Pr in Diferent Sectors

8/8/2019 Pr in Diferent Sectors

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We the students of SYBMS-B Roll number 81, 83, 85,87, 89 would like to thank professor V.S. Gopal forgiving us the opportunity to work on this project andshow our intellect which not only revolutionized theapproach towards this subject but also the entirethinking process.


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INDEX

1) Meaning , and Principles

2) PR in Manufacturing sector

3) PR in Servicesector

Hotels

Hospitals

4) PR in Public sector

5) PR in Private sector

6) PR in other forms of organization


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Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow ofinformation between an organization and its publics. Public relations -often referred to as PR - gains an organization or individual exposureto their audiences using topics ofpublic interest and news items that

do not require direct payment.[2]

Because public relations placesexposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers a third-partylegitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities includespeaking at conferences, working with the press, and employeecommunication.

PR can be used to build rapport with employees, customers, investors,voters, or the general public. Almost any organization that has a stakein how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some level of publicrelations. A number of specialties exist within the field of publicrelations, such as Media Relations, Investor Relations or LaborRelations.

PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS:

1. Tell the truth

2. Prove it with action

3. Listen to the customer

4. Manage for tomorrow

5. Conduct public relations as if the whole companydepends on it

6. Remain calm, patient and good-humored

Underlying these principles is an important characteristic, COURAGE.In order to practice public relations as a management function, onemust exhibit courage the ability to push back against managementdecisions that dont have the best interests of the stakeholder firmly inmind.

The basic purpose of PR and PR techniques is, more or less, the

same in all sectors - government, public and private concerns, and

other institutions. Nevertheless, there are certain aspects of PR

that are peculiar to a given class of organizations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paymenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/#cite_note-answers.com-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legitimacyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertisinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Votershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Media_Relations&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investor_Relationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Relationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Relationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paymenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/#cite_note-answers.com-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legitimacyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertisinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Votershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Media_Relations&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investor_Relationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Relationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Relations


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PR has a distinctive role to play in different sectors. It is necessary forPR personnel to handle situations differently in various sectors. Goalsand purpose in sectors differ from one another. Actions must be takenafter considering goal and purpose of a sector.

PR IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

The manufacturing sector is closely connected with engineering and

industrial design. Manufacturing sector consists of Chemical

industry, food and beverage industry, metal working, agribusiness,

nano technology, etc.Establishments in the Manufacturing sector

are often described as plants, factories, or mills and

characteristically use power-driven machines and materials-

handling equipment.

According to some economists, manufacturing is a wealth-

producing sector of an economy, whereas a service sector tends to

be wealth-consuming. Manufacturing provides important material

support for national infrastructure and for national defense.

India's vast domestic market

and availability of low-cost

workers with advanced technical

skills has been instrumental inattracting an ever expanding

number of multinationals who

are setting up their

manufacturing base in the

country. PR in manufacturing

differs from service sector.

However they involve similar

procedures. Public relations

managers supervise publicrelations specialists. These

managers direct publicity programs to a targeted audience. They

often specialize in a specific area, such as crisis management, or in

a specific industry, such as health care.They use every available

communication medium to maintain the support of the specific

group upon whom their organizations success depends, such as
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineeringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_Sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_defensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineeringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_Sectorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_defense


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consumers, stockholders, or the general public. For example, public

relations managers may clarify or justify the firms point of view on

health or environmental issues to community or special-interest

groups.Public relations managers also evaluate advertising and

promotions programs for compatibility with public relations effortsand serve as the eyes and ears of top management. They observe

social, economic, and political trends that might ultimately affect

the firm, and they make recommendations to enhance the firms

image on the basis of those trends.Public relations managers may

confer with labor relations managers to produce internal company

communicationssuch as newsletters about employee-

management relationsand with financial managers to produce

company reports.They assist company executives in drafting

speeches and arranging interviews.In addition, some of these

managers handle special events, such as the sponsorship of races,

parties introducing new products, or other activities that the firm

supports in order to gain public attention through the press without

advertising directly.

CASE STUDY

EUROTRON (E.S.P.) Ltd

Packaging and Electronics Manufacturing Products

The Client

A leading supplier of polyproylene box and briefcase packaging to theretail and electronics sectors, Eurotron sought Visionforces help tobuild awareness of the Eurotron brand and demand for its packagingsolutions.

