SABC launches its 24 hour news channel

The SABC logo: Embraced with the colours of the flag.
(sauce: www.google.co.za)

 Reading my daily newspaper, I got to discover that SABC will be launching a 24 hour news channel. The news channel will be sponsored by DStv read more. The SABC is taken as the public broadcast because of its affordability compared to its competitor DStv or toptv. “We are ready”, said Lulama Makhobo the group CEO, on Monday. The news channel will however be firstly available on DStv and then on digital terrestrial television later on.

 Now, SABC launching a 24 hour news channel seems extreme because:

• The SABC is already repeating programmes from the olden days like Yizo Yizo or Bophelo ke Semphego
• The many viewers of SABC are not able to pay their TV licenses



Ready to tranform: Group CEO, Lulama Makhobo assured
the media that the SABC is ready for this one.
(sauce: www.channel24.co.za)



Already the  government is getting publicity from the SABC news that are being broadcast for 30 minutes every day  in all the 3 channels,  because when it comes to the government an angle is applied.  The government is being portrayed in the best way possible, although negative stories are reported like the Angie Motshekga saga or corruption within the government, but not everything is revealed.

Come the elections, what is being broadcast is about what the ruling party is doing or has done to make a better living for the people, and less about other parties. Doesn’t this show favoritism of the ruling party? It is so obvious that the government will be framed in the best way ever.

I therefore think that the SABC is doing this to gain the focus of the audience to ANC. Yes the nation needs to be informed, but at the end of the day this is business, and publicity is on top of the list.

Our sports people and their communication



We love and support our people: The ladies hockey team
celebrating their victory.(sauce: www.google.com)



It is the London Olympics at this time of the year. The Olympics, which started in 776 B.C, occur once every 4 years, almost each and every country is participating or representing. People are talking about Olympics -if they are not they must be ignorant. Communication is the most key in this whole event. Now think about this: You are an athlete from South Africa, Portugal or Spain and you find that you do not know English.

If you are from Britain or USA you have the very most advantage because English is the mother- tongue language or home language.Well... Obviously the government or the planners of this event are aware of this and get to hire translators.

  

Yes, we should embrace our mother-tongue but up to what extent? According to The Economist of 12 January 2011, there was once a motion posed by the South African government that kids in schools should be taught in their mother- tongue language read more. I mean how can you do mathematics in your mother- tongue language? The next best thing you know, you are in tertiary and do not know how to communicate with your peers.  Going for an interview is going to be even harder. Well... These sports people are representing their own countries, but how they communicate has an effect on their image and the younger generation. Playing sports and excelling in it is a talent, it’s a God- given talent, but bear in mind that you have fans that look up to you. Yes there are brands that invest in our respective sports people or sponsor them but communication is just the main objective here.



 One of our best athletes on the 2012 team: Caster Semenya,
giving a confident pose. (sauce: www.google.com) 



I find it disturbing if a well-known sports person especially from South Africa, to be so talented but yet failing to communicate in a proper manner... But who am I to judge, because we all have different gifts? The question posed is, how well do our sports people know the medium of instruction or is it a necessity for them to only know their mother-tongue and not care about English?

The women's month, taken as an opportunity



Avon makes a difference at the walkathon event to raise funds:
Over 30 00 people participate to help women diagnosed with
breast cancer (sauce: www.avon.co.za)

 It is a women’s month and a lot of organisations are doing a lot to seem like a helping organisation especially about breast cancer. Organisations like Avon which has events that are held to empower women to look good and feel better and even have walkathons to generate massive awareness of breast cancer. There are even tertiary organisations like SPRA (Student Public Relations Association) based at UJ ( University of Johannesburg)which are making a difference by volunteering in communities.

Giving back with a smile: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
sees giving back in the society as a collective effort.
 (www.thegivingorganisation.org)

The only question might be: Are organisations giving back to be seen as caring? Is it altruism in the making or Corporate Social Investment? The industry of Public Relations and Communications requires an organisation to keep abreast, giving is optional but wouldn’t you do so to get the people's loyalty or your target audiences’ positive perception. Do organisations do this because they want to or are they forced to?

