Study 1: PUBLIC IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

The word ‘Public’ in PR stands for all those people/groups/agencies/organizations that are directly or
indirectly related to the success of the company in the long run. It is for them that the company is
performing. Apparently it seems that the types of public are few – The management, various offices
relate to the management and the customers. However, a deeper introspection reveals that there are
thousands more than what appears to the less inquisitive mind.

Each of these public shares a different relationship with the company. For example the relation of the
company with its board of directors is not the same as its relation with its legal advisors. Again legal
advisors’ relation is not the same as that of the customers. Customers again, are not the same as
retailers. Their relationship are different. Their needs arev different. And so the ways to cater to them is
also different. This is why, understand each of these ‘public’ and the ways to mentain them is an integral
part of PR.

Types of Public

Broadly, Public can be divided into two categories:

1. Internal Public: Those who are directly related to the daily functioning of the company. Usually
they are either under the payroll of the company, or are paid in contracts by the company for
their service.
2. External Public: Those who are not directly related to the daily functioning of the company. But
their relationship with the company impacts its growth in the long run. They may/may not share
any financial relationship with the company. They may not have regular dealings too, but
keeping them satisfied is a big task of the company.

INTERNAL PUBLIC

1. Employees:

The first and perhaps the most important internal public are the employees. They are often called the
Brand Ambassadors of the company because if they say good things about the company to their
friends/peers/family members/neighbours/etc, the reputation of the company easily spreads among the
mass. This building of reputation through employees is also an important task as it helps to create a
favourable market in the long run. Companies like Tata, ITC etc, always ensure employees feedback
regarding the company. Moreover in times of crisis, it is very important to have support of the
employees. Firstly, in those difficult times if the employees do not cooperate, functioning becomes
difficult. Secondly, media usually goes about interviewing employees. There is a chance that a
dissatisfied employee will share negative feedback about the company and the media will publicize that
on the national platform which can be disastrous. But a satisfied and a happy employee may stand by
the side of the company in those times.

A company needs to understand that their employees need the following:

 A. Financial securities: Proper salary and all perks in the right time. Timely increments/rise in their
package. Post retirement benefits must be ensured. Helping them in getting bank loans for
building house, education of their children, buying automobiles, etc. After retirement, helping
them in getting all their dues, and all other facilities. In case of on-duty demise, proper and
timely compensation to their family members, etc.

B. Work place security: This is more important in industries which deal with potentially hazardous
environment (various factories, manufacturing units, etc). The company must ensure that the
work line is absolutely safe, free from all dangers, etc. The employee must feel safe at their work
place. There must be emergency systems in place.

C. Recognition: This is a psychological hunger of every person. Everybody demands recognition in

their work place. The company must appreciate the work that the employees are doing. This is
why, many companies felicitate the ‘employee of the month’/’star performer’, etc. The best
employees are awarded, their photos are circulated, often they are given gifts, holiday tour
packages, gifts for their family, etc. Most of the times a write-up about them is published in the
company’s house journal. This not only boosts the morale of the particular employee but
encourages all.

2. Investors/Share holders:

People who have invested money on the company or have bought shgares of the company needs to be
satisfied abouith the ‘health’ of the company. In this regard there is no other option but to perform
good in the market. A company which is running successfully and making optimum profit is already in a
good position. However, it is always important that the ‘health report’ must be communicated regularly
to their investors/share holders. This is why newsletters are sent regularly to all investors/share holders.
In earlier days, they used to be sent over post, now they are sent by emails. But this communication is
important for two reason:

A. Investors/share holders get regular updates about the company and the condition of the
money they have invested.

B. It renders a psychological confidence in the share holders/investors that they are working
with responsible people. This might encourage them to invest more in future.

3. Stockists/Distributors/Retailers:

Though they are not under the payroll of the company but their relationship has a direct impact
on the sales and hence the success of the company. In case of their relationship, the following
things may be taken care of:

A. Timely payments: All dues should be cleared in time, payments released on time, all legal
papers pertaining to contracts, etc, to be cleared on time.
 B. Commission: They must be given a good commission for the sales. It helps them make more
profit and willing to work for the company in the long run.

C. Proper supply: The company must ensure that they are getting proper supplies in time so
that they are not facing problems in distribution.

D. Gifts: Even after satisfying all the above, a company will usually gift their stockists/
distributors/retailers etc with a holiday package, etc so that they are also happy otherwise.

E. They may not need, but still it is a good idea to send them the newsletters/house journals
regularly. It provides them with a ‘psychological satisfaction’ that they are dealing with a
serious and efficient company.

