After PR Class What Next

After PR Class What Next?
By Yushau A. Shuaib

Westminster MA PR Class 2010

Finally… finally… finally…! The MA PR Class at the University of Westminster is gradually coming to an end. Since September 2009 when most of the postgraduate students arrived for the commencement of the course at the Harrow Campus, it has been sessions of studies and funs in London, the commercial and entertainment capital of Europe.

As students enjoy amusing moments, they had to face challenges of class attendance, assignments and presentations. The programme is so demanding with so many theories to study, debate sessions to engage in, presentations in the front of the class, visitations to relevant institutions and guest lectures by top PR practitioners in the industry.

The use of advanced technologies in PR could be very challenging; with latest thinking, students find them using the modern tools for their assignments on Social Media platforms.

Students are permitted to utilise few free days within the week and weekends for either part-time work/ internship or

Student Social Media get-together

enjoy at various attractive spots for funs and relaxation.

Occasionally course-mates organise special get-togethers. I quite enjoyed a Kitchen Party organised by Chinese classmate to celebrate their country’s anniversary and also Social Media Party courtesy of Matt of Moo Group.

After successful class attendance and assignments in the last seven months, from April 2010 we hope to start the next stage of the studies by conducting various researches for our dissertation projects.

MA Political PR Class

Studying at postgraduate level, no matter one’s experience, is an eye-opener to new skills and academic approach in the changing world of knowledge. Titles of some of the modules sound elementary; beneath the contents are those “academic things” called “theories” to be learnt, and deployment of modern tools for practical exercises. They include Understanding PR Media, Planning and Managing PR Campaigns, Contemporary Theories and issues in PR, Corporate Communications, Lobbying and Public affairs, Consumer PR, Fashion PR, PR and New media, NGO and charity PR, Political Communications, Marketing Principles.

Similarly apart from the occasional students’ perspective on selected topics, America and Britain are mostly cited for references and case studies when it comes to PR. Though there are less foreign books and journals outside the two countries in the library, online resources in the same library are more useful to understand the practice of PR in other nations.

Some PR perspectives in different countries are quite strange from class discussions and observations that one may

After Class What Next

doubt their practicability. I am still baffled over the hero-worshipping of celebrities, mostly entertainers and sports personalities in the United States and United Kingdom. In some countries in Africa, Mideast and Asia, politicians, political office holders, royal families and very wealthy personalities are the celebrities.

While most of the time, in Social Media Class, we are taught on the effective use of Facebook and Tweeter tools, in many countries other platforms are popular and used. Many may not believe that the online forums like yahoo and google groups are still used for forumites. By the way are those social tools: blogs and microblogs not about promotion of brand names of the owners? Coca-cola is popular drink, likewise other softdrink brands that are not coca-cola in names.

As much as we debate some of those issues in the class, our close interactions afford us to appreciate the diversity of our background and to respect others’ culture and beliefs. It is in the class I realise that physical embodiments of a male and a female do not necessarily reflect attitudinal values and sexual orientations of the respective genders. This I observe from gay-advocates in the class who produce a viral video on a campaign that shows that not all females believe in being women and not all males behave like men. The campaign is about being what you want to be. WHAT?

Students freely interact with Instructor

I was shocked initially on various issues and development, but nothing could ever be strange to me again in a foreign environment.

As we start our dissertations, most of students want to use the period of research to do internship with reputable PR department and agencies. I just hope those organisations will give us the opportunity to practice those tips and tricks we have learnt and to further gain practical experiences.

So help us God before we go for a tea-party at the end.

Yushau A. Shuaib

Four Great Books on Online Public Relations (PR)

Four Great Books on Online PR
By YAShuaib
There are many books out there on online Public Relations (PR) and Social Media (SM). Some books’ covers and titles may be deceptive; I have just come across 4 new books that are comprehensive and resourceful on internet and public relations. They are authored by PR practitioners rather than just academics.

Books on Online PR - pix by yashuaib

The well-researched books have practical experiences, useful references, case studies and above all written in superbly lucid styles. Each of them acknowledges and treats latest developments in the ever changing internet technology for communications, especially the trends in social media (SM).

The New Rules of Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott, though is more on the marketing aspect than the PR, the book nevertheless demonstrates how one can marry PR tools to social media platforms. Out of the 21 chapters in the book, only chapter 14, 15 and 16 are devoted exclusively to PR practices while others are either on sales, marketing or mixture of integrated marketing communication. The 287 page book, which was republished in 2009, provides new rules and new thinking in modern communication: the enews releases, blogs, podcasting, viral marketing and online media to reach buyers. David Scott can be forgiven for devoting large chunk of the book on the marketing aspect than public relations. He is an award-wining marketing strategist who has been in the marketing environment likewise most of his endorsers who praise his book.

PR 2.0 by Deirdre Breakenridge (The Lady in the House of PR), is a distinct publication on the concept of PR 2.0. It elaborately highlights the revolution taking place in the new media, its tools and the emergence and conversion of new audiences who have new selective taste from traditional media. For those interested in theoretical perspectives(one of my weaknesses: listening to old stories), this is the book that takes readers back to the past when the term public relations was said to be first documented by US President Thomas Jefferson during his address to congress in 1807. The theory of Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays, two scholars credited with creating and defining the art and science of modern PR in the early 1990s also features in the book. Brakenridge’s book published in 2008 by Pearson Education Inc is not all about theories but also the practical aspects. In its 15 chapters, one doesn’t need to consult any other book if the search is on PR 2.0 than general referral to Online PR and Social media to get acquainted with appropriate ways to deploy internet technology for closer social interaction with various audiences.