The Brief

The main objectives of the press relations campaign were:

a. To build the Eurotron brand through the leading UK packaging andelectronics pressb. To raise Eurotrons profile through the launch of new packagingproductsc. To generate sales enquires for Eurotrons packaging solutions


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PUBLIC RELATIONS IN HOTELS

The truth is, hotel

marketers think very

traditionally. Andunfortunately, this means

regarding the discipline of

marketing as an expense

item, rather than as a

return on investment.

The expense philosophy usually means spending your marketing

dollars, over time, on ad placement in media, to communicate your

message. This is certainly important, but unless your results can be

measured or tracked, this may not be the most efficient way to getyour message out there.

When marketing tactics involve public relations, direct mail, sales, e-

marketing, website maintenance, and then media placement, your

dollars can be allocated so that they are more focused, more targeted

and more effective.

What is public relations? Hotel public relations includes activities such

as press relations, special events planning, targetted outreach for

focused editorial coverage, organization of press familiarization trips(so that travel writers can experience your venue first hand),

newsletters, community relations, and philanthropy.

Ironically while marketing budgets have decreased over the last few

years, it was public relations that usually took the hit, even that it is a

less expensive cost item than the other marketing tactics mentioned

above, and that it produces more beneficial results. Its just that it is

usually considered an afterthought, rather than as a core marketing

tactic.

The power of public relations is well proven. Its the most cost-

effective method for promoting a travel product, establishing third-

party credibility, and getting your name in front of the trade industry

and publications, and of course, the public. Placing stories with press

releases, articles, and columns is your link to countless national and

local newsrooms, editors, and journalists. And the media provide


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significantly more credibility than expensive traditional display

advertising.

How should you get back into the PR game? How can you get started

using public relations if we havent in the past?

First, take a look at how public relations has shaped the

development of your company. Have you been taking advantage

of the P.R. opportunities provided to you by your brand or your

Convention and Visitors Bureau? What are the images,

perceptions and messages already out there about your hotel or

establishment? Are they accurate? Is it the message you want

the public to know? Does that message need to be modified?

Strengthened?

Determine which marketing, sales, and public relations

disciplines will work in tandem with one another to support each

others messages. Will direct mail to a targeted pre-determined

audience support editorial coverage in the publications this group

reads? Will direct contact by your sales director help support the

messages you want shared? Will web-marketing and e-mail

marketing be the tactic used to support the p.r. effort at this

time?

Agree upon your public relations objectives and dedicate monies

to make public relations work for you. Its always amazing to see

how hotel operators and owners expect a lot when they give alittle. P.R. can handle it, and we dont need a whole lot of

funds. Well, you may not need as much as you would for

advertising, direct mail or image advertising, but there should be

a budget allocated for press release distribution, photography,

special events, clipping services, opportunities to entertain the

media, and so on.

Do you have someone on staff to handle media relations? If

funds allow, this is an excellent strategy to maximize awareness

and gain the utmost exposure. In-house public relations can beso strong for a hotel, resort, destination, as it allows a

spokesperson to really focus and dedicate efforts for promoting

your product. But dont use this individual to handle all the

miscellaneous activities unrelated to public relations. It is not

unusual for a really good PR person to be an excellent jack-of-

all-trades. And that is because good PR people are very


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resourceful and always can find a contact or an answer to any

issue. But dont allow hotel management to always throw

anything their way. Let the PR person concentrate on press

relations, special events and media.

If resources for P.R. are limited and you cant afford an on-siteperson, consider bringing in an outside public relations expert to

focus on specific proactive tasks, serve as the liaison with writers

and editors, and assist your hotel with publicity efforts.

Remember, public relations demands a professional with theexperience, writing skills, public speaking skills, and mediarelationships to capitalize on. This effort should not be left to a salessecretary or the general managers assistant to simply handle. ThePR activities should not be thrown on to someone as created additional

work. Public relations truly requires a polished, refined and intelligentpresentation from the professional dedicated to this discipline. Thetime, organization, creativity, skill, and media contacts required for asuccessful effort, takes experience and know-how.

CASE STUDY

Headquartered in Washington, DC, Marriott International, Inc. is one

of the leading hospitality companiesin the world with more than 2,400properties in 68 countries andterritories. As a managementcompany, Marriott is responsible fordaily operations in both company-operated and franchised properties.Marriott has an extensive portfolio ofbrands including full-service hotelsand resorts, limited-service hotelslike Fairfield Inn by Marriott and corporate housing such as Marriott

ExecuStay. In 2004, Marriott International set out to upgrade theirbedding across all Marriott brands by providing new sheeted duvetcovers, soft linens, down pillows and pillow-top mattresses for theircustomers.