4. Legal Advisors/Consultants/Auditors:

They are also not under the payroll of the company but their relationship has a direct impact on
the performance of the company. Not only they help the company to stay ‘legally secure’ but
also advices them on do’s and don’t do’s. In case of their relationship, the following things may
be taken care of:

A. Supplying them with all legal documents as and when they need.

B. Keeping an open book in front of them, so that they are never in doubt with the ‘intensions’
of the company.

C. Their payments to be released in time.

D. Gifts: Even after satisfying all the above, a company will usually gift them with some durable
items/costly coupons/costly vouchers/ a grand holiday package, etc so that they are also
happy otherwise.

EXTERNAL PUBLIC

1. Customers:

It is for them that the company is running. The following must be ensured:

A. Quality: This is something which is indispensible. Even after a super PR exercise, if quality of
service is not good, a company cannot succeed. People usually have a tendency to buy goods
which comes in a good package and lesser price, but if the quality of the product is not
satisfactory, noting works in the long run.

B. Ease of use: Sometimes this becomes a deciding factor between two otherwise similar products.
Some products are easy to use/’user friendly’ and some are not. Naturally the first one has a
better chance of success. In this regard, though the PR dept. doesn’t have much to do, but they
 can ofcourse get feedback from the customers and advice the technical team in creating a more
‘user friendly’ product.

C. Some direct/personal interactions: Since the company cannot communicate directly with its
customers, many companies arrange for game shows, cultural programmes, etc, in various
localities/housing societies during the festive season. It not only helps them in publicity but also
gives them a chance to come in direct interaction with their potential customers. It installs a
confidence in the people about the company.

D. Complaint redressal: If any customer is not satisfied with the quality of service, etc, and files a
complaint, the company must take it very seriously and try to reach out to the concerned
individual in minimum possible time. The company must investigate what is the reason for the
complain and see that it is solved as early as possible.

2. Local civic authorities:

The police department, the fire service department, the sewage cleaning departments, the
green tribunals, etc, also are important for every company. No company can exist in isolation
and these are the departments who not only provide legal clearance, but may also get involved
if by chance a crisis happens.

It is very important that the PR Officer maintains a regular and healthy relationship with the
heads of all these departments. Sending them with all legal papers in time, maintaining all safety
precautions in place, listening to their advices, etc are some of the works that must be ensured.
Usually every company throws a dinner or a party, etc, during the festive occasions or on any
special day and invites them. It not only gives the PRO a chance to interact with them but also
install a positive thought in their minds.

3. Government:

The central government, the state government, the municipal corporation/panchayat, etc, all
levels of government is equally important for a company. Every company falls under a particular
ministry (For example, aviation companies fall under the Ministry of Aviation, the coal related
companies fall under the ministry of coal, etc) and hence it is very important that these
companies abide by the laws as set by the government. Moreover, the locality from where the
company is operating also maters. Every city has its own set of rules. Hence the state
government and the municipality also become important. This is why every company must be in
the good books of the minister concerned, the mayor of the city, etc.

Usually if a company is maintaining all the rules and regulations and paying taxes in time, they
are in the good books. But at the same time, keeping all safety precautions in place, supplying
legal documents in time, being environment friendly, having proper community exercises,
making regular donations to the various relief funds of the central and state government etc,
also helps the company to maintain a healthy relationship with the government.
4. Local community:

The place from where the company is operating is very important. And in a country like India
where we have seen various communist and socialist movements, it becomes more important.
Moreover, the local community needs to feel safe and needs to be ensured that they have no
fear/threat from the company. Usually, it is a common human nature to oppose anything which
is unkown and new. Hence a company must take the local community into confidence even
before setting up their factory/start production/etc. The PRO must be in constant touch with the
local people/panchayat pradhans/etc and ensure that they develop a friendly relation. It is for
this reason that the companies organize cultural programmes/football or cricket matches/ sit
and draw competitions/book fairs/etc, take part and donate in their cultural and religious
activities, etc to install faith and confidence into the hearts of the local community. Every PRO
must ensure that no apathy builds up within the local community. In cases of factories or
manufacturing units, it is important that they do not cause pollution, or any act that creates
problem in the daily life of the local community. Moreover in times of natural calamities like
storms, floods, draughts, etc, the company must stand by the side of the local people and help
them in every way possible.

