Journey of PR from West to India

'Journey of PR from West to India'

Public relations have been with us for thousands of years.  The Greeks had a word for it:  Semantikos:  to signify, to mean.   Semantikos means Semantics, which can be defined as how to get people to believe things and do things, a good definition of PR.

In 50 B.C. Julius Caesar wrote the first campaign biography, Caesar’s Gallic Wars.  He publicized his military exploits to convince the Roman people that he would make the best head of state. 

In 394 A.D., St. Augustine, Professor of Rhetoric in Milan (then capitol of the Western Roman Empire) delivered the regular eulogies to the emperor and was the closest thing to a minister of propaganda for the imperial court. Thus, St. Augustine was one of the first people in charge of public relations.  The modern equivalent would be the President’s press secretary or media advisor.

Archeologists have found ancient bulletins and brochures in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) dating to about 1,800 BC. These publications on stone tablets told farmers how to sow crops, irrigate their fields, and increase their harvests. These were important goals for monarchs who wanted their followers to be well fed and prosperous, both requirements for a stable empire.

In the 3^rd Century BC, the philosopher Socrates of Athens taught that effective communication should be based on truth. His student, Plato, carried on Socrates’ work. But it was Plato’s student, Aristotle of Athens, who has contributed most to contemporary communication thought. Aristotle analyzed persuasive communication and taught others how to be effective speakers, specifically by developing compelling and ethical arguments to offer verbal proofs. Aristotle’s book Rhetoric remains influential to this day.

Philip of Macedonia had conquered the whole of Greece. His son Alexander the Great, was a student of Aristotle. Philip extended his rule throughout Northern Africa, Asia Minor and India. Both rulers had gold and ivory statues of themselves placed in towns and temples throughout the conquered lands as constant reminders of their presence – a common technique associated with public relations, still practiced in examples such as commemorative stamps, monuments, stadiums, named buildings, and so on.

John the Baptist is recognized in the social history of Christianity as the pioneer who was effective in generating among his publics an anticipation and enthusiasm for Jesus Christ.

In 1095, Pope Urban II  sent his message throughout Europe using the efficient communication system of monasteries. He used a sustained approach that involved all the communication tactics of the times, including writing, public speaking, word of mouth, slogans and symbols. His persuasion to influence public opinion was effective, as he attracted thousands of volunteers for the first of a series of Holy Crusades.

In 1215, the archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton used tactics of lobbying and government relations. He persuaded the influential English barons to join him in demanding that King John recognize the rights of both the barons and the church. The result of this successful persuasion was the Magna Carta, the document that laid the foundation for constitutional government not only in England but eventually around the world.

Persuasive communication has been at the heart of much of Western social and political development. It played a major role in the American campaign for independence from Britain, perhaps the best early example of a comprehensive use of public relations techniques. Samuel Adams is credited as the chief strategist of the movement for independence. His legacy, and that of his revolutionary associates, includes his public relations strategies and tactics.

In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote The Crisis, a pamphlet which convinced the soldiers of Washington’s army to stay and fight at a time when so many were prepared to desert so they could escape the cold and the hardships of a winter campaign.  Paine was a master of political propaganda whose writing could get people to do things and believe things.

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. He made it a rule to forbear all contradiction to others, and all positive assertions of his own.  He would say, I conceive or I apprehend or I imagine a thing to be so, or it appears to be so.  Franklin pioneered the rules for personal relations in an era before mass media had made possible a profession called Public Relations.

Public relations became a profession in 1903 as Ivy Lee undertook to advise John D. Rockefeller on how to conduct his public relations. Rockefeller owned coal mines and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Miners were on strike and the railroad hushed up the facts when its trains were involved with accidents.

Ivy Lee advised Rockefeller to visit the coal mines and talk to the miners. Rockefeller spent time listening to the complaints of the miners, improved their conditions, danced with their wives, and became a hero to the miners.

After a railroad accident, Ivy Lee invited reporters to inspect the wreck and get the facts. The Pennsylvania Railroad then obtained its first favourable press coverage. Ivy Lee professionalized public relations by following these principles:

 1. Tell the truth

 2. Provide accurate facts

 3. The public relations director must have access to top management and must be able to influence decisions.

Ivy Lee is the first practitioner of Modern PR who invented Press Release & the term Crises Communication.

Public relations took the next step toward professionalism in 1918 as Edward L. Bernays advised the President of the new country of Czechoslovakia to announce independence on a Monday, rather than on a Sunday to get maximum press coverage. In 1923, Bernays published Crystallizing Public Opinion  in which he established several public relations principles.  He said that public relations had these functions:-

a. To interpret the client to the public that means promoting the client.

b. To interpret the public to the client that means operating the company in such a way as to gain the approval of the public.

PR technique of communications was unconsciously used in ancient India. The best example is that of the Emperor Ashoka. 

His edicts inscribed on rocks that have survived till this day, informed the people, the policies of the government, and exhorted them to carry out certain tasks. Interestingly, an important principle of public relations was practiced by Ashoka. The edicts for different regions were written in regional scripts that were in use in that region, making royal communication Language & Region-Specific for better understanding and acceptability.

