Chandigarh, July 28- Haryana Director, Information, Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, Mr Shiv Raman Gaur today described India as a hub of communication saying that we have more than 500 TV Channels and over 1000 of newspapers and magazines.
Mr Gaur was speaking at a round table discussion held on “Ethics in Communication” at PHD House here today. The programme was organized by the Chandigarh Chapter of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI).
Mr Gaur said, “India being the biggest democracy has a constitutional base for Freedom of Expression. The three key players of communication viz media, public authorities and public at large have significant contributions to make towards ethics. However it is sad to observe that public at large is usually at the receiving end.”Mr Vivek Atrey, Additional Transport Commissioner, Haryana said, “The flow of information has become so free that ethics have almost lost importance in a run for TRPs and revenues. The ‘do whatever you have to’ approach at the decisive end has lead to the situation where ethics are put at stake or entirely go for a toss. The advertising scenario is so worse that such falsified claims are made that a cream can make you fair in one week or spraying a deodorant can make you a pied piper of the girls. Such un-ethical practices need to be curbed. Both media and society have a larger role to play for the same.”
Earlier opening the seminar, Ms Renuka Salwan, Chairperson, PRCI, Chandigarh Chapter highlighted the importance of communication in public relations as “Public relation is the tool for accomplishing the corporate goals and corporate ethics. Therefore, public relations ethics in tune with corporate ethics focuses on ethical implications of public relations strategies and media tactics for providing accurate and truthful information in public interest.” Presiding over the discussion Ms Adity Dua, Former Corporate Communication Head, ITC Limited congratulated PRCI Chandigarh for bringing up a healthy topic for discussion. She added that youth is the torch-bearers of ethical communication. She impressed that it is important to understand as how communication may retain its ethics in today’s grey environment.
Dr K K Rattu, Station Director, Chandigarh Doordarshan emphasized ethics as a mode of self introspection. He condemned the contents and language of modern advertisements and reality shows who in order to enhance their viewership have crossed all levels of morality and ethics. Ms Archana R Singh Chairperson, School of Communication Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh said that values must inculcate at home. They begin at intra-personal level and end in mass-communication. Ms Ashima Dhir, Senior Faculty, S D College, Chandigarh raised the concern that society is besieged with scandals now a days and lack of transparency is the biggest hindrance towards ethics.
PRCI Zonal head Mr Charanjit Singh described the communication professionals as the change agents. PRCI is head quartered in Bangalore and it has 18 chapters with over 3000 members all over the country. The organization is making efforts to bring high standards in the profession of public relations. PRCI Chandigarh Chapter secretary Mr Lalit Sharma, joint secretary Mr Narvijay Yadav and former chairman Jatinder Vijh were also present at the programme.