5. Media:

Whether a company wants or not, media cannot be avoided. Every company must ensure that
they have a very friendly relationship with every media of the city. This is not only important for
getting daily coverage of their news by the media, but probably becomes more important in
times of crisis. It is in times of crisis that the same media who was once a friend becomes an
enemy. Every media tries to jump into the scenario and make‘breaking news’ on the
misfortunes of the company. In the present era of ‘trial by media’ no company can afford to stay
in a media-dark zone. The media will definitely get through their security arrangements and
make news. A company must understand that ensuring a friendly and regular healthy
relationship with the media is as important as that of the one with the government. For this
reason, the PRO must be in good touch with all the editors of the newspapers, TV channels of
the city. He must know them personally and have an occasional dinner or supper with them and
brief them on the regular ‘good’ developments of the company. Issuing regular press releases
and keeping an open door for the media all the times is very important. If the media needs any
bite, photograph, etc, the PRO must arrange for them in minimum time. In times of crisis, the
PRO must be available 24X7 to address all questions and quarries of the media. ‘No-
communication’ can be dangerous. The company must ensure a very clean, responsible and
‘open-book’ image in front of the media. However, once again, if a company is abiding by all the
rules and regulation, is environment friendly, employee friendly, paying taxes in time, it
automatically falls under the good books of the media.

Every company tries to appoint a senior and well known journalist as their PRO. It is because
these veteran experienced people know the best of media relationship. Moreover, they are
 already well know in the country’s journalism circuit and are very beneficial when it comes to
media relationship.

Study 2: TOOLS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Every company needs to tell their story to the public. In normal times a company usually chooses to
inform the public about the various milestones achieved by their company, various success stories,
additions or new installations in their manufacturing units, new posts, etc. This constant communication
helps to keep the company brand name alive in the market. In crisis times, a company chooses to give
hourly updates on the crisis, actions being taken, rescue operations being conducted, emergency phone
numbers, etc. They may also choose to give out assuring messages to their share holder so that no panic
spreads in the market.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) uses a number of tools to reach out to the media/common public.
However, in most of the case it is via the media that the PRO sends across a message to the people. In
earlier days, when there was no internet or social media, a company had to completely depend on the
newspapers and TV channels to tell their story to the public. However, now days, facebook, tweeter,
various company websites are equally used to reach out to the public. In this section, we are going to
discuss some of the common tools used by the PRO to put across their story to the media, so that the
media publishes them in the newspaper/TV channels to aware the greater public in general.

PRESS RELEASE

What is a Press Release and why is it needed

When a company needs to send out an official information to the media, they do it through a ‘Press
Release’. In various circumstances, a company may need to inform the media about some official
developments OR inform the public about latest developments. For example, the Indian Railways may
need to inform the citizens of the country about train cancellation in the wake of the Corona outspread.
Or Tata corporation may need to inform the people (and also the media) about appointing a new
chairman. Since it is not p[ossible for the company to reach out to 130 crore Indians, they issue a ‘Press
Release’ in the various national media of the country. Now the media may choose to print the exact
Press Release (in original) in their paper or show on the channel, or may choose to make and write a
story out of it and print that story in their newspaper/show on the TV channel.

In some other circumstances, a lot of rumors or fake stories may get circulated in the market regarding a
company. We have seen crisis in companies like Maggi, Volkswagon, Coca Cola, etc. These are times
when dangerous messages circulate in the market which is highly unhealthy for a company. In this
regard the company may need to officially inform the media/public about the actual incident (i.e., their
side of the story). Press Release is one such tool that a company uses to ‘officially’ inform the press (and
therefore the public) about the ‘official’ version of the story.

Usually the Press Release is sent to the media over email. It also carries a name and contact number of
the issuing authority so that the media may contact for clearing their doubts and quarries. But a good
PRO also needs to understand that every media receives several such releases throughout the day and
there is a chance that his/her release may get lost in the clutter. Thus writing a Press Release carefully is
also in important part of his/her duty.

Contents

A Press Release is usually note. It is a piece of paper carrying the official seals. A standard Press Release
may constitute of one or two pages, however, in un-natural circumstances, it may go up to ten to twelve
pages (where the company needs to issue a lot of detailed clarification). A standard Press Release
usually carries the following:

1. Name and Logo of the company on top.

2. The word ‘Press Release’ written in big bold fonts, somewhere on the top of the page. On seeing
this, the media immediate understand that this is a press release and needs to be dealth with
accordingly.

3. Issuing time, date and place (usually the office address)

4. Subject of the release. (It is a one line sentence stating the topic of the release. For example:
‘Cancellation of trains in the Sealdah-Habra line for installation of new signaling system from
12.04.2020 midnight to 13.04.2020 midnight’. OR, ‘Appointment of Mr. ABC as the new
Chairman of XYZ company w.e.f. 01.04.2020’). The subject of the release is highly important,
because it is on this one line that the media will decide whether to publish it or not. Since a
media office receives thousands of press releases every day, they can’t afford to read all the
release thoroughly. They usually see the name of the issuing company and the subject and
decide whether to read the rest of the release (Yes, many Press Release go wasted, i.e. the
media don’t even look at them!)

