Identify any Two internal communication methods for Public Relations Practice and discuss how they can be used to improve upon communication at the Ghana Institute of Journalism

Internal Communications methods in public relations practice is the tool and means(channel) by which public relations practitioners communicate with an organizations public. Internal publics refer to groups within an organization, in this case they are; the students, lectures, drivers, labourers e.t.c.  The two(2) internal communications methods that can improve communication at the Ghana Institute of Journalism are;

·         NOTICE BOARDS

·         IN-HOUSE JOURNALS

A notice board is a surface used for the posting of public messages which provide information. To improve communication at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, 6 notice boards will be introduced and located at central and prominent locations where people naturally gather or pass by on the campus i.e. around the academic affairs block, the entrance to the library, the staff common room, the reception, the cafeteria and also around the photocopy shop.

The various notice boards will be placed at an optimum height which will allow people above four(4) feet to read off without having to squat or strain to get the message. The notice board will be made of clear glass-panes and also have polished wood edges, a lock with a mini roof to protect it from the weather and vandals. Adequate lighting will be provided to make the notice board readable at night, this is because most students bypass boards without reading in the day because they may be rushing to class or be slightly busy but at the close of day with adequate lighting the board will be read by most students on their way home and the message will be put across. The choice of words used on the notices to be placed on the board would be clear, concise and straight to the point. The notices would be devoid of jargons and technical terms which tend to distort the message or confuse the reader. The notice board will also be made colourful and attractive by the use of vibrant coloured paper on which the notices will be printed.

The boards will also serve different purposes; the one around the academic affairs department will be used specifically for posting academic information such as exam results, school vacation and re-opening details, tuition details e.t.c.

The notice board located in the staff(lecturers) common room will be used specifically for sending messages to and between lecturers. The rest of the notice boards will be used for communicating to and between students; make students aware of upcoming events or developments in the school.

These notice boards will help improve communication by exposing the various publics to messages and also becoming meeting places or a central focus for the schools’ internal publics.

A major drawback of using notice boards is that not everyone can post messages on the boards, so to compliment the usage of notice boards an In House Journal will be introduced. An in-house journal is a magazine published for the publics of an organization to give them news about the organization and keep them informed.

A 40-page monthly in house journal will be introduced. This journal will be produced by and also receive input from the internal publics of the school. The editorial board will be comprised of students, lecturers and management. This will get all the internal publics in the school interested and involved with the magazine.

The journal will compliment the notice board by enhancing two-way communication; the magazine aside providing the platform for all the internal publics to submit articles, there will also be a section that will solicit questions and answers, enquiries, views, opinions and articles from students and teachers.  The journal will also use the schools database to publish the birthdays, achievements, and pictures of their internal publics. Other staff(accounts section, drivers, cleaners) will also be profiled in the magazine.   This will make the magazine more attractive because it will have       a connection to the various internal publics. Also messages about new developments, class schedules, appointments, up-coming programmes and bereavements will be presented in this Journal. With the Ghana Institute of Journalism being a journalism training school there will be no shortage of articles to spice up the magazines.

The funding for the in house journal will be factored into the tuition fee of the students which will ensure that all students will receive a copy of the magazine.

If these two methods are put in place the communication amongst the internal publics of the Ghana Institute of Journalism will be improved and the organization will achieve its goals.