Background


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The Marriott Bedding Program set out to develop and implement abedding package for over 628,000 beds across 10 Marriott lodgingbrands in two years, giving Marriott a new look and more comfortableamenities. The $190 million global renovation required seamlesscoordination of resources from interior design, operations, finance,

owner relations and public relations.

In addition to transforming the Marriott brand, the finished productgave the company an important advantage and unique selling pointover competitors. As bedding choices became a focal point of lodgingindustry competition, it was imperative for Marriott to conform to atight project timeline with strong compliance across the Marriottsystem in order to reap the rewards of competitive advantage.

The new bedding was part of a comprehensive initiative to transformthe look and feel of all Marriott brands to create a more comfortable

hotel experience for all guests, thus the project team, composed ofProject Management Professional (PMP)- certified project managers,managed by a program manager out of Marriotts Lodging ProgramManagement Office (PMO), conducted extensive market, productdevelopment and product and operational testing research to getinside the minds of their customers and affirm that the linens productsadhered to their requirements. The program manager was stronglysupported by the Lodging Program Management Office. Her dutiesincluded maintaining communication among all parties, conductingregular team meetings with clear agendas covering upcomingmilestones, identifying issues or risks and recognizing majoraccomplishments. She facilitated communication between the variousheadquarters teams, regional teams and properties, identifying andemploying the most appropriate method of communications dependingupon the type of information being conveyed and the urgency of themessage.

Challenges

One of the most ambitious projects undertaken by MarriottInternational, the Bedding Program produced several challenges on aglobal scale that the company had to overcome throughout the projectlifecycle if it was going to prove successful in the end.

Marriott had an existing bedding standard prior to the BeddingProgram initiative in 2004. However, with the differing ages of hotelsand different brands came a great deal of variation in beddingspecifications. In some cases, mattresses, especially in limited servicehotels, were of various heights. In order to comply with the new


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standards, some properties had to purchase new mattresses. Otherproperties had to order special linens for higher mattresses. Boxsprings were different heights off the floor so properties had toprecisely measure bed heights from the floor to the top of the boxspring in order to purchase bed skirts of the appropriate length. King-

sized beds existed in three different sizes, impacting the length andwidth of sheets that had to be ordered. With so many moving partsand dependencies and 21 internal project teams the project scopebecame a clear challenge. Project teams had to work across timezones, languages and a variety of cultures and government regulationsto achieve a successful outcome, making effective and efficientcommunication and coordination a significant challenge.

Stakeholder endorsement of the Marriott Bedding Program wasessential for implementation since owners and franchisees would bearprimary responsibility for the necessary financial investment. Owners

and franchisees are required to comply with Marriott standards and theintroduction of new operational measures, but if they are notsupportive of a change, the implementation process can besignificantly delayed. In addition, at the time of the Bedding Program,some properties had just opened and the new bedding standardsrequired them to dispose of relatively new linens, which posed afinancial burden for some.

With more than 143,000 employees worldwide and over 200 directproject associates, implementation of the bedding program requiredsignificant changes in hotel management processes. Thousands ofpeople including housekeepers and laundry associates had to learnhow to switch the new bedding out and also maintain the newstandard form for each room and each linen change. Training had tobe specific to the bedding packages designed for different brands.Additionally, property management teams needed to be educatedabout the rationale for the bedding change and the linen orderingprocess. Other training complications centered on a language barrierbetween property managers and housekeeping and laundry associatesand the need to train all staff at the same level. In addition, someproperties experienced staff turnover during the implementation

process, requiring additional training for new personnel.

Much of the bedding Marriott sought was manufactured and distributedfrom overseas companies. This created a six-month lag time betweenthe time an order was placed and when linens were delivered. Inaddition, across all brands the Bedding Program involved over 1,850different products such as mattresses, pillows, sheets, pillow cases,etc., which posed a challenge of tracking and distribution.


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Solutions

In order to address the challenges brought on by such a multifacetedproject, Marriotts PMO needed to set forth specific processes andprocedures to keep the lines of communication open between the

different departments and levels of involvement in the project.The massive scope of the Bedding Program presented a challenge initself. To bring the project down to size, the team implemented severalproject management techniques, the most important beingcommunication. Project teams used meetings, emails, status reports,memos, conference calls, conferences, wordless videos, how-to videosand pamphlets, photos, the internet and Marriott intranet tocommunicate to the global audiences affected by the program. Solidrecord keeping and documentation also played a large part in keepingthe team organized with the numerous elements of the project.