5. The Release, i.e. the body/copy of the release. As stated earlier, it is a brief note. This means it
has to be written in brief and as precisely as possible. There is no scope of using figures of
speech, etc. It is highly technical, serious, official and to-the-point. (this point will be discussed
after this section)

6. Issuing authority with contact number. (This is very important, because it is this person and in
the given number that the media will call up for further clarification or ask questions. The
person must be available on phone 24X7 after the release is sent to the media by email/fax, etc.
)
How to write a Press Release

A good PRO knows that the press will not spend much time in reading the release (unless it is from
an agency like the Indian Railways!). Thus he/she must ensure to provide the most important
information in the minimum possible time. Thus, it has to be short and precise.

A press release is written in an ‘inverted pyramid’ pattern (also called the IPP). This simply means
that the most important information is given right in the beginning and the less important things
come later. (The heaviest part of the Egyptian pyramids is their foundation which stays below the
sand. These super heavy and deep foundations are one of the reasons that the pyramids have
existed for thousands of years. The Apex of the pyramid is the lightest of all. In writing a press
release, we just invert it. That is, the heaviest part goes up, the lightest part comes down.) The IPP
style starts with a ‘Lead’. A lead is the first paragraph of the story which contains the 5Ws and 1H
(Who, what, where, when, why and how). It usually consists of 30 to 50 words, though it may vary
with situation. The second and subsequent paragraphs are technical and detailed explanation of the
lead. Usually a press release do not carry any conclusion. The press can make it out on their own by
reading the release and speaking to the issuing authority.

PRESS CONFERENCE

Sometimes the situation is more complex OR the development is of heavier significance and a press
release may not be enough. The company may feel that the situation demands a direct interaction
with the media. A good PRO understands when to issue a press release and when to go for a Press
Conference. Usually after the release is made the press comes up with a lot of questions. Even if no
release is made, a company may choose to hold a press conference to announce something big,
something important and something on which the press would like to ask direct questions. In those
situations a company may call for a press conference.

For example, a big steel manufacturing unit installs a new German coke-oven in their plant and it is
the Energy Minister who is going to inaugurate it. The company might choose to go for a press
conference before or after the event. It is because there are a lot of technical process and
engineering concepts involved in its operation. The press might also want to know how it will impact
the environment, what is its cost, from where is the money coming, how will it impact production in
future, etc.

However a good PRO will tell you that unless you have something really significant, you should not
call a press conference. You must understand that at least two journalists from each press are
spending atleast 3 to 4 hours in coming to your place from their office. It costs a lot. So if you cannot
give them really important information, they will not turn up from the next time onwards.

While a press conference gives a chance to directly interact with the press but it has its risks too. A
journalist might suddenly throw a question which may become difficult for you to answer. Many a
times the journalists do ask uncomfortable questions and if the spokesperson of the company is not
well prepared, he/she might lose his cool and go into an argument (which will be disastrous). A
good PRO also keeps him/her prepared to face all sorts of questions. The spokesperson for the
conference may be the CEO, the GM, the AGM or the Chief Medical Officer or the Chief Engineer or
any technical head, but the PRO must be present right beside him during the conference. It is
because since most of the times a PRO himself is an ex-journalist, he knows how to deal with them
the best.

Before the conference

1. Every press should be invited by email atleast one week before the conference. The invitation
must carry the subject of the conference, name and designation of the spokesperson, venue,
date and time. If there are invitation cards that should reach the press well in advance.

A reminder is given to the press on the previous day, both over email as well as phone call.

2. A good PRO will tell you that the best day and time to organize a conference is on Wednesday
and after 2 o’clock. Monadays and Tuesdays should be avoided because since they are the
beginning of the week the press is already pre occupied with a lot of other political/corporate
coverages. Moreover the morning hours should be avoided for a number of reasons. The print
media usually starts working after 12 o’clock (and carry on till late night). Secondly, morning
being office hour, there is usually a heavy traffic on the city roads.

3. Prepare a proper Release. You have to understand that all that the media need is information.
So you must prepare a detailed piece of ‘release’ which will carry all the technical details about
the topic of the conference. It may be a few sheets of paper or a booklet, etc well printed and
well binded in advance. It carries the entire speech that the spokesperson will give in the
beginning of the conference. If needed it will carry all technical drawings, plans, images,
statistics, figures, etc. A good PRO knows that actually it is this ‘Release’ on which the press will
write their story. SO, he will keep all the important points there that he wants to see published.
A good PRO will himself write down the entire release with the help of the particular technical
team. (This ‘release’ is different from the earlier discussed ‘press release’. This is much long and
carries much more details, photographs, etc. The earlier one was about informing the press and
this one is about helping the press write down the entire story after the conference)

4. Prepare the conference room. A large spacious air conditioned room with wifi facility. Reporters
will sit in the front rows and Photographers and Videographers will stand with their cameras at
the back.