The revised edition of Online Public Relations by David Phillips and Philip Young on a practical guide to developing an online strategy in the world of social media is a timely release that pays attention to unfolding developments after the first edition in 2001. The second edition published by Kogan Page and endorsed by CIPR, is very elaborate on various social media platforms and how to use them with references to historical and modern examples. It was not surprising that the first and second chapter could have covered all one needs to know about online PR. Though not technical it simplified the social media jargons and apparatus to new entrant in the field. The remaining 26 chapters are basically on communication and PR principles which hows of putting them on internet technology.

Public Relations and the Social Web by Rob Brown is quite an exciting book. I was influenced to search and get the book because of its critical review in a blog. After going through the book, I realise that the author was unjustly and unfairly treated by the blog review. The so-called weaknesses are nothing but academic exercise. Published by Kogan Page in 2009 it is a practical material in unique style of narration. In a lucid style there are seamless flows between the topics that have captivating titles like chapter 3 on “the lunatics have taken over the asylum.” Readers are not bored with everything and all things as the author specifically provides adequate treatise enough for PR practitioners and students to have better idea on the new/social media. Chapter 4 on the new channels, for instance, discusses 6 platforms of SM that could cover other areas. They are blogs, wikis, RSS, Podcasting, Social Bookmarking and Social Networking. Nevertheless towards the end in chapter 15 he lists the major players in Social Media such as video sharing, social networks, photosharing and blogging.

Conclusion
Finally, one noticeable defect from all of the books above is that they shy away from admitting the negative sides of SM either by misapplications or out of ignorance of users. As interesting as they are, I only wonder if the contents won’t be overtaken by events in few years if not few months to come.

Internet technology for PR practitioners is making everybody to be more committed and devoted to online communication through computers and mobile devices rather than the physical face-to-face advantages.

Yushau A. Shuaib
University of Westminster
Harrow Campus London

Colourful Newsletter with Adobe InDesign

Today is the deadline for each student of MA PR class of University of Westminster, Harrow campus to produce an aesthetic four-page newsletter after a whole week exercise and training in graphic design, formatting and style. The module seems to be what in Nigeria we call ” a crash-programme” with learning of various techniques using the Adobe Indesign software and Photoshop within a shortest time.

We learn some tricks with Photoshop to manipulate original figures or pictures to project other image. We discover how propagandists utilise some of such tricks to propagate some images to the joy of their sponsors and to fool the target audiences.

While our tutorial is based on latest software for newsletter production which is Adobe InDesign, we learn that other programmes are available and used by reputable publishing institutions for the production of journals, magazine, newsletter and even websites. The software includes Microsoft Publisher for PC or Mac, QuarkXPress, Adobe PageMaker and CorelDRAW.

Though the original (authentic) programmes are very expensive in the market, we learn that there are discount windows for student to enable them afford them instead of patronizing pirated versions.

I am surprised to observe that many of my colleagues are able to produce highly aesthetics, colourful and pictorial newsletters loaded with texts of information, making one to guess how they could have been able to accomplish the task in one week. The trick is further studies in hostels and most especially in the library where computers are available 24/7. This convenience makes it is necessary for full term students to have accommodation on the campus or in the vicinity close to the university.

The dilemma of everyone is how to create news or features on the images chosen for individual newsletter. For a story teller, like sensational journalist it may be simple: Just concoct a story or imaginary interview… and BAM the publication is ready.

-YAShuaib

Newsletter Production

This week, the MA PR Class of University of Westminster, Harrow Campus is engaged in extensive training on production of inhouse newsletter. The instructor is one of the best page planner and graphic artist in newspaper and other informative publications. Within just 2 days, students are able to design full colour cover with lay-outs in either 3 or 4 columns. The practical training is daily till weekend.

The training will afford student after graduation the necessary skill to effective produce or monitor production of inhouse publication such as bulletins, newsletters, magazine and if possible with enough resources newspapers.

One thing I notice that the changing development in technology, especially in software production to a large extent will determine the process of design. I realise that Publisher and Corel Draw soft seem to be overtaken by Adobe InDesign programme

Press Conference Practical

Almost everybody in the MA PR class at University of Westminster, Harrow Campus look forward for today when each group of about five-six will make presentation on Press Conference. Such practical experiences may be quite exciting considering the fact that members in each group are to dramatise the act of managing Press Conference from: preparation, venue, seating/standing arrangement, moderation and speech delivery and to the ultimate question session.

The major arguement from various discussions is: should a Press conference be extemporal or addressed through a prepared speech before questions and answers session?

The outcome of today’s presentation, with our professional guide from our tutors, Pam Michaela will give us further ideas on how to manage Press Conference and even if there is likelihood of presence of mischivious journalists in the audience who may distract panels’attention with frivolous questions.

I realise that a writing by a professional communicator and blogger, Jonathan Morrow on “7 Bad Habits of Writing” may likely be useful too for public speaking if we understand our target audience. You may find the article interesting from the link above or this: http://www.copyblogger.com/bad-writing-habits/

- YAShuaib

Life@ University of Westminster

I signed in to this blog on the suggestion of my instructors at University of Westminster, Michaela and Pam. I may be posting materials relating to my Public Relations course and other useful and interesting information from my perspective