Princess Charlene of Monaco will be co-patron with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu at The Giving Organisation to give back, this is a collaborative South African good cause organisation.

  One of the biggest and growing ways in giving back to the society was/ is Mandela day. A lot of companies, brands, organisations or even celebrities where giving their 67 minutes.  The University of Johannesburg also contributed to Mandela day, the question is still pending.



Her highness provides a helping hand: Princess
Charlene and her husband. (www.thegivingorganisation.org)

Back to August being a women’s month, an opportunity is out there for organisations to give a helping hand besides expecting anything in return or publicity. Events like ‘Take a girl child to work day’ or ‘Women empowerment’ within undeveloped or developing areas are the key to be seen as caring read more. As a young woman I feel privileged that my “being” is being celebrated but would not want it to be taken for granted for a mere beneficiary scheme.

Organisations are trying but... Is it because they are forced to? Just to have a good image in the public sphere.

I wonder if this is the career for me

  

You chose it: It worse when you confused. (sauce: http://www.slapusidethead.com/)



Have you ever felt like you are in the wrong field, wrong career? Many of us feel like that especially when things go wrong within the workplace or when we are stressed. Well it all goes back to how you chose your career. Did you choose it because it has always been what you wanted to do or because you were forced to. Is it because it was a second choice or was it because you had no option but to study?

Some say a job is different from a career because, a career is the one that you studied for and a job is the work you do just to make a living, what do you say?



One may feel bored or feel like quitting their job because deep down they know that it is not what they wanted to do. The most downside about being in the wrong career is when you start showing. There are nurses for example who are supposed to take care of patients but do not exactly do that, they in fact treat them badly. There are cashiers who you can see right from their facial expression that even if you did not from buy from their shop it would not matter. Then you get to ask yourself why did he/she choose this career if he/she is going to be this rude. A pretend-smile will do!

You have to be careful because what you do in the company or for the company reflects the company’s image. Remember to communicate well at all times because you going to definitely need a reference once you move on.

There is a truck driver who made three accidents and got fired after the third incident, read more. There are so many famous people, so to speak who made bad publicity stunts or were rude to the media. Would you now say that being in a bad mood made you sarcastic or stubborn within your career?  Do you take the blame to the customer and say “She’s the one who was ungrateful for my assistance.”Guidelines on choosing the right career

There is a bright side to being in the ‘supposedly’ wrong career though. You sometimes get to discover your inner-self. Something that you did not know existed in you. You end up discovering that this is actually what you want to do. You end up loving your job.



What gives you the right?



Who knows what he's about to say: DJ Mo Flava
ready to do what he does best, presenting.
(sauce: http://www.google.co.za/)

 The workplace is a place where you will spend most of your time in your life. That is why you have to love it, adapt and make the most of it. What about if you use the workplace as your form of expression, but not in a rightful way? South Africa is indeed celebrating it's 18 years of freedom on 27 April of this year. This shows that the country has come a long way to fight for the citizen's rights. Is your workplace a platform to communicate, just because you can?


What I have found fascinating however is the people using their freedom to such an extent that will hurt others. Mo Flava a DJ in Y FM, the Youth FM made comments about well-known actress Maggie Benedict who plays Akhona Griffiths in the famous South African soapie Generations read more. Mo Flava used the platform of being a DJ to describe Maggie as "ugly". The manager of Y FM commented that " They merely implied that she has a resemblance to UK popstar Estelle. Then why didn't he say so?


Ready for "action": Maggie Benedict who plays Akhona in
 Generations, is loved by the many.
(source:www.google.co.za)

 How can a DJ say such a thing as this was a complaint by a listener claiming that Mo Flava and his colleagues are referring to Maggie as an ugly-looking person. Does our freedom of expression lead us to such behaviour. There are obviously effects and implications because Mo Flava has not only created a bad name for himself but for his company too. The radio station's reputation is at stake now. The company has to find a way of handling the situation, but the question still lies, how will Y FM handle this and does having a right whether in the workplace or as a citizen make you label others? YFM has to look at how it will communicate with the actress to establish or maitain a good relationship.