5. Arrange for a ‘Press Kit’. Usually a good quality folder with the ‘release’, a writing pad and a pen
inside it.

6. Arrange for some good food and drinks for the reporters.
7. A good PRO should train the spokesperson on how to address the journalists. He must tell the
spokesperson what kind of questions may come and how to answer them.

During the conference

1. The PRO must sit right beside the spokesperson during the conference and be ready to take over
the microphone once he feels that the spokesperson is being unable to handle the situation
properly.

2. Every conference should begin with a speech by the spokesperson. In this speech he/she
welcomes the press, states the reason of the conference and then goes straight into the
technical points.

3. The spokesperson should answer all the questions from the press in the gentlest manner. If he
cannot do that the PRO should take over the responsibility.

4. There should be proper reception area for the press and an ‘Ingest’. The ingest is a register that
keeps a record of all the press and the journalists who attended the conference. So in the
beginning when the press arrives, the receptionist should request them to fill out their name,
designation, contact number, etc in the ingest. It helps the PRO to keep a track of the press who
are covering the conference.

5. Proper refreshments should be arranged for.

After the conference

1. Once the conference is over the PRO must check out the ingest and find out which press came
and which didn’t. A good PRO will immediately call up the editors of the press who didn’t came
and will brief him/her the details of the conference. This is a friendly gesture but yields a lot of
good results. He may send over the details of the conference to the editor by email. It is an act
to ensure none of the media of the city misses out on the conference. This will ensure maximum
coverage.

2. He will monitor the TV news channels and Newspapers, News Websites etc to see what kind of
coverage has been given. If by chance the coverage is a bit negative, he will once again call up
the editor of the paper/channel and in a very humble and friendly manner try to find out what
went wrong. In these cases he must ensure proper communication with that editor so that the
next time it does not happen anymore.

HOUSE JOURNAL
Perhaps this is one tool that connects both the internal and the external public. It is usually a very
well written, printed and binded book that is printed by the company annually. It is primarily
published under the supervision of the Chief PRO. Some house journals are very well known in the
market. For example ‘Magic Carpet’ of Air India. The Chief PRO works in accordance with all the
departments, collects their yearly reports, collates them together, takes help of some publication
houses, good designers, illustrators, etc to create this magazine. On one hand it carries the reports
on the progress of the company, future expansion plans, benevolent services, etc and on the other
hand it highlights the personal and professional achievements of the employees. It is not only
mandatory for all companies to publish a house journal but it is also important that it should carry
the prestige involved.

Contents of a house journal

1. An opening message from the Minister (for example the Coal Minister for a house journal of
Coal India or the Aviation Minister for a house journal of Air India or the Minister in charge
tourism for a house journal of an agency that works for tourism development, etc. Even private
companies can request the Minister concerned to write a letter of appreciation for them. For
example Tata Steel can request the Minister of Steel to write for them.) OR the CEO or the GM
or any top management.

2. A brief report on the developments and achievements of the last financial year. A PRO may
choose to publish an abridged version of the AGR (AGR – Annual General Report: an annual
financial report on all the expenses, incomes, shares, profit and loss made by the company; it is
a clear reflection of the financial health of the company)

3. Vision and Mission of the coming year for the company.

4. Plan for development and expansion for the coming year. All possible tie ups that the company
is about to make, all new contracts with ne companies and new agencies, new areas of
investment, new work plans, etc.

5. New People in the top management team; their brief bio-datas, their achievements; how the
company will benefit from them; etc.

6. Star Employee of the Year/Best performer of the year with his/her photo and how the company
is grateful to him/her.

7. Community exercises/activities the company has engaged in; may be clean-up drives, plantation
drives, arranging free health camps, pulse polio vaccination camps, free eye check ups, etc for
the local community that the company has undertaken in the last financial year (with
photographs).

8. Personal achievements of the employees or their family members; Maybe an employee is a

good sportsperson and has won a medal at the state level or national level; maybe an employee
is a good writer and has received a prestigious literary award. Maybe the son/daughter of an
 employee has stood at a very good rank at the board exams. They all should be published with
photo.

