Egypt’s Shameless Media

Watching the Egyptian media campaign against Algeria, you feel that Algeria and its people dropped the nuke bomb on one of Egypt’s Pyramids. It is ridiculous to watch about 5 channels including the so-called state TV — ESC — uttering insults against Algeria and its history and culture. Egyptians were really good in fomenting the opinion there and creating one of the worst movies I have seen in my life. I know Egypt has 10.000 actors and actresses but never thought that they are as bad as I have seen them since last week.

From a journalistic point, it is unethical, unprofessional ans irresponsible to accept what those so-called TV beam to Arab viewers. All this frantic campaign was carried out with the soon-to-be unelected Gamal’s green light. Also, we learn from this campaign that all those journalists have no journalistic background. I believe that media schools in Egypt have to shut down immediately, otherwise we will see another wave of irresponsible journalists. The stark evidence is that all Arab and Western media, including Al Arabiya — pro-Egyptians/Saudis — and Al-Jazeera with its two versions, not to mention CNN and French televisions have vehemently criticized the way Egyptians are behaving.

From an Algerian point, I believe that Algeria has tactfullyand diplomatically handled the situation and left the Egyptian media barking till now without reacting to their provications. The Algerian TV continued to broadcast celebrations across the country and abroad. In such case, we learn one thing that the Algerian diplomacy school has no link with the Egyptian one. It more advanced and responsible. The Egyptian diplomacy is similar to President Bush’s one: offensive, agressive, preemptive.

From all this, I learned one thing that the Egyptians are living one of their countless movies. But the problem is the Egyptians found diffuculties to come up with a good name .

Education: The Future of Public Relations

 

This posting will be just a continuation of my previous blog which was about the importance of education for the public relations industry. Based on my UK academic experience, I believe that there is a trend to have academic qualifications in Public Relations. Since we recognize that there is a trend in this field, research in PR industry will continue therefore to develop. To shore up the argument that education is important for Public Relations, I have come across a number of books dealing with the link between education and Public Relations and managed to collected some viewpoints from academics specialized in the Public Relations industry.

 

Glabe said (The Public Relations Handbook, P 380) among the five major public relations issues for the next decade is to have enough qualified staff and promoting PR as an attractive industry to college students. Further, Ralph Tench of Leeds Metropolitan University (Effective Public Relations, P 126) said that professionalization of the PR industry is key to the future and this inextricably linked to education. I believe that these two statements clearly highlight the importance of education for the industry and how education can help PR overcome professional challenges that might arise during work as well as develop the profession to have its won status like law, medicine…

 

Furthermore, James Gruning (Managing Public Relations, P81) said that “public relations will never reach the status of a profession as long as people can get into the field and prosper without having completed a fairly rigorous course of study in the field”. In this regard, practitioners should be holders of a PR degree in order to get into the field, otherwise this industry will remain open to outsiders and even unregulated.

 

It is important to have a specialized course in PR, as this will help the profession have a sound academic reference, and will therefore expand research and knowledge which are the cornerstones for the development of any profession, notably for PR which continues to make significant strides in terms of expansion on the ground.

 

Finally, education is important and can be further enhanced by PR firms which can play a key role in the practical education process through the extensive internships they offer. I believe interns not only get invaluable experience but are one of the best ways to secure jobs. In such situation, we will have the required degree and the entry-level experience that employers are looking for!

Public Relations education: our future is banking on it.

 

 

From Commercial Marketing to Social Marketing! Is it Workable?

Social marketing is a new term that I have discovered here in the UK which I think is slowly gaining influence in the corridors of power here. According to Gerard Hastings’ book, Social Marketing is concerned with the application of marketing knowledge, concepts and techniques to enhance social as well as economic ends. It is also concerned with analysis of the social consequences of marketing policies, decisions and activities.

From Hastings’ Social Marketing book I understood that social marketing is about using marketing techniques developed in the commercial sector to bring about individual changes and of course behaviors notably behaviors that might be harmful like smoking, speeding…For instance, if marketing can get us to buy a Ferrari, it can also encourage us to drive safely.

Hastings set out a number of principles for social marketing. He mainly focused his theory on the human behavior and communication techniques. He also looks at relationships with stakeholders, social marketing competition, research and ethical issues.

I came to the conclusion that social marketing is gaining ground in different sectors for various reasons, particularly for its social aspect which aims at changing human behaviors but without forgetting the economic ends.

Is It Possible to Switch from Global to G-local PR?

Practicing public relations at an international level seems to be tremendously exciting and extremely interesting for me. But the question that I always ask is how this global or international PR should be practiced and what are the steps that must be taken into consideration on the field to achieve success.

For any public relations professionals whose job is transnational, the primary question that we should pose:  do PR practitioners need to comply with the procedures of host countries, adopt formulae intended to represent the international norms or act in a way that prompts the practitioners to work in a “gloclized context” which means balancing between the local and the international standards.

