Choosing the appropriate communication channels is an important element of the overall communication strategy. This enables delivery of messages and exchange of ideas and views amongst stakeholders. The following table provides a summary of possible channel options in the context of a PPP project, its audience, their features and limitations.

Channel

Audience

Features

Limitations

Interpersonal Channels

Personal consultations

Policy makers, opinion leaders (including politicians)

Interactive, enables formal and informal communication. Face-to-face discussions allow frank communication that brings out issues that may not be voiced openly

Cannot be done too often; hence needs a lot of planning and preparation

Community Channels

Community channels (street corner meetings, open hearings, focus groups)

Users, advocacy groups, target communities/groups

Participatory, relatively more credible and lower-cost than mass media; institutionalises community effort and sustainability

Localised, may not be able to reach a large audience

Mass Media Channels

Television

General public, all stakeholders

Used for visual experience and demonstration. Makes issues come alive and delivers a strong image

Expensive and more "urban"; poses the reach vs. cost dilemma

Radio

Individuals, users, households, project-affected persons

Can be more personal, with higher reach than television, less expensive and more localised

Costly to build reach, fragmented

Print

Readers

Creating awareness and topicality, disseminating information, creating a positive image

Confined to a few who follow print media, has a short shelf life, and is not always cost-efficient

Outdoor/ Transit

Users and public at large

Glance and reminder value and location specific reach

Limited exposure time and durability of message

Internet

Internet and Websites

Private developers, users, advocacy groups

Dynamic, interactive, and allows real time update

Reach limited

1. Interpersonal consultation channels include one-to-one communication, such as between line Ministry-implementation agency, implementation agency-political leaders etc. They cover consultations, one-on-one interactions and group interactions, structured deliberations through committees and taskforces set up for the project. Communication among officials across different arms of the Government, between officials and political leaders/representatives and among officials and employees happen largely through interpersonal channels in view of the highly consultative and interactive nature of communication.

2. Community-based channels reach a community or a group of people within a geographic area, or based on common characteristics, such as occupation and includes community media (local newspapers, radio stations, bulletin boards), community activities (health fairs, folk dramas, concerts, rallies, and parades) and mobilisation (street meetings and consultations). They offer scope for 'interactivity' and tend to be the preferred channels for PPP communication for the project sponsor to engage with users and the public-at-large.

3. Mass media channels are used more to "broadcast" or "disseminate" information and offer limited scope for interactive communication. Mass media channels help in reaching large audiences within a short time, and include television, radio, the print media, outdoor/transit advertising and direct mail. Mass media campaigns could be relevant and useful for large PPP projects or for those undertaken as part of a wider PPP programme than for small or standalone projects, whose budgets would limit the scope for use of mass media channels. There have been several nationwide public policy campaigns that have used mass media channels, like the Voluntary Disclosure of Income-Tax Scheme (VDIS) and the Pulse Polio campaigns of the GoI. These campaigns integrated mass media into their communication strategy and were fairly successful in terms of the outcomes achieved.

4. Internet and web-based communications have emerged as an important channel for communication on PPP projects. Although the Internet is a mass-media channel, it is classified separately, given its importance in information sharing and its interactive features. Apart from the active use of web-based communication during the course of the bidding process, web-based dissemination of information on the project and reporting on project progress signals transparency and provides for a cost-effective mechanism to reach a wider audience. In addition, interactive functionality on websites can support consultative processes and help elicit stakeholder feedback and participation among advocacy groups and other opinion leaders.

PROJECT

Delhi Metro Project

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) media management strategy reaches out not only to users at large but also to other stakeholders. It undertakes low-budget activities to involve users in various areas, for instance by organising programmes such as the following:

• Outreach programmes, involving the community, to obtain user feedback

• Nukkad Natak (street plays) to educate and involve users, especially in regions where users are unlikely to read newspapers

• Safety weeks to spread awareness about elevators, escalators and other safety issues

A special cadre of customer care employees, called customer relations assistants, have been appointed to respond effectively to queries and suggestions. These customer relations assistants were put through a rigorous, eight-week training programme on aspects relating to customer care, communication skills, public complaints, behavioural management, and team building.

The public relations Department of DMRC is also responsible for keeping employee motivation levels high, publishes regular newsletters and organises other programmes to involve employees.

Source: http://toolkit.pppinindia.com/highways/module3-rocs-kuwsip1.php?links=kuwsip1