9. Literary column: Poems/short stories/sketches by employees or their family members.

Why to publish a house journal

This journal is not only a clear reflection of the health of the company, but also a matter of prestige
for the company. This is why many big companies engages renowned publishing houses or even
advertising agencies to plan, design and publish the house journal. It must be printed on very high
quality paper and have a very good binding. It must carry the prestige of the company. A PRO must
plan meticulously and monitor the work behind the making of the house journal.

This is why, a copy of the house journal is not only given to each and every employee but sent to all
stake holders, stockists, retailers, advisors, ministry, etc. For the employee this is a morale booster.
It installs confidence about the company in their hearts. It assures them that they are important to
the company. On the other hand it assures the stockists and retailers that they are working with a
‘healthy’ company and therefore there is no potential risk involved in near future.

It also serves a third purpose. Since it is just like a magazine, it may be taken and read by
friends/family members of the employees who are having them. This helps in the expansion of the
brand name of the company among the citizens. It is very important for all company to reach out to
all section of the society and a house journal is actually a very effective way of achieving that.

STUDY 3: PUBLIC REALTIONS AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT

CRISIS

A crisis is defined by the dictionary as a 'critical moment or turning point.' A business book, on the other
hand, might define a crisis as a substantial, unforeseen circumstance that can potentially jeopardize a
company's employees, customers, products, services, fiscal situation, or reputation. Both definitions
contain an element of urgency that requires immediate decisions and actions from people involved.
When a crisis hits a business, you've got to work hard and fast to mitigate the negative consequences‐‐a
process which includes communicating with the clients. Payson Hall reminds us that keeping clients in
the know is critical to a successful recovery and will stabilize the clients' faith in you, even when all has
failed. Drawing from a recent crisis in which he was the client, Payson gives us key points to consider the
next time we are overwhelmed by customers who want to know when business will return to normal.
Following points should be taken into consideration :
- Keep people informed about what you plan to do.
- Assure they are getting the message.
- Check to see if they understand the message.
- Set up and publicize a central source of status information.
- Make sure the status is easy to find and available to everyone who might care.
- Keep status current, even if you have no new information. Better a message every two hours saying
"no change" than silence.
- Establish a gatekeeper or editor for all broadcast communication who is responsible for assuring that
content is balanced and not defensive and who explains what is happening and why. Blaming your
victims for your mistakes is a truly awful idea.
- Positive acknowledgment of all incoming communication is essential. One reason for the flood of
trouble tickets that overwhelmed the provider's support staff was that customers were reporting the
same problem several times because they had not received a response.
Customers were doubly frustrated because they felt their issues were not being recognized or
addressed.
- Precision is vital if you must broadcast a response. It is arrogant to say (and dismaying to hear),
"We know about all problems." Much better to say, "We are aware of problems X, Y, and Z and will
notify you when they have been resolved."
• A crisis is an event that occurs suddenly, often unexpectedly, and demands a quick response. A crisis
interferes with normal routines and creates uncertainty and stress. A crisis can be a natural event, such
as an earthquake or a hurricane, or it can be man‐made, such as an explosion, a scandal, or a conflict.
Ultimately, it can threaten the reputation of a top official and an organization. A well‐managed crisis,
however, can not only preserve reputations and credibility but can also enhance them.
• The key to effective crisis communication is to be prepared before a crisis occurs. Once an emergency
happens, there is little time to think much less to plan. Without a crisis plan, you can be overwhelmed
by events.
• "Good crisis communications is based on a system already in place," says former White House press
secretary Marlin Fitzwater. "When there is a crisis, you just tighten it up and make it better. If you
routinely had a daily press briefing, you would tighten it up and make it three times a day. A crisis is no
time to design a new system."
• "In a crisis, bring all the key players into a room and get the facts straight. Never tell more than you
know, don't freelance what you think, and constantly update reporters," says Susan King, spokesperson
at two federal departments during the Clinton administration. "Reporters have to get information, and if
you don't give them anything, they will report rumors."

Before a Crisis

Maintain trustworthy, credible relationships with the media all of the time. If you do, the media will be
less suspicious and more cooperative in the midst of a crisis.
- Select someone to be the crisis manager.
- Have the crisis manager collect information on potentially troublesome issues and trends.
Evaluate them, gather data on them, and develop communications strategies to prevent or redirect
their course.
- Identify members of a possible crisis management team. Have in place their roles, actions to be taken,
and possible scenarios. Have a list of their office, home, and cell or mobile phone numbers. Also have
copies of their biographies. In a crisis, the press may want to know the backgrounds of those dealing
with it.
- Give designated spokespersons training in dealing with the media.
- Determine the message, target, and media outlets that could be used in various crisis plans.
- Have a list of the office, home, and cell or mobile phone numbers and deadlines of reporters who
might cover your organization in a crisis.
- Have a plan for setting up a media crisis center. This should cover such items as desks, chairs, phones,
parking, electrical outlets, placement of satellite trucks, copy machines, even coffee.
You also need to think about how to keep an office secure, particularly for your own staff.

