Arts/Literary
Effective Media Relations
Author: Jossy Nkwocha,
Publishers: Zoom Lens Books, Lagos
Pagination: 298
Reviewer: Mezie Ekenna, ANIPR
Price: Not stated
As public relations battles
for relevance in the current global economic milieu, practitioners of the profession, as well as students and lecturers are seeking new strategies and techniques to confront emerging challenges. One area of public relations that requires special attention is media relations. Because of the media’s awesome power, corporate organisations and networth individuals such as political office holders want to handle or manage the media more professionally, effectively and efficiently.
The third edition of Jossy Nkwocha’s PR management book titled Effective Media Relations: Issues, Strategies & Dynamics (2009) comes handy. It is both scholarly and professional in nature, apparently to serve the needs scenarios of both academics and professional practice. Many PR books available in Nigeria are written from foreign perspectives, but this one is immensely Nigerian in context and content.
The author rightly identifies media relations as one of the functional branches of public relations. He defines it as “the strategic public relations function which establishes and maintains mutual understanding, goodwill, cooperation, respect and support between an organisation or networth individuals and the mass media practitioners/owners with the aim of achieving maximum positive publicity and media support, as well as other defined corporate and PR objectives.”
A critique of this book, recently released by its publishers, would be based on certain basic criteria which a new edition should satisfy. Such criteria would include needs scenario analysis, infusion of new sets of information, fresh insights, updates, new chapters, fresh perspectives, and so on. Indeed, one could ask: what is new about the new edition? This is the task of this review.
The book has 15 chapters spanning the gamut of specialised media relations with an introductory chapter on the history and dynamics of public relations practice in Nigeria. Each chapter ends with a set of questions to task the reader.
Perhaps the most refreshing chapters are the ones on media relations research and planning (chp. 3), specialised public relations writings and interviews (chp. 4), new techniques, tools and strategies of media relations (chp.5). The author in these chapters reveals why many press releases, for instance, end up in editors’ trash bin.
Other outstanding chapters of the book are on evaluation mechanisms in media relations (chp. 7), budgeting and costing (chp. 11), laws and ethics (chp. 13), crisis and issues management (chp. 14) as well as information and communications technologies ICT (chp. 15).
The author painstakingly takes the reader through all aspects of media relations that enhance media visibility and support required by corporate organisations and networth individuals in the new dispensation.
The new edition comes in a glossy cover design in green and light grey, with embossed title. Its 15 chapters are infused with fresh facts such as new trends in global media relations practice (pg. 78-82), the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill (pg. 209), updates on major newspapers in Nigeria (pg. 223 & 224), and chronological order of early newspapers in Nigeria 1869 – 1964 (pg. 286-286).
These and various other fresh insights and facts would surely satisfy the needs of final year and post-graduate students who are engaged in research projects, as well as practitioners who face various challenges in their daily duties.
Let me recall that Effective Media Relations was first published in 1999 as a small 12-chapter book. It became an instant success, accepted by both academics and professionals across the country. According to the publishers, as at the last count, the book was a recommended text in 12 universities, and fort eh professional examinations of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
At the time of writing the book in 1999, Nkwocha was the General Editor of Newswatch magazine, fresh from a Masters degree programme in public relations at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Enugu Campus). The spicing on the cake was a generous foreword by Prof. Ikechukwu Nwosu, current President of NIPR and a tough scholar.
In ten years, the book has gone through two editions that have turned it into a bigger, better and richer package. In the preface to the third edition, the author stated that various feedbacks from stakeholders have helped to invigorate the new edition. This must be in addition to Nkwocha’s seven years post-Newswatch experience in public relations practice, consultancy, research and teaching.
The author’s Harvard referencing makes the book the academics delight. In the next edition of the book, the author should try and provide contemporary case studies, which would help both students and practitioners. In summary, Effective Media Relations: Issues, Strategies and Dynamics is a worthy contribution to knowledge and public relations literature in Nigeria.
- Mr. Ekenne is a public relations practitioner based in Lagos.
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.
Competition among children in schools be it primary, (kindergarten) and secondary come in different forms. It can be Mathematics , debate, quiz, spelling bee,competition, from organisations like Cowbell, multi-national companies, faith-based organisations among others.
They are organised mostly for selected intelligent ones, the best among their peers to represent a class, school or group. Prizes are normally set aside for the best as well as consolation prizes for runners-up at the end of each session.
The question is, are children willing to accept defeat when they fail? As parents, guardians, can you encourage your children or wards to accept defeat instead of shouting and comparing them with others who may be performing better either in schools or outside.
Some parents may be blaming their children for not doing well in competitions. They will like to tell their children if others who may perform better have ten heads. Those group of parents blame their children for every failure.
For your children to do better in competition, the parents too must have emotional intelligence. When you continue to blame your children for failure, how intelligent are you?
Some parents always want their children to be in the 1st position and unhappy whenever they secure 2nd position. There were instances where children smashed their trophies because they never got the position they wanted to get and their parents supported them.
Children should be able to accept it whether they win or not. They should be encouraged for every performance. Discourage the issue of “shame, shame, shame, shame”.
A parent says she always tells her children to win even if they will fail. Always give them the mentality that they can win. Children should be given the impression that they can win prizes and laurels in every competition.
Parents should not isolate their children from others in the neighbourhood. Allow them to play with others. Don’t threaten your children that you may not pay their schools fees if they fail. Comparing them with others may encourage or discourage them.
Coming first or getting award as a first class student from the university sometimes does not mean that the person is the best. And if the child does not merit any award in the lower classes, does not mean that he can not merit first class also.
It should be noted that coming first in academic competition may not really mean that the competitor will be the best at work place or business.
Accepting defeat is a way to move higher. Even if a child who competed with others did not come first, there are consolation prizes for runners-up. When you advise the child to accept defeat, you are encouraging her to win in next competition.
Remember all children cannot be on the same knowledge level Their learning abilities defer.
Eunice Choko-Kayode