In his book titled “Globalization for Development”, John Maynard Keynes defines glocalisation as “the process whereby global corporations tailor products and marketing to particular local circumstances to meet variations in consumer demand”. The glocal approach is frequently used in international contexts.

However, other scholars believe that the best approach to establish international public relations is to focus more on the cultural understanding aspect. Those scholars argue that the most important aspects that should be taken into account when communicating with publics at international level are: the country profile, including the local political, economic and media landscape as well as the legal, cultural and social structures. I support this approach as I believe that what is applicable in China will not necessarily succeed in Kuwait and vice versa.   

The best approach is therefore to balance between the locally perceived good and the internationally recognized norms under the international laws, treaties and agreements. Thus, it is highly recommended for any PR practitioners with the intention to work at international level to fluently speak the local language and being a good culture explorer. Finally, one thing that should be seriously taken into consideration is that Global PR practitioners should not stay in their “ivory tower”, otherwise there would be a backfire!

To Be or Not to Be a Woman in PR

Last Wednesday class on feminization and Public Relations was a little bit “eventful” and actually “regressive”. First of all, I believe that the subject was chosen on purpose by our course leader as she was certain and confident that such subject continues to trigger vivid debate among people despite their cultural, religious or ethnic background. Second, it was regressive since I have been really astonished rather shocked by some of my female classmates who strongly and vehemently were opposing to see women climbing the public relations profession ladder and even reaching top positions within this industry. My female classmates used stereotypes that women are “soft”, “housewife”, “kind”, and “family-oriented”…which were often ascribed to males to be behind. I can say now that the ball is in women’s court and they have to work very hard to change these “negative perceptions” among them and among other groups and there is now an imperative necessity to open a “woman-woman” debate about the issue.  

 

However, I would say that my female classmates who strongly opposed women progressing in the public relations industry were totally wrong. Women have “successfully infiltrated” realms that were completely male-closed professions like business and politics either in “liberal or in extremely conservative societies”. For instance, we have Margaret Thatcher who was called the “Iron Woman” for being a strong female leader as well as Benzir Bhutto who was elected prime minister in a very religiously conservative country. Recently in Algeria, a woman – Louisa Hanoune — announced her candidacy for the second time for the presidential elections slated for April 2009.  These few examples squash the idea that women have not reached their professional peak. They have reached more than what they were expecting. If they have managed to rule nations, how it would be difficult for them to run a PR agency or an in-house communication department!!

Shell’s “Social Corporate Irresponsability”?!!

While I was reading on CSR, I came across several times with Shell CSR schemes and how this giant oil company made a U-turn in its policy to golden its image and reputation around the world. In its report, Christian Aid opened fire at Shell’s activities in the Niger delta, where relations with the community have been tense since the death of poet activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others who protested against oil activities in the region. In the same report, Christian Aid has scathingly criticized Shell for the clean-up of oil spills and repair of pipelines in Nigeria which was described as scandalously inadequate and would never be tolerated in Europe and North America.” Christian Aid says that despite Shell’s claims about “honesty, integrity and respect for people”, the oil company has failed to bring about change in the delta.

Shell PR disasters in Nigeria have therefore prompted the business world to reconsider its communication strategies about the importance of public reputations and the ability of campaigners to damage them.

According to Corporate Watch, Shell spent £20 million on its PR offensive to restore its reputation. Also, Shell was bound to issue a statement in which it has outlined its principles and core values like ‘honesty, integrity and respect for people as well as openness and dialogue.”

But is it enough to announce good intentions and take good actions to show to the public how the corporate was socially responsible? I think that those major companies cannot ignore the profits they gain from their investments and the CSR programmes they fund account for a very tiny amount of the whole revenues they collect annually. I think rolling out CSR schemes will certainly achieve the short and medium term objectives. But if we look at the long-term objective, those giant companies will continue to amass huge amounts of money despite their large number of “hate-mongers”. They are the winner in any case!!  

Is Corporate Social Responsability Responsible!?

When we hear British Petroleum (BP) or Shell undertaking Corporate Social Responsibility programmes in some developing nations in order to address environmental and sustainable development issues, critics of those major oil companies argue that the aim behind these programmes is to be used as a shield and distract the public from ethical questions and of course keep their business investments in those countries in safety. Creating CSR programmes would therefore help the companies contain “the resentment” of the local populations.  

In its 2004 report entitled “Behind The Mask: The Real Face Of Corporate Social Responsibility”, Christian Aid states that CSR is being used as a public relations tool and believes it is no coincidence that companies in areas such as oil, mining and tobacco are its biggest public champions. Is it true that blue-chip CSR is just throwing powder in eyes!