The University of Johannesburg goes carefull



Outside the University of Johannesburg
 Bunting Road campus: A prospectus student awaits,
 wondering about the future. (sauce: http://www.google.co.za/)

 It is always intriguing to see how companies and organisations manage their crisis situations or dilemmas. I couldn't help but think of the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa read more about UJ. UJ is well-known in South Africa and in other countries, famous for being diverse and having four campuses; it will be hosting an Open Day on 11 and 12 May this year.

As UJ is approaching its' Open Day, my question only lies on how the day will be maintained or controlled. Schools have to book and make an appointment to come visit UJ on Friday; parents also have to make appointments to come visit with their children on Saturday. Open day is a day whereby prospective people or learners come together, ask questions about career fields they are interested in, tour around and learn more about the institution. The institution is basically selling itself to its consumers or customers. It is the best way to market and communicate directly with its' target market.

HOW TO DEAL WITH A CRISIS? HOW?

Now UJ came with a strategy of setting appointments because after this year's stampede read more about stampede, that caused a mother's life, UJ cannot certainly take any chances.

The long queue for applying: Everyone wants to see themselves
studying at a university. (sauce: http://www.google.co.za/)

Is UJ showing that it is responsible enough to handle a big number of people besides the registered students that are already enrolling? The matter might have been handled or be in the process of being solved, read more but a bad image has already been created. Some might even think twice about applying at the University of Johannesburg.

How are companies, organisations or institutions handling their crisis situations? Do they wait for an incident to occur. Are they reactive communicators with the public instead of proactive? -Foreseeing a crisis before it happens. But who is to be blamed though, the department of education, UJ, the late applicants?

This situation goes to show that public relations and communications departments are vital in each and every organisation. Dealing with matters in a way that will benefit both the organisation and the public market or customer has to be dealt with strategically. Internal and external communication should be looked at cautiously no matter how big or small an organisation is.

Social Media and technology taking over?




You can also find kids on Facebook.
(source: www.googleimages.com)

 



Is the social media networking taking over our lives? Social media is indeed taking over our lives because these days we relate everything to it. Besides using it at home or for social reasons it is being used at work as a tool to communicate with the staff.  Sites like Facebook or Yahoo are used to disseminate information faster than you can say “quick”. It is good and it is being improved everyday as I read on The New Age, (11 April) about Facebook buying Istagram  for $1 billion which is a camera application used by social network users to share photos in the most effective and immediate way read more about Instagram deal  
What about when these networking sites don’t protect your private information?  What about when social network cause road accidents or kidnappings. But then again, which good PR campaign can change all this?- Resources and money!

The New Age( 13 April) published an article about “Go Digital South Africa” which is a new way of broadcasting that will be implemented in South Africa. Broadcasting will be moved from analogue TV to digital which will provide more clarity and sound and more TV channels. Digital TV is when signals are encoded and can be compressed to a minimum of 8 TV channels and can be provided in the same frequency as analogue which is transmission in form of electromagnetic waves. This is proof that technology is improving and taking over because schools are also implementing ways on teaching using i-pads. read more

One of the leading social networking sites.
(source: www.googleimages.com )

What about when social media disturbs us in the workplace or sends out the wrong information? Yesterday I went to a school appointment to find that the employee was not assisting me because of being on Facebook. What does this therefore say about the company’s image and communication? It simply sends out a message that they couldn’t care less about me or any other customer who needed help? This does not only happen at schools but also at supermarkets, hospitals or retail shops.

Twitter is also one of the social networks used these days especially by celebrities. They are able to build on their image by communicating instantly with their fans or the public, they just miss the plot when they tweet about anything and I mean anything, or when they say whatever because of the social network being instant and immediate. Social media is a great way of communicating but can ruin a campaign or a person when incorrectly used.




The logos at their best.
(source: http://www.googleimages.com/)

  Let your employees know that when they treat a consumer badly chances are that they won’t come back. Social media goes wrong when you do not know its' purpose, especially at work. Know the time to chit-chat and to work. It is therefore up to Public Relations Practitioners of companies and organisations to teach their staff members about the importance of social media.

Know what to say.

Don’t link personal information

Know how to use it… You will never go wrong.