PRESENTATION BY Mava Lukani I

1
PRESENTATION BY Mava Lukani (ICD Unit) September

16 SEPTEMBER 2009
2
INTRODUCTION
PCS Inspired by People

• Information and Content Development Unit is one
  of the Units within the Parliamentary
  Communication Services (PCS). One of its tasks is
  to provide strategic communication support to
  Committees and Houses.
• In line with the constitutional impositions, the
  mission and vision of Parliament, the PCS
  objectives are
• To promote the image and a better understanding
  of Parliament and its role
• To promote public education and public
  participation in the processes and activities of
  Parliament
• To provide communication support to the
  Legislative and Oversight role of Parliament

3
OBJECTIVES
PCS Inspired by People

• The primary objective of the Information and
  Content Development is to provide access to
  information on issues before parliament and
  workings of Parliament and its Committees These
  include
• Draft Bills that are being considered by the
  Committees
• Oversight work conducted by the Committees
• Debates taking place in the two Houses and
• Special events.

4
HOW DO WE SUPPORT COMMITTEES?
PCS Inspired by People

• Committee Communication Support entails the
  following
• Production and distribution of press statements
• Facilitating interaction between Members and the
  media
• Organising media briefings
• Identifying media opportunities, challenges and
  threats
• Giving media advice

5
SUPPORT TO COMMITTEES CONT.
PCS Inspired by People

• Managing media during hearings
• Monitoring media coverage of Committees
• Handling branding (e.g. banners) during outside
  events
• Identify, gather and develop information from
  Committees for Website, Parliamentary Radio
  Programme and publications like Insession

6
RESOURCES
PCS Inspired by People.

• Parliament has about 50 Committees
• Information and Content Development has five
  Principal Communication Officers who do Committee
  Communication Support
• Each Principal Communication Officer supports 10
  Committees
• This Committee, the Portfolio Committee on Rural
  Development and Land Reform, is supported by Mava
  Lukani

7
PROTOCOL ON PRESS STATEMENTS


PCS Inspired by People

• We work on two types of statements One is an
  invite to the media to attend Committee meetings
  and events. Two is a statement that puts forward
  the position of a Committee on an issue
• This is how the process unfolds with the
  production of statements
• The Principal Communication Officer, in
  consultation with the Chairperson, work on the
  first draft of the statement
• The Principal Communication Officer sends the
  draft to the Newsroom Specialist who ensures
  that
• Grammar
• Journalistic standards and
• Thought processes are in place
• C. The Newsroom Specialist sends the draft
  statement back to the Principal Communication
  Officer

8
PROTOCOL ON STATEMENTS CONT


PCS Inspired by
people

• D. The Principal Communication Officer sends the
  statement to the Chairperson for approval
• E. If the Chairperson makes some changes on the
  statement, the Newsroom specialist, working with
  the Principal Communication Officer, will oversee
  the effecting of the changes
• F. If the Chairperson issues the statement in
  his/her personal capacity, at the end the
  statement will bear his/her contact details. But
  if its in the name of the Committee, it will
  have Principal Communication Officers details
• D. Once everything has been done, the Principal
  Communication Officer sends the statement out to
  the media

9
DEADLINES ON PRESS STATEMENTS
PCS Inspired by People

• Our deadlines are based on the activities on
  Newsrooms. Newsrooms have two key newsgathering
  meetings
• - morning newsgathering meetings at 10am (maps
  out day for reporter)
• - Afternoon newsgathering meetings at 1530
  (finalises the stories for newspaper) In
  Broadcasting these meetings are slightly
  different
• Press statements should go out before 1530
• Invites should go out a day before the event or
  meeting
• NB Here we make an emphasis on press statements
  because of their prominence in our strategy

10
END


PCS Inspired by People

• the End
• Thank you!
• PCS Inspired by People