During a Crisis

When a crisis hits, immediately get the word to the press. Otherwise, the media will get their
information through other means.
- Set up a 24‐hour crisis and media center at a central place from which news is released, rumors dealt
with, facts gathered, and briefings held.
Immediately "go public" with a trained spokesperson at the scene to conduct press briefings.
Let the media — and therefore the public — know that you are dealing with the situation.
- Say what you know and only what you know. Don't speculate. Don't be bullied into saying anything
based on rumor. If you don't know something, admit it. Saying "the matter is under investigation" may
be the best response.
- Gather information as quickly as possible. Determine the basic who, what, when, where and how. You
might not get the "why" until later.
- Get the government or agency leader and other top management to the crisis center. Cancel other
plans. People want to see the leader, not just the public affairs staff. Having top management in front of
the press during a crisis lends credibility and shows that the organization is not treating the situation
lightly.
- Inform your internal audiences — the staff and other government offices — at the same time you
inform the press. If the press is the only source of information for the staff, morale can be damaged and
employees can become confused and hurt, especially if the incident is reported inaccurately in the
press. Because of where they work, the staff will be viewed as sources of information, and they can be
the origin of leaks and rumors. Be sure they have it right.
- Communicate with your internal audiences by e‐mail, if available, or through press releases and
statements delivered to each office. If the staff is small enough, call a meeting at which members of the
crisis team are available to answer staff questions.
- Maintain a calm, gracious, and helpful presence. Avoid appearing flustered or overwhelmed.
- Pre‐empt negative publicity and communicate the actions being taken to solve the crisis. Verify news
before releasing it.
- Arrange for media access to the scene of the crisis, if at all possible. TV wants pictures. If there are
space constraints, use press pool reports, with a representative of each type of media — wire service,
newspaper, TV, radio, magazine, and photography — at the scene, writing up a report and taking
pictures for their colleagues. No one may use these reports, including those in the pool, until they have
been distributed to everyone.
- Always answer phone calls. If you don't, reporters will look elsewhere for information. They will write a
story with or without your help. Being non responsive takes control of a story away from you.
- Simple sympathetic gestures can help rebuild the public's confidence. Offer reassurance. Tell what
actions are being taken to solve the problem, to help those affected, and to return things to normal. But
first make sure you are doing what you say you are doing.
Update information frequently and regularly. Announce when your next update will be.
- Monitor media reports and correct errors immediately.
- Establish a Web site to inform people about the status of the situation. Put all news releases,
statements, fact sheets, and links to other information on the site.
- Establish an assessment group to study the problem and to prevent future occurrences. This is not for
show; they should have real power.
- Remember: openness and responsiveness during a crisis enhances your respect and credibility with the
media. It can help you in the long run.

After a Crisis

- Evaluate the effectiveness of the crisis plan and how people responded.
- Correct problems so they don't happen again.

Thus :
Crisis management involves identifying a crisis, planning a response to the crisis and confronting and
resolving the crisis. Coordinated actions taken to diffuse crises, prevent their escalation into armed
conflict and/or contain resulting hostilities. The crisis management machinery provides decision‐makers
with the necessary information and arrangements to use appropriate instruments (political, diplomatic,
economic, and military) in a timely and coordinated manner. The overall coordination of an
organization's response to a crisis, in an effective, timely manner, with the goal of avoiding or
minimizing damage to the organization's profitability, reputation, or ability to operate is crisis
management. It is the entire process of working through the crisis to the point of resolution.
 STUDY 4: PUBLIC REALTIONS AND CSR

What is CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the mandatory (since it is now legal) as well as philanthropic
responsibility of a company to give back to the community what they take from them. It means, since
every company needs natural and human resources from a community (as well as mother earth!) it is
the duty of the company to pay back a portion of it. It may be in the form of building schools, helping in
education, mother and child health care, agricultural initiatives, helping in cultural research and
development (of folk arts, tribal forms, songs, dances, theatres, etc) etc or even donating to the PM’s
relief fund or Natinal Disaster relief fund, etc. Infact, the scope of SCR is much more. Good PROs will tell
you that this CSR activity can be actually used to a super benefit of the company.
It goes beyond saying that people trust companies that do CSR more than companies that are reluctant
about it. A days are passing by, every company is trying to build a people-friendly image and advertising
it.
Thus CRS can be defined as a self regulatory business model that helps the company to be socially
accountable. It is a type mof international private business self regulation that aims to contribute to
social goals of a philanthropic, activist, or charitable nature by engaging in or supporting volunteering or
ethically-originated practices.

