Tag Archives: Indian PR Forum

May 30 2013

Indian PR Forum to draft a ‘Code of Conduct’ and Guidelines for Indian PR Professionals

After several instances of PR professionals being mocked by journalists for their unprofessional behavior while dealing with media, Indian PR Forum (IPRF), India’s largest online forum of PR Professionals, has taken up an initiative to draft a ‘Code of Conduct & Guidelines’. This is aimed to bring in more professionalism in the Indian PR Professionals’ approach towards media and other stakeholders.

The guidelines will involve as many behavioural and ethical aspects, which will also include some Do’s & Don’ts while dealing with media. In order to make these guidelines holistic, the forum is inviting suggestions from PR professionals working at all levels across India

PR Professionals can send in their suggestions on indianprforum@gmail.com before 10th June, 2013.  Thereafter the suggestions will be collated and studied by industry experts who will subsequently draft the Indian PR Industry’s Code of Conduct & set behavioural guidelines. This Code of Conduct will then be put up on various forums for review and feedback.

In addition to this, the forum also plans to start an education drive across India to inform and train / budding professionals about the expected code of conduct in their day-to-day functioning.

Public Relations as an industry need to set up standards of professional behavior outlining the principles and guidelines that will define professionalism and trust in this community. IPRF as a forum has over 3000+ members has taken a step towards crafting a framework for ‘Code of Conduct for PR professionals,’ which will help the sector to be more professional and respected amongst the media and society in general

Background: Recently a senior journalist posted a very unpleasant status on her Facebook Profile, against a PR professional for following up with her for an event during odd hours. This provoked reactions from the PR fraternity and the forum took up the responsibility to create a code of conduct that should be adopted by PR Pros in their day-to-day dealings with media and other stakeholders. This was not the first time that a PR Professional was ridiculed by certain section of media; some journalists have even gone to an extent of black listing an entire agency and have openly criticized PR professionals in their newspapers, on their personal blogs and social media platforms. The fact that this is happening more often than ever before, and in many instances PR Professionals themselves are responsible for evoking such reaction from media, a professional code of conduct is now a must for the sector.

The primary reason for such regular media bashing of PR pros is credited to the huge gap in training young professionals before they are put on a task of pitching to the media. Without clear understanding of the way media functions, and proper guidelines on how they should communicate with media, young professionals often commit mistakes, which are then generalized and impressed onto the entire PR community. Hence, Indian PR Forum has taken up the cause to educate newbies of the PR industry on the right conduct and professional behaviour expected from them.

Indian PR Forum is India’s largest online forum of Public Relations and Corporate Communications professionals, started in April 2007 with a noble intention of bringing all PR, Corporate & Marketing Communications under one platform. The forum shares information/insights/learning’s and has topical discussions and debates on an ongoing basis.

To join the forum you will have to just drop an email at indianprforum@gmail.com. You will receive a confirmation email and approving the same; which will make you a member of the forum. You could also join IPRF on other platforms as well such as below:

ü  Main Google Group: https://groups.google.co.in/group/indian-pr-forum

ü  Blog: www.indianprforum.wordpress.com

ü  LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=98596&trk=hb_side_g

ü  Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/indianprforum

ü  Twitter: @iprf: Interesting Tweets on Marketing, PR, Social Media and more…

For more information, please connect with:

Vikram Kharvi

Founder – Indian PR Forum

Mobile: 09930143550

Email: pr.vikram@gmail.com

Jun 20 2012

Discussion on ‘Attitude’ – Sum up + Solution

hi all

Discussion on ‘attitude’

Few days back, I wrote an article  on “Attitude is the stumbling block for PR professionals’ in prpoint and Indian PR Forum groups, in support of the discussion generated by Vikram Kharvi, Moderator of Indian PR Forum.  My article is available in the following link.
This generated a lot of response from the members in both prpoint and Indian PR Forum groups.  Many members, including the new gen professionals, agreed with me on the attitudinal challenges.  Some of them brought out nicely the reasons behind such situation.  It was an interesting and useful discussion.
Sum-up of the views
This ‘attitude’ discussion generated a lot of interest among all the members.  Many of them were following closely the responses  in both the groups.  Some of the senior level and junior level professionals contacted me over phone and also over mail personally to share their views.  They also brought some insight on this.
From all the discussions in the group and private conversations, I could sum up the feedback as follows:
1.  New gen professionals are yet to understand the seriousness and  importance of the need for updating the knowledge, in the growing competition.
2.  When the juniors approach the seniors for some guidance, the seniors do not give them adequate attention and knowledge support.  Since the so called ‘seniors’ are also youngsters, they too lack knowledge and they do not take initiative to update their own knowledge.
3.  At the entry level, new professionals join the industry, straight from the college.  The need of the profession and the academic input do not match.  The young people are put straight to the job to handle the customers.  Even the enthusiastic youngsters get demotivated.  They suggest some refresher training programme on fundamentals like writing of press releases, media relations, handling of customers are to be given.
4.  There are not much opportunities available for interaction with industry seniors.
5.  Industry PR bodies are not taking adequate initiative to focus on the micro level knowledge improvement.  They focus only on Annual Conferences which involve cock-tail and awards.  They are not functioning like international bodies like PRSA, CIPR, IABC.
A light at the end of the  tunnel
Last month, I was invited by Mr Madan, Mg. Director of Adfactors PR to visit his new facilities at Mumbai and to address his colleagues.  Adfactors PR have now moved to a huge and spacious new hi-tech facilities.  At that time, Mr Madan came out that his new  Conference hall (Lower Parel West in Mumbai) could be used by the industry professionals for meetings and seminars.   I had the great honour of being the first person to deliver a talk to the professionals in that hall.
After this ‘attitude’ discussion, I once again talked to Mr Madan to re-confirm whether he could offer his well equipped Conference hall for the industry professionals.  He confirmed this and asked me to announce also.
This Conference hall can accommodate around 70 persons.  I also called up now Mr Vikram Kharvi, whether he could take up the initiative at Mumbai to organise interaction sessions every month or every fortnight at a convenient time.
Many talented and experienced professionals are available in Mumbai.  Mr Vikram Kharvi can be supported by three or four members.  They can plan interaction sessions with experts.  All the communication professionals can participate.  MrVikram can coordinate with Mr Madan’s office for booking the conference hall.
Volunteers invited
If 3 or 4 members support and take up the responsibility, then we can start the journey hunting for knowledge.  Those who are interested to be the part of this organising team can kindly contact Mr Vikram Kharvi over mobile 9930143550.
There is no expenditure involved.  Since many members felt that opportunities are not available, we thought of finding a solution, so that the members can get the benefit at no cost.
Probably this will be the first new joint initiative by two major online groups prpoint group and Indian PR Forum Group to synergise the positive energy.   From Chennai, I will extend my remote support to this initiative.
If some other Corporates or Agencies offer similar venue support in other centres, we can start a similar initiative in other centres too.
Let us make a good beginning and review after 3 or 4 months.
Srinivasan