Functions of Different Sections of the Information and Public Relations Department

 Functions of Advertisement Section

Historical back ground of Advertisement:- The word "advertising" has been derived from the Latin word "adventure" which means to turn the mind to or to divert the attention to something". In fact in its broad sense, advertising does divert the attention of the public to a product, a service or an idea. It has been examined from the early history of communication to the present form of sophisticated art of advertising; the underlying use has been to communicate properly and to promote business. Its use has ever been inheriting in human nature, and especially the businessmen ever felt the necessity to launch some measures and introduce some methods to promote the sale of their merchandise. However, the advertising is not necessarily confined to the mere expansion in business and trade, but is also related to rendering some service or an idea. As such the institution of advertising is as old as human institutions of business and trade, though the form may vary.

The advertising is applicable to both the minor and major institutions. It existed in one from or the other since time immemorial and as witnessed and proved from the annals of world history. Today advertising has become a complex process and procedure with numerous problems relating to the national and even international trade. Hence it necessitates that advertising companies have to be launched on scientific lines. Before the evolution and growth of newspapers and magazines, the only media available were sign-boards and town criers. According to Sampson, "signs over shops and stalls seen naturally to have been the first effort in the direction of advertisement and they go back to the remote portions of the world's history, whose principal function was to identify a merchant's place of business.

Today, advertising has assumed new dimensions in the trade and business world, besides for its pervasiveness and effectiveness. Its tremendous importance is closely linked with the modern concept of mass-production, which is so commonly and popularly held and practiced. It is through the effective means of advertising that the message is effectively carried throughout the remote and inaccessible corners of the world as the most proficient ambassadors to their clients, being the cheapest means. Recently advertising has assumed new meaning and importance as a delicate art, with reference to the introduction of scientific methods of industrial development as well as the growing and fast expanding commerce. As a delicate art, advertising now employs every modern channel of mass communication as well as the modern techniques for effective communication and propaganda.

These are used in order to influence and mould the attitude and behavior of the purchasers.

 Brief Histor1y of Advertisement Section

The main purpose of this section is to keep a sort of hold over the newspapers and win their favorable attitude towards the policies of the Government of the day for ensuring the publicity of the government development activities in the press. Thus we can say that it is a very important section of the Information Department. This section also existed in the British era. After the independence the whole system of the English was also followed and adopted by the Information Ministry of the newborn state. The NWFP as a separate province was there even in the British Rule and after the emergence of the Province in one Uit and subsequent breakups for many times, this section worked in all these times. Finally after the breakup of one unit in 1970, the NWFP Information Department was created on new lines, having the advertisement section. And since then it is working.

But in these two-three decades, the working process has been improved with the expansion of staff and other required facilities. An Assistant Director supervises the working of this section assisted by a superintendent and other supporting staff. This section is responsible for issuance of advertisements of the Provincial Government Departments and ensures its publicity according to the Government Policy. The Government Departments for the purpose of recruitments, purchase of vehicles, furniture equipment and other items, auction, admission, contractors of construction and supply are bound to advertise it in newspapers through the Information Department. The departments send seven or more copies of their advertisements in the shape of Tender Notice, situation vacant, admission etc to Information Department quite before the required appearing date, at least 14 days before (which can be minimized in case of emergency like the lapse of funds in the last month of the financial year but the concerned officer will have to justify the emergent situation and clearly mention it in the letter).

The newspapers after publicizing the same send bills on this account to the Information Department which checks the rates mentioned in the bills with the Government approved rates and then the bills of various newspapers are consolidated in another bill form of the Information Department and send to the concerned department for payment. These payments are made to the Information Department which keeps record of all these receipts and pays the amounts to the concerned newspapers. The rates for Government advertisements are approved by the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) Islamabad office. It also declares a paper entitled for Government advertisements after completion of its dummy period and a certificate is issued to this effect. The advertisement section also issued an NOC (No Objection Certificate) to the newspaper on certain occasions like Independence Day, 23rd March opening or anniversary of an organization, the visits of President, Prime Minister or the Chief Ministers to certain provinces/areas/districts. Then the newspaper directly collect the advertisements from Government or Semi Government departments and organizations for such occasions and send bills on this account direct to the concerned departments/ organizations. In such cases, this section has nothing to do with the rest of the liabilities or responsibilities.

The Government advertisements are the main source of the newspapers income and according to a rough estimate about 60% and that too with little effort and trouble can be achieved. Most of the newspapers (Except Dawn Karachi which has a favorable environment due to industrial development in Karachi) depend upon the Government advertisements which are a regular source of their income. These newspapers cannot even think to exist beyond a month without Government advertisements. The history is testimony of the fact that many reputed newspapers disappeared from the scene due to their failure in getting government advertisements.