Skip to main content

Gujarat to hire top PR firm to ensure publication of pro-Modi articles in national papers, coverage in TV

By Rajiv Shah
The Narendra Modi government is learnt to have worked out a complete plan to reach out to the national media by hiring a top public relations (PR) management firm with headquarters in Delhi. Sources in the Commissionerate of Information, Government of Gujarat, say, the state government "intends to appoint a PR firm to create awareness about brand ‘Gujarat’ across India and the globe." The sources added, the aim is to "position Gujarat as one of India’s leading states across sectors by increasing visibility and enhancing ‘top of mind’ recall so as to make it an ideal destination amongst various stakeholders."
The PR firm, for which tenders have being floated, will be required to "effectively disseminate information about Gujarat government’s various activities to national and international media", the sources said, adding, in order to help shape favorable media opinion for Gujarat government, both nationally as well as internationally, the firm will be required to prepare "an effective PR strategy plan", even as making "all arrangements necessary for the media coverage of any event when dignitaries from Gujarat", especially the Chief Minister, during his "visits to Delhi or any other part of the country or as and when asked to do".
The firm will be required to "arrange for national and international media to visit Gujarat and attend various events organized by the different departments of the Government of Gujarat; acquaint the media with the positive growth and developments happening in the state at regular intervals, or as and when asked to do so". Further, it will be the firm’s "responsibility to arrange for the visits of journalists to Gujarat, any other part of the country or abroad", and the "expenses for the same will be reimbursed by the Commissionerate of Information on the submission of actual bills", the sources said.
Further, the firm will "prepare press releases, news articles, messages, write – ups, articles, features in Hindi/ English and regional languages for publication in print media and telecast / broadcast media in TV, radio and internet." Its targets, the sources said, would include:
* Publication of at least 6 major stories from the State in a quarter based on the input provided by the State Government in national newspapers viz. the Hindustan Times, the Times of India, Indian Express, Hindu, Economic Times etc.
* Publication of six major stories in regional newspapers in a quarter again based on the input provided by the State Government
* Publication of 6 major stories in a quarter in the major vernacular mewspapers with widespread coverage viz. Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Oriya, Urdu, etc.
* Publication of at least one major story in national magazines viz. India Today, Frontline, Outlook, The Week, etc. based on the input provided by the state government
* Coverage/ telecast of at least one major story every month in a major TV News Channel viz. NDTV, Times Now, CNN-IBN, AajTak, Zee News, Star News, TV Today, etc.
Besides, the sources said, the firm will required to provide "crisis perception management" by informing the government about "impending stories about Gujarat State / leadership". It will "monitor the presence of, and discussions about, brand Gujarat in social and political circles", which can be achieved through, "among other activities, continuously monitoring and tracking all national and regional newspapers, magazines, TV channels, the inter-web, blogs and other channels of external communication at regular intervals."
Further, the firm will be required to have "a close liaison with correspondents, reporters, editors, photographers, think–tanks, critics, trend - setters and other such opinion leaders", even as "pomoting and and maintaining an effective feedback system of the public about these activities." And, for all this, it will be required to have a "fully equipped with trained and skilled PR professionals" with"latest instruments such as computers, scanners, high speed photo copy machines etc. at its offices in metro cities, especially in Delhi." There will be a liaison officer in Delhi who "must also be experienced in carrying out projects on a national/ international level", with "impeccable communication skills in English and Hindi are an imperative."
Apart from hiring professional journalists to write, the firm will be required to have an able economic analyst with the job to write "original material, edit, proofread and finalize written material", even as "gather numerical data and produce statistical reports" and "analyze economic data to prepare reports detailing results of performed research." The analyst will prepare "stories on different subjects like business, industry, education, agriculture and socio-economic conditions in state of Gujarat and prepare comparative study reports and press material."

Comments

TRENDING

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra*  The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Victim of communal violence, Christians in Manipur want Church leadership to speak up

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  The first eleven days of May 2023 have, in many ways, been a defining period of Indian history! Plenty has happened in a rapid-fire stream of events. Ironically, each one of them are indicators of how crimes and the criminalisation of society has become the ‘new norm’; these include, the May Day rallies with a focus on the four labour codes which are patently against the rights of workers; the U S Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report on 1 May stating that conditions for religious freedom in India “continued to worsen in 2022”; the continued protest by the Indian women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar for the expulsion of the chief of the Indian Wrestlers Federation on very serious allegations; the Elections in Karnataka on 10 May (with communalism and corruption as the mainstay); the release of the fake, derogative and insensitive film ‘The Kerala Story’; the release of World Free Press Index on 3 May which places India

Delhi HC rules in favour of retired Air Force officer 'overcharged' for Covid treatment

By Rosamma Thomas*  In a decision of May 22, 2023, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of petitioner Group Captain Suresh Khanna who was under treatment at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, between April 28 and May 5, 2021, for a period of eight days, for Covid-19 pneumonia. The petitioner had to pay Rs 3,55,286 as treatment costs, but the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) only reimbursed him for Rs 1,83,748, on the basis of government-approved rates. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Unlike other revolutionaries, Hindutva icon wrote 5 mercy petitions to British masters

By Shamsul Islam*  The Hindutva icon VD Savarkar of the RSS-BJP rulers of India submitted not one, two,or three but five mercy petitions to the British masters! Savarkarites argue: “There are no evidences to prove that Savarkar collaborated with the British for his release from jail. In fact, his appeal for release was a ruse. He was well aware of the political developments outside and wanted to be part of it. So he kept requesting for his release. But the British authorities did not trust him a bit” (YD Phadke, ‘A complex Hero’, "The Indian Expres"s, August 31, 2004)

India joining US sponsored trade pillar to hurt Indian farmers, 'promote' GM seeds, food

Counterview Desk  As many as 32 civil society organisations (CSOs), in a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and India joining the trade pillar, have said that its provisions will allow the US to ensure a more favourable regulatory regime “for enhancing its exports of genetically modified (GM) seeds and GM food”, underlining, it will “significantly hurt the livelihoods of Indian farmers.”

Polygamy in India "down" in 45 yrs: Muslims' from 5.7 to 2.55%, Hindus' 5.8 to 1.77%, "common" in SCs, STs

By Rajiv Shah Amidst All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) justifying polygamy, saying it “meets social and moral needs and the provision for it stems from concern and sympathy for women”, facts suggest the the practice is down from 5.7 per cent of Muslim families in 1961 to 2.55 per cent in 2006.

Modi govt 'wholly untrustworthy' on Covid data, censored criticism on pandemic: Lancet

By Rajiv Shah   One of the world’s most prestigious health journals, brought out from England, has sharply criticised the Narendra Modi government for being “wholly untrustworthy on Covid-19 health data”, stating, the “official government figures place deaths at more than 530 000, while WHO excess death estimates for 2020 and 2021 are near 4·7 million.”