In addition, the project had several levels and processes, all dependingon project teams and milestones, thus it was important to ensure thatdependencies between project teams and key milestones wereidentified in a timely manner. For example, a priority for one projectteam might require the support of a second project team, but mightnot be a priority for the second team. The program manager had tohelp facilitate these issues in order to keep the project within the setobjectives - timeframe, budget and expected results. Projectrequirements were documented and publicly discussed at the verybeginning of the program. As the project progressed, new

requirements or additional scope changes were evaluated against theinitial requirements and risks identified.

To combat the challenge brought on by variations in product sizing,mattress heights, etc, Marriott asked individual hotels simple questionsand converted the answers into a database that helped theProcurement Team create a preliminary order and cost estimate foreach hotel. This information also aided the team in planning,manufacturing and distribution needs. Properties were trained in theuse of the inventory model through telephone conference calls.

With over 10 different brands, Marriott had to devise a plan to adaptthe bedding to each brands identity. To do this, two core beddingteams were established: one responsible for Marriotts full servicebrands and one for the limited service brands. These teams were incharge of identifying the new bedding concept for each brand,developing the specifications to support those concepts, projectingsystem-wide implementation costs and on-going operating costs,


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In addition to the transformation of all bed linens across all Marriottbrands and properties, the company saw an opportunity to savemoney and become more environmentally friendly through theestablishment of a linen reuse program. The program mandates linensto be changed only as needed, upon guest request and between stays.

This allows the hotels to conserve energy and water as well as reduceenergy costs.

Results

With the help of more than 200 employees worldwide participating inthe program as members of specialized project teams, the MarriottBedding Program completed the conversion of 628,000 beds into afresh, white, luxurious yet modern ideal of comfort on March 31, 2006,

two years after commencement. The project came in under budget at$190 million with 95 percent of properties converted over by the endof Q1 2006.

Marriott Bedding Program Key Achievements

The project accomplished sponsor goals of large improvements inguest satisfaction and revenue improvement. Market research hasshown that increases in guest satisfaction translate into customersintent to return to the hotel for another stay, resulting in higherrevenue.

The individual property owners are pleased with the results as theyare seeing higher revenue at their individual hotel properties.

With the help of the Marriott public relations team, the projectreceived a large amount of media exposure in addition to severalawards for their initiatives. Through the linen reuse program, individual properties are achievingan 11 to 17 percent savings on hot water and sewer bills in addition tohelping conserve energy and water.

The Marriott Bedding Program was a top three finalist for ProjectManagement Institutes 2007 Project of the Year award.

ITC Ltdhas bagged five national awards on public relations,according to a company press release. The awards were conferredat the 30th All India Annual Conference of the Public Relations


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Society of India, held in Guwahati recently for outstandingcommunication initiatives reaching out to a large gamut of externalstakeholders.

The Hyatt Regency is one of the most prestigious brands in the hotelindustry operating in major cities around the world, with meetingfacilities and special services designed with the business traveler inmind. Each Hyatt Regency hotel is designed and decorated to

capture the essence of the local culture. The Hyatt Regency Chicago isin the heart of downtown Chicago, with 2,019 guestrooms, 63 meetingrooms, and 228,000 square feet of space for banquets and variousfunctions. The Hyatt Regency Chicago takes pride in offering theirguests the best of everything among luxury hotels - great restaurants,well-appointed rooms and unparalleled service.

The Hyatt Regency Chicago is a large complex including two separatetowers on different sides of Michigan Avenue that are connected by aseries of hallways and underground tunnels. The hotel managementwanted to help guests and visitors navigate the facility, withoutdistracting from the hotel's dcor and design. They also wanted a moreeffective method of distributing information, such as schedules andtimes of hotel and local cultural events, maps of the facility, andcaptivating graphics to promote the Hyatt brand and hotel amenities.They expressed a desire to display real time information aboutweather, news, and flight information for Chicago's two major airports.In addition to fifty fixed mounted LCD screens, the Hyatt RegencyChicago required mobile screens that could be moved to differentlocations throughout the hotel depending on the events that weretaking place. They also wanted a system that could recognize who was

viewing a particular screen and content on that screen to suit theprofile of the viewer. Lastly, the management team felt that it wouldbe beneficial to incorporate a live television feed on some publicdisplays, as well as provide guests with the ability to accessinformation on the public displays directly from the television screen intheir room.Hence Hyatt took all the possible initiatives to maintain suitable publicrelations and to increase its productivity.