Another form of public relations was practised directly by Indian British Govt. during World War-1 (1914-1918). As in other parts of the world it was necessary to mobilise public support, the Indian British Govt. also felt it necessary to disseminate information. It decided to set up an organisation to feed the press, and supply news about war to the people. A Central Publicity Board was established. The board comprised of representatives from the Army and the foreign and political depts. of the Govt. of India.  After the war this board was dissolved and its functions were taken over by the Central Bureau of Information established in year 1921.

The instability created in Europe by the First World War (1914-18) set the stage for another international conflict - World War II (1939-1945) which broke out two decades later and proved even more devastating. Not much progress was made in the development of Professional PR during the period between the two world wars. The public didn’t have any forum for expressing themselves except a few nationalist newspapers, which were often subject to harassment by the Indian (British) Govt. many of these were also forced to close down.

During  World War II the Indian British Govt. again felt the need to reach out to the public since Great Britain was also a main party to the war. To mobilize positive support in favour of the war efforts was difficult for the Indian Govt. in a situation where Indian National Congress and the national sentiments were generally against the war effort. The Indian British Govt. therefore, took a number of measures:-

a. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting was created. 

b. Central Bureau of Information created earlier was merged with the new ministry. 

c. A National War Front was set up and a number of other units were also created under I & B such as; 1. The War Purposes Exhibition Unit, 2. Films Division and 3. Central Bureau of Public Opinion.

The I & B Ministry consciously used PR techniques to create opinion in favour of the war effort. The need for mobilizing the public opinion in favour of the war gave birth to organised and conscious PR activities in INDIA. During the Pre – Independence era extensive use of the PR techniques was made in India before professional PR arrived on the scene. The PR techniques played a significant role in the national movement.

With the coming of Independence the scenario changed completely. A democratic constitution was framed. Significant from the point of view of PR, were two features of the new Indian Constitution. Certain fundamental rights including the right to freedom of speech and expression (free press), freedom of assembly, association or union, the right to practice any profession or occupation and Adult suffrage i.e. right to vote.

With the dawn of independence a democratically elected government started functioning in India. Realising the importance of keeping people informed, the govt. began to develop infrastructure of a vast information and mass communication network to suit its objectives and priorities. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting served as nodal ministry in this field for setting up and monitoring the information network through its various media units like the PIB, DAVP, AIR, DD, Films Division, and Publication Division.

Although Public Relations was well developed in the United States, its application to the Indian scene became noticeable only in the early fifties. This was confined to the multinational organisations, which realised the importance of building up opinion in their favour under the new political setup. After the independence, the public opinion was unfavorable to foreign multinational companies operating in India, The Indian public viewed them as an extension of the foreign rule in the area of trade, industry and commerce.

Therefore both, the Govt. and the business organisations had to adopt conscious and deliberate policies and programmes of public relations. It is from this period of 50’s that the PR practice in the modern sense began in India. Large international companies like Burmah Shell, ESSO, Caltex, Dunlop, Phillips etc. began to use PR techniques in India so that they would be able to survive and grow in post-independence era. 

  

Among the Indian business groups, the Tata Group were the first to realise the importance of Public Relations as an instrument of growth to create an atmosphere of trust between business, the government and masses. Industrial Development & Regulation Act, Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices Act, The Companies Act and setting up of so many bodies to regulate the various aspects of the functioning of industry created a situation where it became necessary for the industry to develop relations with the govt., its many regulatory organisations and with the parliament, hence the need of PR. 

The Industrial Policy Resolution had demarcated certain areas where private sector could not play a part. Those were reserved for public or Govt. sector e.g. Public Utilities like Post & Telegraph, Power, Irrigation, Railways, Defence Production. Since Govt. & Public Sector was in advantageous position as far as publicity is concerned, the entire govt. infrastructure of information and communication was available to them.

Public Sector Undertakings, therefore, started setting up of PR depts. As per the guidelines issued by the parliamentary committee on Public Sector Undertakings it was felt that they owed it to the public to keep them informed about their state of business. Similarly many private enterprises also began setting up of PR depts. which resulted in emergence of PR professionals.

Public Sector Undertakings also felt the need of a platform to share their problems and for this purpose Standing Committee on Public Enterprises (SCOPE) was set up where meetings of PR Professionals of public undertakings were held to discuss the various problems faced by them and to evolve a uniform set of guidelines. On the similar lines the corporate sector also created various platforms like CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI etc. to share their problems etc.

A need was felt for a professional PR organisation, which culminated in the formation of the Public Relation Society of India (PRSI) in 1958. PRSI did much to increase the status of the PR Professionals, by first adopting a code of ethics, holding conferences, interacting with the professionals abroad, and by setting up facilities for the PR education and training. 

This helped to set standards for the profession of PR and gave it an important status in the corporate life of the country. At present the political, social, and economic environment, the emergence of pressure groups, surfacing of issues and trends like consumerism, environment protection, liberalization, and creation of competitive environment offer unlimited scope for the growth and practice of public relations in India.  

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