The Fulcrum Awards 2017 Shortlists Announced

The Fulcrum Awards Management has announced its finalists for 2017. The shortlist was arrived at, after day-long deliberations by an esteemed jury of 18 communication professionals. The process has been reviewed by PwC – a first in the history of PR Awards. The shortlist is announced for 11 sub-categories in Technique Awards and six sub-categories in the Special Awards. The winners will be announced for Individual and Lifetime Achievement awards at the Awards night.
Details:http://reputationtoday.in/features/the-fulcrum-awards-2017-shortlists-announced/

World Communicators’ Day – October 28: WCC celebrations underway

In the beginning, there was no press release!

And, PR pioneer Ivy Lee said on October 28, 1906: Let there be a Press Release!

The press release was created following a train wreck on October 28, 1906, in Atlantic City, N.J., that left more than 50 people dead. The train was owned by Pennsylvania Railroad, one of Ivy Lee's clients.

NY Times

In fact, that also marked the beginning of formal PR and the birth of Crisis Communication.

We at Public Relations Council of India, under the aegis of World Communicators’ Council (WCC), have decided to observe October 28 as the World Communicators’ Day.

Since we have enough time, let us plan in advance for the Day and look at conducting some professional activities.

Let us not focus on mere felicitations and awards. We have several of them. In fact, the awards should be just annual – part of our Global Conclaves. Frequent awards and felicitation for no rhyme or reason devalues PR movement. As it is we enjoy a bad reputation of popularising the pink shirt phenomenon.

Now to the activities for October 28. Since it is a Saturday and if it creates any issues of not being a working day, let us plan the celebration a day in advance – and not a week later.

Let Oct 28 be sacrosanct.

What we can do?

Since the day marks the issuance of the world’s first press release, we can plan a Media Relations workshop for the younger generation.

We can also plan workshops/chat shows under YCC banner.

Why not conduct a tour of young communicators to a media house?

Or a session on writing press releases?

Or skits on what the youngsters perceive of media?

We can have senor journalists coming and guiding us.

From the headquarters, we plan to do a national essay competition on few current topics and bring out a Digest. Please get as much participation as possible.

So, let’s plan in advance and get going.

-BNK24x7

Lanka Ahoy! Watch PRCSL launch snapshots on your channel - PRCI NOW

PR Council of Sri Lanka takes off

• ​Under the banner of World Communicators' Council
• PRCI actively coordinates​

COLOMBO: Seeking to strengthen professionalism in communication, the World Communicators’ Council (WCC) has launched Public Relations Council of Sri Lanka (PRCSL).

The brains behind the WCC are the office bearers of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) which has

​successfully ​

launched unique communication campaigns.

Mr Aruna Weerakoon who is in involved in communicating with the farmers in Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) has taken over as the Director of PRCSL. Mr T S Prakash, who is the president of SriLanka India Society and Secretary of Indian CEO forum, takes an additional responsibility as the Chairman of the PRCSL.

Mr. M B Jayaram, chief mentor and chairman emeritus of PRCI, said close cooperation among communications professionals across the world would contribute to an improved understanding among the people at large.

R T Kumar, Chairman of the PRCI’s governing council, said the Council is very keen to work closely with the Sri Lankan unit on networking and knowledge sharing.

PRCI national president B N Kumar explained that the organisation has successfully implemented a novel idea of communication for social causes such as water conservation, educating girl child for empowering India, focusing on suburban train infrastructure in Mumbai and environmental issues. “We have a unique guest faculty pool drawn from across media, PR, adverting and HR for visiting colleges and universities that teach mass communication,” he said.

PRCI international director T Vinay Kumar said the WCC will soon have chapters in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and UK.

PRCI’s young communicators’ club chairperson Geetha Shankar said the organisation is keen to promote knowledge sharing and skill development among mass media students.

Mr K Ravindran, secretary general of PRCI, said the council also focuses on communication skill development for professionals in corporates.

Mr U S Kutty, chairman of the organising committee of the Sri Lanka launch, pointed out that PR and other communication professionals have appreciated the PRCSL idea and on the need to work closely with their Indian counterparts.

Mr Weerakoon said PRCSL could learn a lot from the PRCI’s experience in India and work towards communicating the positive aspects life to the society at large.

Mr Prakash said networking and exchange of information and knowledge could lead to enhancing the professionalism among communication professionals and even heads of companies.

PRCSL hopes to involve various corporate, CEOs, educational institutions teaching communication and marketing to further its cause and meet the WCC’s mission – communicating for a better world.