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Public Relations in Hospitals

Every hospital, regardless of its size and location, and whether or notit has a public relations department, should have a written mediarelations policy that establishes a protocol for working with newsmedia and for releasing information. Among other things, the officialpolicy should specifically state who speaks for the hospital the chiefexecutive officer or the public relations officer or any other and intheir absence as during after hours and holidays, who may be called tomake a statement to the press.The higher ranked thespokesperson in the hierarchy thebetter. The policy should be made

known to all staff so that everyoneknows to whom reporters and theircalls should be directed.

Initial steps in establishing and

maintaining good Publicrelations

Develop a press kit ofcomplete background materials of the hospital for use by themedia.

Develop a list of important media houses and reporters andestablish a rapport with them.

Provide to the press names, designations and telephonenumbers of official spokesperson(s).

Cultivate reporters who handle hospital news; encourage PROfficer to visit them periodically.

Place positive and proactive stories about the hospital in themedia as opposed to reactive ones over which the hospital haslittle control.

Seize every opportunity to be positively in the news for the

hospital. Make every effort for hospital CEO to be industry spokesman and

be a close ally of the media by responding to their calls therebyputting the hospital in the news.

Learn to say things in a newsworthy way which the media willreadily quote.


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Develop a consummate disaster plan clearly delineating how tohandle news media during a disaster. Give copies to mediahouses.

Releasing News to the Press

In dealing with the press, an understanding of its working is beneficial.In press relations, editors and reporters set a high premium onaccuracy and style. It is strongly recommended that the publicrelations officers who usually deal with the press enroll themselves inan introductory course in journalism.

A basic journalism text, a good dictionary, a thesaurus and a pressstylebook (such as The Chicago Manual of Style) are the essential toolsto any public relations writer.

The best way to ensure that names, figures, date, time and otherinformation go into print and on the air correctly and the story is donein the most favourable fashion is to prepare and send a news releaseto the media. If the news has an element of timeliness requiring that itshould be released at a particular time or day, it should be somentioned. Otherwise in most cases it should state For ImmediateRelease.

Without going into details, suffice it to say that there is a standardformat and a well established and acceptable way of preparing news

releases which the hospital CEOs and public relations officers will dowell to be familiar with.

Press Conference

Although a press / news conference is an efficient way of givinginformation to all the media at one time, it could turn out to be a trickybusiness too. Every news conference runs the risk of turning into apotentially volatile and dangerous forum. More often than not CEOs orhospital spokespersons get their fingers burnt in the process. One ofthe potential dangers there are several others is that questions

stray from the topic of the conference to areas the person holding thepress meet is not prepared to discuss, or topics that put him on thedefensive. In such situations, the person may lose his cool, even walkout of the conference room. Moreover, a news conference should beconducted only if there is solid or hard news of widespread interest.Hospital news generally does not make an exciting topic for reportersas political news does, and reporters dont come flocking unless news


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is one of great significance, not to mention that a breaking storyelsewhere may preempt or completely wash out the hospitals pressconference.

For most hospital CEOs handling a news conference means sweaty

palms. It needs a lot of preparation, constant practice, intelligence,communication skill and knowledge of the subject inside out. A betteroption is an interview with a reporter on a one-on-one basis. It is moreinformal and is utilized to provide feature stories and exclusives.Interview needs preparation and practice too. One must be familiarwith the ground rules, have a positive attitude and remember thatduring the interview the searchlight is turned more on the intervieweeand his answers rather than on the interviewer and his questions.

Public relations with media in hospitality

The News Media or The Press is not limited to newspapers, butincludes all media that gathers and disseminates news andinformation. They cover news-sections of radio, television, magazines,trade-publications as well as daily, weekly and bi-weekly newspapersand news magazines.

It would be in the best interest of hospitals that they establish a goodworking relationship with the news media. Every hospital finds itself insituations in which it must meet or work with the press. Sometimesthese circumstances are pleasant. At other times they may be inimical,

even hostile. Sooner or later, disaster befalls almost any hospital. Thatis a sure occasion that attracts media attention. The hospital thenbecomes a central news source. Precisely when everyone in thehospital is scrambling to sort out the problem, just when they canleast afford the time, they will find every reporter and photographer intown at their door demanding answers and pictures. Whether in timesof crises or in normal times, hospitals must know how to handle mediain a professional manner, and if they pass this test a truly ruggedtest they will gain the respect of the people and establish a goodreputation. For this reason, every hospital must establish a media

relations policy a protocol for working with the media and forreleasing patient and other hospital information.

