The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, Honourable Kindness Paradza has highlighted the importance of good communication skills when companies are in crises.
Officially opening the inaugural Institute of Public Relations Communications of Zimbabwe conference at Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga on Tuesday, Deputy Minister Paradza, who was representing Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, said public relations agencies and their teams have been proving their worth in the past two years.
“While the last two years have been harsh, I know that many PR agencies and their teams have been proving their worth by working round the clock, adjusting messaging strategies, giving interviews on Covid-19, writing crisis communication plans and keeping customers at ease with the accurate facts.
“This was especially so in the first couple of months after the outbreak of Covid-19. PR teams have been vital for business. Companies without a good communications professional on board have been struggling.
“They have learnt that crisis communication is not to be taken lightly,” said Deputy Minister Paradza.
The conference ran under the theme ‘Crisis As The New Normal: Resilience and reinvention – overcoming hardships and challenges of Covid-19’.
Deputy Minister Paradza said television stations that were granted licences are expected to go on air next year.
“In November 2020, Government issued six free-to-air television network licences to private players in line with the media reforms to liberalise the airwaves and allow for more and diverse voices in the television broadcasting industry.
“These television stations are expected to be operational in 2022 in line with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe licensing guidelines. Government has since extended tax reprieve on imports of all television broadcasting equipment for licensed broadcasters to expedite the setting up of their operations,” said Deputy Minister Paradza.
Presenting a paper on ‘Communication in Crisis Situations: Arming the Team to Handle Crisis Response’ during the conference, Leadership Institute for Research and Development founder and executive coach, Mr Robert Mandeya reminded delegates that as individuals develop reputation, organisations also need to act likewise.
“As individuals develop reputation, organisations also develop one. It takes years to build a good reputation but it can be destroyed by a single event. To build and preserve a good reputation, organisations need to carefully consider how their practices are viewed by all stakeholders. Companies need to clearly define and appreciate the role of the human resource department,” he said.
The three-day IPRCZ conference is a professional refresher outing of public relations practitioners from different corporates.