Meet Deadlines to Hit Deadlines

From Reputation Today

For Details:
http://reputationtoday.in/views/meet-deadlines-to-hit-headlines/

Lanka seeks to strike balance between India and China

• Public Relations Council of Sri Lanka Launched
• Under the aegis of World Communicators Council
• PRCI coordinates communicators networking

COLOMBO, Aug 7: Sri Lanka has sought to firmly lay to rest India’s concerns over China developing a port at Hambantota by declaring that the deal is “purely commercial”.

“There is no question of allowing any Chinese Navy operations at the Sri Lanka port,” said Mr Mano Ganesan, Sri Lanka Minister for co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages last night. “Chinese Navy cannot enter any place without the explicit permission of Sri Lanka government,” Mr Ganesan said inaugurating the Public Relations Council of Sri Lanka under the aegis of World Communicators Council (WCC).

Sri Lanka is striking a balance with its relationships with India and China, he said and assured that his government would not do anything that might jeopardise its ties with its big neighbour. “Both the countries are important to us,” he said.

Mr Ganesan welcomed the idea of the Sri Lanka PR Council started with the support of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) which is also part of the WCC. He expressed the confidence that communications profession would go a long way with the cooperation between the councils of the two countries.

Referring to the internal war that Sri Lanka fought for four decades, Mr Ganesan expressed the confidence that the new constitution which is in the making will ensure “real time peace”.

He assured that the Sri Lanka government will not allow any form terrorism in the country.

“We are a multi-ethnic nation with Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity co-existing in peace,” he said.

Mr Kithsiri Kahatapitya, member – Western Provincial Council and former opposition leader, too hailed the birth of Sri Lankan PR Council and said professionals here could learn from the experiences of their Indian counterparts.
M​s Nayomini Weeasooriya, consultant to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, expressed the hope that the professionalism among communicators will be strengthened with the launch of the PRCSL.

Mr M B Jayaram, chief mentor and chairman emeritus of PRCI, said close cooperation among communications professionals across the world would contribute to an improved understanding among the people at large.

R T Kumar, Chairman of the PRCI’s governing council, said the Council is very keen to work closely with the Sri Lankan unit on networking and knowledge sharing.

PRCI national president B N Kumar explained that the organisation has successfully implemented a novel idea of communication for social causes such has water conservation, educating girl child for empowering India, focusing on suburban train infrastructure in Mumbai and environmental issues. “We have a unique guest faculty pool drawn from across media, PR, adverting and HR for visiting colleges and universities that teach mass communication,” he said.

PRCI international director T Vinay Kumar said the WCC will soon have chapters in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and UK.

PRCI’s young communicators club chairperson Geetha Shankar said the organisation is keen to promote knowledge sharing and skill development among mass media students.

Mr Aruna Weerakoon who is in involved in communicating with the farmers in Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) has been appointed as the Director of PRCSL. Mr T S Prakash, who is the Secretary of the Indian CEO Forum and President of the Sri Lanka-India Society, takes an additional responsibility as the Chairman of the PRCSL.

Mr K Ravindran, secretary general of PRCI, said the council also focuses on communication skill development for professionals in corporates.

Mr U S Kutty, chairman of the organising committee of the Sri Lanka launch, pointed out that PR and other communication professionals have appreciated the PRCSL idea and on the need to work closely with their Indian counterparts.

ABCD - Aapki Beti Chalayegi Duniya

Daughters’ Day Ideas flourish at Somaiya Vidya Vihar

By SRUJAN MADDULA

We are Daughters - We are Power!

MUMBAI: A Day as Special as its name, the Daughter’s Day, calls for a Special Event.

PRCI and YCC Mumbai, along with Public Relations & Branding Committee and Women Development Cell, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies, and Research organised ‘Shikshit-BetiSaksham Bharat’ programme on 10^th July 2017 at the Vidyavihar campus, Mumbai.

A total of 24 teams participated in the event out of which 5 teams qualified for the final round.

David Franklin, Vice President of PRCI-Mumbai, Shreya Banda, YCC Cordinator, Aditi Rajani Head of PR and Communications, Somaiya VidyaVihar, Prof. Asha Bhatia,(Head of Enactus Somaiya Social Cell, SIMSR,  Hardeep Singh, Head of Branding, SIMSR, were among those who encouraged the finalists.