Hospitals news media relation is built on credibility, professionalismand mutual trust. This is not accomplished in a day. Reporters have ajob to do and they are going to do it. Therefore, it is to the hospitalsadvantage that it works cooperatively with the news media rather thanat cross purposes. It will be a win-win situation for both. For example,


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during a major disaster, facilitating reporters access to accurateinformation will not only eliminate wild rumours and confusion but willalso help to keep the situation at the hospital under control. So alsoproviding correct and timely information about VIP patients.

Every hospital must determine what kind of a profile it wants tomaintain in the news media high, low or somewhere in between.Profile is ones public image. Experts say that it will be detrimental toits interest to have a no profile. On the other hand it can to a degreeshape and control its profile in the news media.

It was only a few decades ago that many corporations felt that itwasnt good business to tell the public what they were doing.Gradually over the years, a new trend set in. Corporations discoveredthat they were being judged not only by their products and servicesbut also by their public image their reputation or the generalimpression that they give to the public. And that is accomplished bycommunicating effectively with the public. If communicating with thepublic to improve their public image is important to corporations, howmuch more should it be for hospitals?

Recent times have witnessed a pronounced trend in the role of CEOs ofhospitals in public relations activities, some of which they feel are tooimportant to be left in the hands of subordinates. One of these ishandling media relations. When one considers some of the issues thattodays hospitals have to contend with high cost of healthcare and

the growing public criticism of it, problem of delivering quality carethat is within the reach of common man, public concern abouthospitals going high tech, to mention just a few a positiverelationship with the media becomes all too important.

Sample this: To counter the criticism of high cost of healthcare, afriendly media could explain to the public the high cost of equipmentlike the MRI and CT scan not to mention todays sophisticatedtreatment. For example, a cardiac patient who once would have beentreated with drugs not so successfully can now have bypasssurgery or a pacemaker implant. A person who would have died ofkidney failure can now have dialysis. Alternatively, he can have a newkidney. These procedures cost a great deal of money. Few patientswould argue, if explained properly, that such advances are not worththe cost. On the other hand they feel happy that high qualitytreatment is available for every kind of ailment. When it comes to thequestion of their health, people want the best whatever it takes. Thegreatest benefit of this is that a story under the banner of the


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newspaper or T V News enjoys greater credibility and will be morewidely believed than when it appears under the hospitals name. Andwhat is more, the hospital doesnt pay for media space and time.

Hospitals must appreciate and respect the role of news media to

disseminate news of interest to the general public. At the same time,reporters and editors must appreciate the hospitals overridingcommitment to protecting the rights and privacy of their patients.There is need for them to observe many of the written and unwrittencodes of professional practice. Without an awareness of these codes,media people often gatecrash into hospitals out-of-bounds or off-limitsareas violating the sacred trust of patients and the hospital in terms ofprivacy and confidentiality. They forget the fact that the hospitalsservices are private and are usually personal.

As a detailed discussion of hospitals and news media relations isbeyond the scope of this article, we have perforce to limit it to mediarelations in relation to patients. While all these are standard practicesin advanced countries where media relation policies and codes are wellestablished and followed, hospitals and the media have a long way togo in our own country. The need to educate our hospitals as well asthe media is imperative. Hospitals for their part need to develop codesof cooperation with news organisations.

Release of patient information

Generally information about the patient should not be released withoutthe patients permission except when it is a matter of public record, forexample, cases that are by law reportable to police or health officialssuch as a person under arrest, a person who has been shot andstabbed. Only the physician may discuss the patients prognosis. Thecondition of the patient, however, may be discussed by the hospitalsspokesperson.

While describing patients condition, the terms that are generally usedare good, fair, serious, critical, unconscious and dead. For example,good means vital signs (pulse, temperature and blood pressure) arestable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable.Indicators (such as patients mobility and appetite) are excellent.Critical means vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits.Patient may be unconscious. Indicators are unfavourable. Although thedeath of a patient is presumed to be a matter of public record, it maybe reported by the hospital after the next of kin has been notified orafter a reasonable time has passed.


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With a view to protecting the privacy of the patient, the hospital maygive out only limited information about the various kinds of accidentsor injury. The spokesperson may release the name, address and age ofthe patient, nature of injury, and whether the patient has beenhospitalised. No attempt should be made to describe the event that

caused the injury. That information should come from the police. Norshould the spokesperson say whether the person was intoxicated,whether the injuries were the result of an assault or attempted suicide,or whether the patient was a drug addict. With the consent of thephysician, his name may be given to the media. However, when thephysicians specialty would reveal inappropriate information about thepatients illness, his name should not be given. For example, when thephysician is a psychiatrist.

