The Reality of Global Public Relations

YAShuaib

This week lectures in MA PR Class at the University of Westminster centred on the roles of Spin Doctors, the theory of Global PR and how to utilise the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) for Social Media.

The Global PR stimulated an intense debate in the class. We argued on the theory that “Good PR is always context and culture.” And that “The idea of global PR is anathema.” The argument may be tenable in either side of those supporting or against the trend. The reality is that internet and by extension social media are clear examples on the theory of global village. Global PR is neither an illusion nor a mere theory but an acceptable standard for every organisation that needs to reach the larger audience.

With the online PR, once information goes to the web, it reaches the global community with the speed of rainbow across all borders. Information manegement is no more restricted to the locality of the producer and the consumers. It is, like everyone says, a global phenomena. The recent humanitarian crisis in Haiti, not only were the information by the local people being digested by the inhabitants, the outside world were also feeling, hearing and viewing  the impact of the devastation as it occurred. In a flash the global community responded passionately with actions and relief materials. In a crisis situation like that who could have managed the information better? The practitioner who believes in localising issues or competent PRP that has global concept and strategies to handle the situation?

It could be argued that Global PR is more about the standards and ethics of the PR profession by giving accurate and timely information to the publics. It is goes beyond just addressing the local people who are parts of the larger society.

The benefits derivable in Global PR as I strongly believe, include the following:

• Affordability of networking with other practitioners around the world
• Training and retraining on the modern PR techniques that are not largely provided in international conferences and seminars but also through online journals and resource materials
• It concretises the statement of “Think Global and Act Local” by giving the practitioner an edge over those who restrict themselves to local thinking (who may be lacking in vision and ambition)
• With technologies of new media, the practitioners can  operate from any part of the world without the necessity of physically being on ground at the local level
• PR concepts and ethics are generally global in natures that are adoptable in every local environment, just like the social media tools that are adoptable in every society without restriction to specific locality
•  There is an increase growth of global PR agencies and global networks of affiliate agencies that undertake PR programmes at international and local levels that proves the effectiveness and efficiency of the Global PR
• The Global PR has a full basket of choice because of its wider expertise and experience of practitioners in all branches of PR including media relations, online PR, financial PR, crisis management, event management, integrated marketing communication (IMC), consumer PR, Political PR and Lobbying.
• The forces that are forcing the media to look outward to international trends, make the concept of global PR imperative
• Lastly and not the least, associating with (membership of) international bodies for PR, is a prestige and recognition of best practice, competence and excellence.

 I believe all students and PR practitioners should dream big by being Global PR practitioners. The first step after training on the field is to join local and international PR bodies. I provide below weblinks to the global PR bodies.

List of Some international PR bodies:

• APRA- African Public Relations Association
• CERP – European Public Relations Confederation 
• ICCO – International Communications Consultancy Organisation 
• IPRA – International Public Relations Association 
• Global Alliance for Public Relations & Communication Management
• International Association of Business Communicators 

 YAShuaib,

University of Westminster

Harrow Campus London

Debating Lobbying for PR or Legal Practice

DEBATING LOBBYING FOR PR OR LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

For some years I have always get excited about Lobbying as a profession. Coming to the University of Westminster to study for a Masters programme in Public Relations was seen as an opportunity for me to further study interesting subject of Public Affairs/Lobbying which I learnt is as one of the modules that will be taught. Though we have a group on blog on Public Affairs/ Lobbying, I am just surprise that not many post-graduate students are interested in this dynamic and sensitive specialised communication. Instead of being lone ranger for a course which many are not keen to study in the next semester, I decide to study Political Communication… hoping it will cover element of Lobbying as one of the themes.

I have been compiling some reference materials with the hope of sharing it during the Lobbying Class and I am therefore compelled to share them with you in this forum. My interest on Lobbying started some years ago after reading about the influence of lobbyists in the socio-political and economic policies and programmes of advanced countries like UK, US and some European countries. Lobbyists are extremely powerful. They are behind some powerful decisions and policies of government as they promote different causes.

Sometimes in May 2005, as a member of the International Public Relations Association IPRA, I instigated a debate on position of lobbying as communication, asking members of the forum PR practitioners on the platform of its listserv: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ipra/ to help me with an answer to a question on lobbying.

My question with generate a lot of curiosity and intensive debate and discussion is very brief and it goes like this:

“It is said that lobbying is an aspect of Public Relations. In my country some lawyers say that it is part of their functions. Please may I ask: how does it operate in Public Relations or in your environment? – Yushau Shuaib”

Many comments and opinions came from members in Europe, America, Asia, Middle East and African continent. At the end the then IPRA Board Member, Richard Linning, after raising the debate about lobbying at the IPRA Board in Istanbul, had the Board and Council’s approval for the following:

Step one – create a searchable library of codes of practice – legislation and other appropriate documents – from around the world on the IPRA web site

Step two – examine these for points they have in common (who and how is yet to be determined but enlisting academic support would seem appropriate)

Step three – contribute to national and international debate about the issue – for example in the EU where there is new interest in a code of practice .. and

Step four – consider an IPRA Code of Lobbying Practice which reflects all of the above.

Such a Code – and the debate which lead to it – could be published as a Gold Paper.

It was pointed out that such a project will not be possible without the active participation of interested and involved IPRA members. Therefore further suggestions as to how that should be managed were sought.

YAShuaib

www.yashuaib.com

Know the Media

Know the Media

The first basic rule of Media Relations Officer is to know the media. I pick the excerpts below from my book “A Dozen Tips for Media Relations” written some years ago

Know and understand:

* The media environment

* The conventional media hierarchy of responsibility

* The strength of each medium for segmentation and coverage

* The differences between print, electronic and Internet based media

* Editorial slant and the subject interest of the media

* That the media are the major stakeholders of media relations officers.

YAShuaib

www.yashuaib.com