As it started
In April 2014, India became the first country to mandate a minimum spend on Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 identified all companies having
net worth of Rs. 500 crores or more; OR Turnover of Rs. 1000 crore or more; OR Net profit of Rs. 5 crore
or more as liable to constitute a CSR policy , and are expected to spend 2% of their net profit on CSR
activities.
Schedule VII of the Act also lists several ends towards which CSR can be directed: healthcare, education,
employability, environment, etc.

The role of CSR in modern organization and the PRO’s responsibilities

It is true that socially responsible organizations achieve a far greater positive image, loyalty or customer
trust. People tend to buy products from companies which have some degree of social programmes. For
example, ITC donates Rs.1/- per copy sold to children’s education. Now, there are two approaches of
performing CSR:
1. Just donating a sum of money/participating in any social programme
2. Incorporating the CSR into the line of business so that it becomes an integral part of business
and the company even makes some benefit out of it.
In the modern day business the second approach is gaining popularity and it is the PR dept which plays a
major role.

CSR activities provide them with an opportunity to boost the bottom line, while strengthening their
positive image in the market. The challenge however lies in how to communicate those CSR efforts. This
is exactly where the PRO’s expertise comes in. The role of PR in this process is to ensure that customers,
along with internal and external stakeholders are aware of the organization’s commitments and efforts.
PR’s goal is to share an organization’s CSR initiative and thus strengthening its image. First and foremost
the role of PR is to get customers and employees on board. Then –
1. Inspire employees to take action, and contribute or participate in the CSR initiative.
2. Inform the community about how his/her company is committed to their development.
3. Arrange for regular interaction between the community and the employees. (Just a community
clean-up drive can do wonders)
4. Ensure that all these events are being covered adequately by the press and getting media
coverage.
5. Selected members from the customers may be invited to witness/participate in the activities.
6. Now days, bloggers are brought on board, who write about these events on their page.
7. Publicize that on the social media.
However, all these can only happen if the actual initiatives come first. PR is only a design to
communicate it.

CSR in India
CSR spending by the corporate in India is increasing significantly. Compared to 2014 (after it was
implemented) companies spent 47% higher in 2018 contributing to 1bn US $. Listed companies in India
spent US 1.4bn $ (approx Rs. 100bn) in various programmes (educational, skill development, social
welfare, healthcare, forest conservation and others). PM’s relief fund saw a massive increase of 139% in
the last one year. Education sector received maximum funding (38% of the total), followed by hunger,
poverty and healthcare (12%), rural development (11%). Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs has notified that companies’ expenditure to fight the epidemic will be considered valid
under CSR.
Some examples of CSR in India:
Tata Group
Most of their CSR projects are community improvement and poverty alleviation programmes. It has
created various self-help groups which are engaged in women empowerment activities, income
generation, rural community development. The Tata group also provided scholarships and endowments
for numerous educational and research institutions. They are also working for HIV awareness projects.
They also engage in sports development in India.

Ultratech cement
It is India’s biggest cement company. It engages in social work across 407 villages working in creating
sustainability and self-relience. They focus on healthcare, family welfare, environment, animal
husbandry, etc.

Mahindra & Mahindra

They established the K.C. Mahindra Education Trust in 1954 followed by Mahindra Foundation in 1969
with the purpose of promoting education (that too mainly among socially disadvantaged communities).
CSR programmes involve scholarship grants, livelihood training, healthcare for remote areas, water
conservation. M&M runs programs like ‘Nanhi Kali’ focusing on education for girls, ‘Lifeline Express’ for
healthcare services in remote areas.

ITC Group
Their ‘E-Chaupal’ programme is often considered as one of the best example of incorporating CSR within
the business and therefore make benefit out of it, at the same time benefitting the community too. ITC
sets up E-Chaupals, i/e/ internet kiosks in the villages. Villagers can log into the e-chaupal portal, register
themselves and directly sell their crops to ITC (primarily wheat, shrimps, coffee and soya beans). ITC
buys this raw material directly from them. Since all the middlemen get wiped out, farmers get much
more price than the middlemen would give and ITC gets their raw material in much less price than they
would have got from the stockists. Moreover, once a farmer registers himself ITC provides crop
insurance, i.e. if by chance the crop fails due to insect attack, draught, etc, ITC will provide them with a
full compensation. ITC also provides with agro-experts to advice the farmers on better farming practices.
This simply means, the interests of the farmers are now much more secured and ITC is also reducing
their cost of production (because they are buying raw material at lesser price).