Interviews and photographs

When a media person requests interviews with or photographs of apatient, the hospital must obtain the permission of the patient or thepatients immediate family. To be sure that the patients condition isnot placed at risk, the hospital must clear the interview with thepatients physician. For its own protection, the hospital should requirea signed consent form from the patient. When such permission isgiven, a member of the hospital staff should be with the reporterthroughout the interview. The ward supervisor should be notified inadvance. A nurse should preferably be present to help thephotographer to position the patient so that the patients condition will

not be aggravated. The patient should be observed for signs ofdiscomfort or pain. The session should be called off immediately if thepatient becomes ill or uncomfortable.

CASE STUDY

Children's Hospital Oakland

Changing an Image

The Challenge: Children's Hospital Oaklandneeded to overcome its image as a place forchildren with routine illnesses whosedistinguishing features were little more thanamenities such as toys in the waiting room and nursery-rhyme


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characters painted on the walls. Instead the hospital is a regionalcenter for children with life-threatening illnesses, including prematureinfants weighing no more than a pound, and a leading research centeron children's health issues.

The Solution: We worked with Children's to take advantage of everyopportunity to emphasize the importance of children's hospitals andthe need for continuing research and financial support to combat life-threatening childhood illnesses.

We prepared a press package, including a fact sheet on why children'shospitals are different from "adult" hospitals and why it is so importantthat children be hospitalized in facilities specifically designed with theirmedical and psychological needs in mind. We produced "B" roll videoof open heart surgery on an infant for use by television stations, as itis extremely difficult for stations to obtain their own film of surgicalprocedures.

We began a program of issuing press releases on research findings.One release, on a sickle cell anemia study, was the subject of a GoodMorning America report, filmed at the hospital, as well as extensivelocal and regional publicity.

We worked with the governmental affairs department to schedule aCongressional hearing at the hospital on the effect of second-handsmoking on children. More than two dozen reporters covered the

hearing.

When former Soviet First Lady Raisa Gorbachev announced her plansto visit the hospital, we used the occasion to tell the media what wasspecial about Children's Hospital, again obtaining publicity thathighlighted the research and specialized services such as children'sheart surgery that had attracted the Russian first lady.

Results: Children's Hospital received approximately 120 minutes oftelevision coverage every quarter, including national and localprograms, as well as extensive radio coverage and hundreds of storiesin local and regional publications. In every case, success wasmeasured not in the amount of air time or number of column inches,but whether the coverage reinforced the image of the hospital as aregional center for children with life-threatening illnesses.


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PR IN PUBLIC SECTOR

The public sector in India has grown in size, depth and extent since

independence. It has emerged as a major factor in the countrys

economic growth. Public relations is an essential adjunct to the

public sector.

The PR effort should not be used for

non-productive purposes. The PR

person should be associated with the

decision-making processes in the

enterprise. He should be deeply

involved in its affairs. Only then will

he be able to provide a bridge ofunderstanding between the

enterprise and the public.

The public sector units should have

professional PR set-ups.

The PR set-up should not be saddled

with non-PR jobs.

PR in the public sector should be directly under the chief executive

and not under any other functionary - personnel or sales manageror company executive.The PR chief should have direct access to the

primary sources of information in the organization. He should

attend all meetings where policy decisions are made. The PR

department should be adequately staffed and functional facilities

such as transport, telephone, entertainment expenses be provided.

The Indian public sector has been able to compete with the best in

the international market to secure prestigious contracts. Again, the

public sector has stepped in where the private sector has sought toescape from its social responsibilities. For instance, the public

sector has taken over textile mills and engineering units which had

been declared not only 'sick' but 'dead', and these abandoned

units have now started generating profits.

Hundreds of crores of rupees have been sunk in the sick private

units by nationalized banks and other financial institutions. The low


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return on capital employed in public sector is a reflection of the fact

that a large part of public sector investment is in steel and coal

where pricing has been deliberately such as to reduce the rate of

profits. This aspect can be properly explained through PR.

It is easy to criticize the functioning of the public sector because it

is always completely open to public gaze. It is also subject to

controls of various types-control by Government, accountability to

Parliament, and above all, its responsibility to the people.

On the other hand, the private sector companies often get awaywith all kinds of malpractices which do not come to light. Also, mostnewspapers are a part of big industry, and where they are not, they

depend upon big industry for patronage. All these factors make thepublic sector more vulnerable to criticism, particularly by the press.The PR has to take into account these aspects in planning anycampaign.