AapkiBetiChalayegiDuniya

‘ShikshitBetiSaksham Bharat’ competition started off on a high note and the momentum was maintained by some of the outstanding performances in the form of Advertisement, NukkadNatak, Powerpoint presentation, etc. by the teams. Team AapkiBetiChalayegiDuniya (ABCD) outshone everybody else and went home with the 1^st prize and Team Chaturbhuj stood second displaying a contented and cheerful acceptance.

Every team’s effort was well appreciated by all the judges.   David Franklin pointed out the flaws and scope of improvements as well as appreciated the unparalleled efforts put in by the students. Also the rest of the panellists boosted students’ morale and enlightened the audience with their insightful thoughts.

The aim of the event to spread awareness about Sikshit Beti – Saksham Bharat which the student community and faculty appreciated.

Kudos to Winners!

For picture gallery: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_p_EuwVccQoR2p0XzdyUGhCVkU

Donald Trump' loses his Spice!

• PRapport spoke about this possibility two month ago!
• Remember our headline? It ain't no easy to blow Donald's Trumpet

The controversial spokesman was known for testy exchanges with reporters amid tumultuous tenure as administration’s public face

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/21/sean-spicer-resigns-press-secretary-trump-white-house-feud

We at PRapport forecast this two months ago. Please check this analysys by S Narendra, advisor to former PMs and ex-Govt of India spokesperson..

An international story is playing out of Washington involving the White House that we all are reading as a political story. If we analyse it under the lens of communication and PR, we notice a highly charged case study on Reputation Risk and Redemption Management. This is relevant to all communicators.

Very interestingly, this story is taking place in the janmabhoomi of PR and communication theory and practice. The theater (pun intended) of action is in Washington DC, capital of Madison Avenue, K-street, the Capitol Hill all coming under its nickname – the political beltway, it is also known as the swamp that sucks into its murkiness any and everyone (irrespective of their reputation for integrity and independence of mind), making the job of keeping one’s reputation and public esteem risky.

https://prapport.blogspot.com/2017/05/blowing-donalds-trumpet-aint-no-easy.html#more

St.Claret hosts new YCC unit

New YCC takes off

BENGALURU, July 19: A new of PRCI’s Young Communicators’ Club (YCC) was born at t St.Claret College, Bangalore today.

M.B JAYARAM – Founder, Chairman-Emeritus & Chief Mentor - PRCI, Geetha Shankar – Director, Governing Council-PRCI & National Chairperson –YCC , Maya Chandra – Chairperson – YCC Karnataka    and Prashanth - Secretary - YCC Karnataka were present.

The event was led by Rev.Fr Dr.Sabu George, Principal and Rev.Fr Vineeth George, Vice-Principal - St.Claret College. In all, 80 students of Journalism & Mass Communication becale YCC members at the event.

Jayaram also launched the College's YouTube Channel - BOOKMARK, and spoke to the students on the need to focus on their careers.

Geetha Shankar highlighted the need for a fiery passion and commitment among the students to succeed in life. Maya Chandra briefed the audience about YCC and its objectives.

Manasa Gowda - Assistant Professor of Mass Communication & Journalism, St.Claret College took over as the YCC Faculty Coordinator and Jayasurya as the YCC student coordinator.

