vision in all the
booklets of the Also, most of the leaders in both PRSI
forums that are and PRCI want to stick to ‘chairs’ and
available in the ‘positions’ for ‘life time’. Its time for
country. No body speaks about respectable seniors to realize the
“EGO”. Can a PR person have more of importance of delegation to juniors
ego than stuff? Some of them are still and allow them to function more
not willing to use technology. They systematically and innovatively.
need assistance to do the job.
Seniors are experienced, juniors are
intelligent and up-to-date. The blend
of the two can give additional strength
to the PR professional bodies than the
Shvetha Sridhar, New entrant to PR profession shgrd2002@yahoo.com
“Orientation programme needed for new entrants”
I personally feel, that like all the IT media relations which is where we are
companies PR agencies also should held up with. As new comers, we need
have 1-2 guidance as to whom we can approach
months of and how to approach people, be it
training print or broadcast media.
before they
actually get I suggest, we have training period
into the atleast for a period of 1 month where
work place. we are given coaching by senior
Even people from the PR industry - as to
though we what we should do and what we
have done should not. Be it - Business
lots of campaigns and events at the Development, Client Servicing or
college level, and have interacted with Media Relations. As freshers we are
the media a few times, our college has going wrong making the wrong moves,
always helped us and has given us and this is creating a bad image for
some backing so that we dont take up the PR industry. I am telling this out of
all the pressure. my personal experience.
But when it comes to work, we are May I appeal to PR bodies to conduct
under pressure and are expected to ‘orientation programmes’ to the new
develop media contacts and do good entrants to the profession?

7
PR – e - Views – PR Seniors and Juniors react
Rajiv Harjai, PG Student of PR in Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
rajiv.harjai@hotmail.com
All forces should join hands to make a grand ‘Public Relations Institute of India’
`
I think all the guidelines they produce, the
these societies awards they hold, the competitions,
should have and how much they support the
one meeting students etc... They do an amazing job
and decide if for the PR Profession.
they could join
forces to make If you would personally like to get in
a great Public touch with them and see if CIPR
Relations can contribute to making of a great
Institute/Council/Society, Whatever Institute of Public Relations in
they want to call it. India, please let me know. I am
currently the Student Representative
Now joining forces will make a great for CIPR in my University and I will see
Public Relations Institute of India." what can be done on this
front and how much help CIPR can
Secondly, since everyone is talking provide.
about International practitioners and
developed countries Public Relations You can e-mail me regarding
Institutes, please check out what they this at rajiv.harjai@hotmail.com
do. Go to www.cipr.co.uk Check out
their website, the events they have,
Hobbithob, Account Director in a PR Agency hobbit.hob@gmail.com
Blog: http://indiapr.blogspot.com
“All programmes should be targeted to young professionals, instead of only CEOs”
1. Can we have any 4. Remember young PR people cannot
training programs of just leave office and attend the
PR people and events. It's the bosses who attend
certification by PR such events to pass away the time for
associations? a day. They do not do much work
anyway. Make it necessary for the
2. The events are all air-talk and have agencies to send their employees to
no practical benefits - that's such events.
the common notion, if not by me.
They are targeted for the CEOs. The 5. The moderator's mail mentioning
registration fees are priced like about PR bodies not providing any
there's no tomorrow. Many people inputs, in a way, reflects the
think associations hold these events to indifference among PR professionals
get sponsorships and earn a few and bodies in India. I wonder why do
bucks. Let's hold workshops and we have three associations already. Do
discuss tools and learning that we can not expect young PR people to
implement. collaborate and contribute to
the PR industry's growth when there
3. Seminars, seminars, and more are indifferences among the seniors.
seminars. Anything else?

8
PR – e - Views – PR Seniors and Juniors react
A young lady PR executive with 2 years of service (identity suppressed on request)
“PR bodies promise the mission and vision only in their websites”
Appalling is the state seminars and no round tables... NO
of PR bodies like perspective on Public Relations in the
PRSI, PRCI and Indian context... have ever been
PRCAI and the conducted by these responsible bodies
others... who have in the last 3 years that I have been
taken responsibility in associated with this industry!
shaping the PR Interesting enough is the Mission and
industry in India! Very little or close to Vision that these bodies promise on
none has been done in my view for the their websites... which is confined only
development of young professionals by on the webpages of their websites...
these bodies who have taken onus to and does not materialise in reality!
build the future of public relations in Nothing noteworthy has been done to
India. No newsletter, no industry encourage young talent to get more
updates, no forums, no case studies, participative in this country.
no awards, no recognition, no
PR bodies - At a glance
Association of Business Since its formation Mr M B Jayaram is
Communicators of India (ABCI): the Chairman of the National Council.
Established in the year 1957 with Head Website : www.prci.in
Quarters at Mumbai. Mr Yogesh Joshi Email : cccm@karnatakapower.com
is currently the President of the
Association. Global Forum for Public Relations
Website www.abci.in (GFPR) : Established in the year
Email winyogi1@gmail.com 2006 with Head Quarters at
Hyderabad. Br. B K Karuna is the
Public Relations Society of India President since its inception.
(PRSI) : Established in the year 1958 Website www.gfpr.org
– Started functioning as a formal body Email: karunabk@gmail.com
in 1966 with Head Quarters at
Mumbai. Mr Kali H. Mody was the Public Relations Consultants
founder President of PRSI from 1966 Association of India (PRCAI) :
to 1969. Dr Ajit Pathak is the current PRCAI is a trade association formed to
National President represent India's public relations
Website : www.prsi.co.in consultancy sector. The Membership of
Email: drajitpathak2002@yahoo.com PRCAI is restricted to consultancies
that meet the basic criteria set out by
Public Relations Council of India the Association.
(PRCI) –Established in the year 2004 Website: www.prcai.org
with Head Quarters at Bangalore. Email: jayoti.lahiri@prcai.org

9
PR eTTY - Relax – Do you know who is on the other side of phone?
A man joined a big Multi National "It's the Managing Director of the
Company as a trainee company, you idiot!"
On his first day, he dialed the kitchen The trainee shouted back: "And do you
and shouted into the phone: "Get me a know whom YOU are talking to, you
cup of coffee, quickly!" IDIOT?"
The voice from the other side "No!" replied the Managing Director
responded: "You fool, you've dialed angrily
the wrong extension! Do you know
whom you're talking to?" "Thank God...!" replied the trainee and
put down the phone
"No" replied the trainee.
PResentors of PReSENSE
Consulting Editor Consulting Editor Editor Associate Editor
Ms S Vidya, CES Onyx Ms Uma, Corporate P A Narrendiran, S. Sakthi Prasanna
Commu nicator Blue Lotus PR Hanmer and Partners PR
Associate Editor and Pod-Jockey M M Sevakumar N Satish
Ms Veena Vinod Senior Web consultant Student, Anna University
Good Relations PR
Publisher and chief Editor
K. Srinivasan (Prime Point Foundation)
Feedback and contributions to:
ezinepresense@gmail.com
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