Example of success of PR in public sector

Delhi Metro PR team bags 3

awards

Delhi Metro Rail

Corporation's Public Relationsteam has received threeawards from the PublicRelations Society of India atits national convention inNew Delhi.

The awards were received at the week-end by Anuj Dayal, Chiefof Public Relations, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

The Delhi Metro bagged the awards for the best corporate

website, the second best corporate film and the third bestcorporate brochure.

The DMRC webiste covers almost all areas that are of publicinterest and gets over one lakh hits every month. Therecruitment and tender sections of the website are the mostpopular and receive the most page visits, a statement from the


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by the government of India for infrastructural development

including specific sectors like power, development of highways and

so on.

In all spheres, public relations has a part to play. It can make a

visible impact on all operations.

CASE STUDY

In August 2003, a study waspublished in India which claimedthat Pepsi and Cokemanufactured and distributed inIndia contained pesticides.

The companies reactedaggressively, and even led thegovernment to examine theissue. It was seriously damagingfor the companies, and the

newspapers and television debated the topic endlessly. The topicslowly faded away, but now it seems that it did not quite die. Today,the Supreme Court directed both Pepsi and Coke to print the exactamount of pesticide content on their products. Not only has the courtorder brought the topic back to public memory, that it came while the

Court dismissed petitions by the two companies against a lower courtorder asking them to do the same.After surviving last year's controversies on the same, this is anotherdisaster for Coke and Pepsi. Even the suggestion that their colascontain minimal (and legal) amounts of pesticide can damagemarketing efforts, and having to print it on the bottles and cans isnothing less than a royal mess.

A tough battle for their PR agencies is on the cards. That deafeningsound we just heard was a freight train ploughing through the Cola

executives Christmas vacation plans.

But finally the inovative marketing techniques and effective publicrelations helped both the firms to get their goodwill back and tocontinue its domination again. Due to effective PR both the firms
http://www.cnsnews.com/ForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200308%5CFOR20030807a.htmlhttp://www.cnsnews.com/ForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200308%5CFOR20030807a.html


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allowed the consumers to have a personal check with respect to themanufacturing and packaging.

PR in other forms of organization:

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

Association of PR with the entertainment industry is an age old story.It includes films, television shows, reality shows and also news stories.PR is needed in all forms inorder to maintain effective relation with themillions os viewers of the country.When a musician, movie star,syndicated journalist, TV star, star athlete or book author needs toraise their visibility or deal with a tricky public relations issue, who dothey turn to?.The PR agencies developed a strong reputation asmarketing consultants who understand the nuances of the media andentertainment industry.

POLITICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

Political PR involves working with candidates for office & oftencontinuously to work with them after their election & to handleproblems, strategies & activities such as speech writing or publicity.Many PR practitioners will not support a cause or person they cannotconscientiously endorse. Others see PR advice as being like legal

counsel & offer services to anyone who is willing to pay for them.

HEALTH CARE

Health maintenance organizations (HMOS), hospitals, other health-care agencies, pharmaceutical companies, medical clinics, health-science centers & non-profit health agencies all employ public relationspersonnel. The demand in this field is for PR practitioners who know orhave the educational background to learn about medical science, totranslate that information accurately for the organisations publics.

SPORTS

Before sports became big business, the term public relations was

sometimes used to describe a job that actually combined press agency

& publicity. Today, however, business enterprises in professional


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sports are of such size & scope that the PR title is legitimate. Most pro-

sports organizations employ full time staff PR people & they contract

for special PR activities as well.

PR in NGOs

From the mid 1990s, the practice of PR started to gain momentum instate, private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Severalinternational organizations involved in civil society developmentprojects initiated extensive trainings on PR for local NGOs. The leadingin this area was the Initiative for Social Action and Renewal in Eurasia(ISAR), a US-based NGO, which offered half-day PR courses to theNGO representatives who expressed interest. However, these trainingcourses didnt go beyond the basics of PR. One of the worlds largestOrganizations such as WHO. UNICEF etc. largely depend upon theirpublic relations for conducting their human related projects.

CONCLUSION

The above explanation gives us a clear picture as how public relations

had grilled its impacts on each and every sector. It is now an

inevitable part of organizational structure. An effective public relations

would lead to harmony both within and between the organizations.Thepublic relations professional is often the conscience of a company or

campaign. Its not always a popular spot to be in, but its an important

job. If done well, your PR work should serve both your organization

and the news media, and also be a valuable contribution to the greater

public good

Pr in Diferent Sectors

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