PRCI Kolkata salutes Daughters

KOLKATA: Public Relations Council of India, Kolkata, Chapter with its Young Communicators Club organized Daughters’ Day Celebration at Rotary Sadan, Kolkata on Friday, 14th July, 2017. Daughters representing different colleges and the universities in Kolkata and the media fraternity assembled with great enthusiasm and decorated the hall with artistic intimacy and hearty delight. They aptly reflected the words of Bruce Barton: “If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm”.
R. N. Mahapatra, Chief Public Relations Officer, Eastern Railway and Chairman, PRCI, Kolkata Chapter delivered welcome address. He elucidated the importance of daughters in our family and society at large. “There are lots of challenges before the daughters and they have to adequately utilize  opportunities to succeed in any chosen field’” he said.
Saroj Kumar Sadangi, Chief Vigilance Officer, Kolkata Port Trust, Prof. Dr. Tapati Basu, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Calcutta University, Prof. Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee, Communication, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal, Biswajit Das, Head, Journalism and Mass Communication, Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, were among the guests who attended the event.
In his opening remarks, B. K. Sahu, Chairman, PRCI, Eastern Region, stated that good daughters make good mothers and good mothers make good citizens . Therefore, they should be given equal opportunities which are sometimes neglected. Given opportunities, women can excel.
Biswajit Das, Secretary, PRCI, Kolkata Chapter, said Daughters’ Day celebration is observed to support the cause of increased opportunities for girls and to increase awareness of gender inequality in terms of right to education, access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, protection for discrimination, violence against women and child marriage.
Prof. Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee, Communication, IIMC, Dhenkanal as a Guest of Honour spoke about the importance of having a daughter in the family. Parents should not feel that daughters are a burden, but on the contrary, they should realise that they are blessed to have wonderful daughters as their children.
Prof. Dr. Tapati Basu, Premchand Roychand Scholar, former Head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication who was a Guest of Honour appreciated the implementation of “Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao” programme of Govt. of India and “Kanyashree” programme of Govt. of West Bengal. She advised the daughters to be self-confident and self-reliant. She narrated her own example - how from the beginning of her life she has struggled, won over and ultimately achieved success.
Shri S. K. Sadangi, Chief Vigilance Officer, Kolkata Port Trust, who was the Chief Guest depicted the higher magnitude of Daughters’ Day Celebration. Significantly, he pointed out that Albert Einstein was privileged to enjoy an immense help from his wife, Mileva Maric, during the great research on Theory of Relativity.
YCC member Sonali Chauhan, the first Indian girl student ranking first among Indian students and ranking fourth among the world candidates who was admitted recently into the world-class Florence-based fashion and designing institute was aptly felicitated.
On this occasion,  PRCI Kolkata Chapter website was inaugurated. Shri Sanjoy Kumar Mukherjee, Senior Public Relations Officer, Kolkata Port Trust and Vice Chairman, PRCI, Kolkata Chapter proposed a vote of thanks.

Eco Parinaam.Com - Let's Make the Impact

I have just started working on en environment related web site – Eco Parinaam.Com.

Sample page should be up in a couple of days.

We are all aware of the fact that we are systematically destroying the ecology. Everybody is talking about it but hardly anyone seems to be doing anything to save it from degeneration and destruction, or even if someone is doing something that little effort is getting lost under various pressures.

Let it be realized by all destroyers of nature that the ill effects of their deeds will be so disastrous that they will  not have time even to blink when the impact strikes us.

We at Eco Parinaam on the one hand will strive to make an effort to keep pointing out of the ecological dangers while on the other hand appreciating the efforts to preserve the tender nature.

Here is an invitation to all eco-minded and right thinking people to join us and keep raise our combined voice against the forces that destroy the nature.

Rock Garden - Chandigarh

Request all of you to keep sending information, pictures, short films on both positive and negatives aspects of the ecology.

For instance, you may come across a beautiful waterfall on road to Nashik or piles of plastic in Mussoori or Badrinath – please share with us whatever you think is worth noticing by others. We shall upload it with due credit to the sender.

Take another example - the Rock Garden of Chandigarh, created with the waste material generated  by the construction of the planned city. This is a perfect example of recycling waste.

Eco Parinaam.Com is a non-for-profit voluntary effort and it will remain so!

Thanks and regards

BNK24x7

Bengaluru rocks with Daughters' Day event

Click on this video link for a stunning short film

BENGALURU: The Annual Daughter’s Day 2017 event organized by PRCI-YCC Bangalore was an evening of celebration, recognition, pride and honour.

An eclectic blend of high profile guests, young women achievers, entertainers and an enthusiastic audience of students and invitees made sure that this event held at RV Teacher’s College Auditorium, Bangalore, was a benchmark one.

The event started off with a dance by PETALS – a Sri Lankan student dance group from Acharya College, Bangalore, followed by a divine invocation.

Dr. BK Ravi – Chairman - Bangalore Chapter-PRCI and Registrar, Bangalore University, welcomed while Maya Chandra, Chairperson-YCC, Karnataka, spoke about the concept of Daughter’s Day being celebrated in memory of Indo-US astronaut Kalpana Chawla.

The various speakers complemented PRCI for choosing the theme - “Shikshit Beti. Shaksham Bharat”.

Winners all smiles with VIP guests and PRCI-YCC office bearers

Dr.Venkat Rao, Vice-Chancellor National Law School University, Bangalore, spoke on the super power of women, and said that if there any disappointment in his life it is the fact that he does not a daughter though he has two dons.

Dr.Sabiha Bhumigouda, Vice-Chancellor-Akkamahadevi Women’s University, Vijayapura  (Karnataka’s only all women University) appreciated  the design concept of the woman’s hands with mehendi on the backdrop for the event that depicted all the things that women manage and succeed. She expressed that women are leading the way to a brighter India, and events like these are essential to catalyze and motivate them further.

Ms.Roopa MV, Scientist-ISRO in her Keynote Speech discussed the role of women scientists at ISRO and gave exciting insights into ISRO’s work. This was an apt tribute to the work of Kalpana Chawla, who has inspired us at PRCI-YCC to organize Daughter’s Day every year.

VR Satyanarayana, a life coach spoke on the need to be spirited and focused.

This year’s  theme of “Shikshit Beti. Shaksham Bharat” was literally brought to life, meaningfully on stage and on screen.

A scholarship was presented by Mr.Kusumakar Shetty to  Vinitha – daughter of a domestic help who is studying 9^th standard, and wants to study further.

The real life story of Anwar Pasha and Farida was emotionally captured in a short film, produced and directed by Maya Chandra – Head-YCC Karnataka.

This story brought out the odds and communal objections that these parents are undergoing just to educate their only daughter Simran – who has a dream of becoming a teacher.

PRCI-YCC presented the Daughters’ Day awards to a galaxy of young women achievers from diverse walks of life :

• Vasanthakumari – an organic farmer and activist
• Tejaswini Rajesh – a television serial artiste
• Savitha Parbat – Metro Train operator
• Rashmi Belur – Journalist
• Anjali KR – Artiste and dancer
• Shruti Mohan – digital media specialist and social activist
• Varijashree Venugopal – Musician - singer, flutist and composer
• Lavanya – swimming prodigy
• Puja Acharya – prodigy shadow play performer
• Divya Banda Pogaru – Art-based Learning

 

Let's sing for the girl child!

Samadhaan – an NGO performed a powerful silent street play that depicted the trauma of suicides among the youth, and how timely intervention can prevent such incidents. The play stressed on the need for women to have self-confidence and self-belief in spite of  hardships in life.  

The evening concluded with a scintillating shadow play performance by our prodigy awardee – Puja Acharya and golden oldies sung by popular playback singers.

The event was supported by Rashtreeya Shikshana Samithi Trust (RSST) and powered by Business Tycoon Academy and Udupi Ruchi, a local instant food brand.

Kerala PRCI honours inspiring daughters

• Educate girls for India’s future, says Sreekumari Ramachandran

ERANAKULAM: The Kerala Chapter of PRCI has celebrated the Daughters’ Day in association with the Ernakulam Press Club, in memory of Indo-US astronaut Kalpana Chawla.

Noted Malayalam litterateur Ms. Sreekumari Ramachandran, who is also a leading  Social worker, was the Chief Guest. In her speech, She stressed the importance of educating girl children for building the future of India with them.

Two achievers, Ms Stephy Zavior and Ms Malu Shaika, were honored on the occasion.

Malu Shaika:  A graduate in commerce, Malu is currently preparing for her Civil Services exam. Residing in a hostel at Aluva, she works as both Insurance Advisor and Driving Instructor.  She can handle Two wheelers as well as and Heavy Vehicles. Malayala Manorama featured her on 19 February 2017 on her achievement of being the first ever girl to swim across the Vembanadu Lake making her popular. It was the situations she faced in real life that motivated her to swim across the Vembanadu Lake. Most girls in our Society either conceal their dreams within or feel they do not have the means to achieve it. Malu believes that if we pursue our ambitions with all sincerity, we can achieve them.

Stephy Zavior:  Stephy Zavior is a bright young talent in Malayalam Industry, who made a mark in the male dominated world of Costume Designing through her fascinating experiments. Stephy, who proved her excellence by being the proud recipient of the last year’s   Kerala state film award, is also the youngest person to get the honour. It is the feature film titled “Guppy” which got her the recognition, She has also received the Abu Memorial Award for Costume Designing.

Stephy, who grew up in a village in Wayanad lost her father at the tender age of 10. From there, inspired by the Hollywood Movie “Titanic”, Stephy went on to conquer all the obstacles and sought a place for herself in the film industry.

Stephy made a name for herself through the brand new experiments, by collaborating with the popular directors and production companies in the South Indian film Industry, after graduating from National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Stephy’s popular works include films such as : Lord Livingston 7000 Kandi, Great Father, Darwinte Parinamam, Luka Chuppi, Guppy, Ezra, Angamaly Diaries.

PRCI Kerala Chapter Secretary T Vinay Kumar welcomed the gathering and explained the importance of Daughters’ Day and the role of PRCI. U S Kutty, Chairman PRCI, Kerala Chapter proposed the vote of thanks. PRCI Kerala Chapter Treasurer P K Natesh, Ernakulam Press Club President K Ravikumar, Secretary S Unnikrishnan were also present.

#IamParsikHill - IamDying in Business India