Broadcasting
Why The World Needs Public Relations More Than Ever Right Now
By Ayeni Adekunle, Founder and CEO of BlackHouse Media
Businesses, governments, and people do themselves a huge disservice, if they continue to fail to see PR for what it is and should be: a strategic aspect of business and governance, invaluable in building relationships, preventing crises, achieving business objectives; pushing national interest, and preventing the kind of confusion that could ruin a company or lead nations to war.
Ayeni Adekunle, Founder and CEO of BlackHouse Media
Public relations hires hundreds of thousands of people around the world; working for many organizations, governments, celebrities, and causes – almost 100,000 in the UK alone, according to the PRCA’s PR and Communications Census 2020
Professionals are often graduates of colleges and tertiary institutions; certified by government chartered regulating institutes, and trained by many academies and associations around the world.
There are established ethics guiding the practice of public relations, organisational codes of conduct, principles for evaluation, and consequences for quackery.
From Nigeria, where I grew up and first established my PR practice, I could follow and participate in the activities of the Africa Public Relations Association, Public Relations and Communications Association, Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and Public Relations Association of America. In fact I participated in training, conferences, and development, from Mauritius to Finland and London.
For someone who studied Microbiology, and entered Public Relations by way of journalism, I found the barriers to entry, and standards, remarkable.
I was not admitted into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations until I had studied and obtained a diploma; and the Public Relations Consultants Association would not admit our agency unless I was an NIPR member. Maintaining my industry credentials requires continuous professional development.
Public relations covers a wider range of markets, functions and industries, in communications, corporate services, digital affairs, community management, internal comms and more, doing the tough, often thankless, and never-ending job of helping brands, organizations, leaders, celebrities, sportspeople, and charities communicate clearly, be it to boards, consumers, investors, citizens, or shareholders.
I see them everyday. I understand what they do. I appreciate it. Many of their principals and clients do. Some of the biggest organisations and governments in the world do. Sadly, there appears to be a large number who are in between not knowing what PR is/does; and believing it only serves a publicity/media relations role. Many do not trust the profession (nearly 70 per cent of the general public, according to one PR Week survey). And of course those who blame an entire industry for the activities of hacks.
A similar PR Week survey of 1,500 people in Britain found that ‘‘Nine in ten (92 per cent) people polled claim PR is primarily used to deceive the public, while an identical proportion claim that PR professionals ‘bend the truth’. It’s the same everywhere, from South Africa to India and Belgium.
How then could we possibly get the best value out of something if we do not understand what it does, how it works, or how to use it? Imagine not understanding what doctors do, and the many ways they could help prevent illness, cure sickness, and literally save our lives? Imagine not having the privilege of understanding how science or literature or banking works? Or engineering? Music? Not being able to use them for individual or collective advantage because we don’t understand what they do; how they work?
Close your eyes and look at the picture.
Yes, it scared me too.
Actually we only understand them to the extent that we do, partly because of the work of public relations and communications people. But because PR is a behind-the-scenes profession, often seeking neither credit nor attention, but suffering reputational damage with each practitioner’s misdemeanour or quack activity, what has emerged is sadly a situation where when it comes to PR, the media are sceptical, public wary, and executives and leaders indifferent.
The late Nigerian lawyer Efere Ozako was so worried about the poor understanding of the law profession that he single-handedly drove an advocacy campaign ‘Wetin lawyers dey do sef’ (Pidgin English expression for ‘Wait, what do Lawyers actually do?’). He took the query away from the domain of sceptics and naysayers and owned it in such a way that he was able to provide information and education about the legal profession for the benefit of anyone who needed to know. It worked.
The world has now reached a point where we cannot afford to have too many people asking: ‘What do PR people actually do?’ We have reached a point where we cannot afford to not have the value that public relations brings as citizens and consumers are actively demanding companies and governments do better; and as the world comes to the understanding that there’s a desperate need to unite against poverty, global warming, crime, disease, racism, and everything else that seeks to bring humanity to its knees.
Trust, truth, integrity, honesty, positive influence, responsibility – the pillars driving Sustainable Development Goals, Environmental, Social and Governance impact, and other similar interventions are the same pillars upon which public relations is built. And it’s time for everyone to take advantage.
That’s why today, July 16, on what’s the first-ever celebration of World PR day, we’re asking everyone: student, politician, accountant, investor, journalist, lawyer, artisan, to take a simple pledge: to help build trust, and integrity, through honesty, responsibility and fairness in communities and organisations because the world needs it badly.
As we begin the work of helping everyone understand and use PR better, this pledge must guide everything we do, such that in future, journalists, academics, even clients will find it easy to identify and isolate miscreants and those behaving badly from the pack of professional, ethical practitioners, the same way they would when a rogue doctor is apprehended. And that would only be the beginning.
The preferred endpoint? That would, in my view, be a time when we can comfortably say we – citizens, governments, and organizations – are successfully using the understanding and application of public relations and communications to build a world that protects the most vulnerable, prioritises environmental, social and governance matters, accelerates sustainable development; you know, a far better world than we have today. Not the so-called utopia, but closer to what everyone considers ideal.
It always looks impossible until it’s done.
Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) has issued a new directive establishing a formal regulatory framework for electricity market operations within Lagos.
With the release of Order No. LASERC ORDER/001/2025, the commission finalizes the shift of oversight from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to LASERC, aligning with the Electricity Act 2023 and Lagos State Electricity Law 2024.
Under the new regulations, individuals or entities involved in electricity-related activities in Lagos must obtain a license or permit from LASERC. Licenses issued by other regulatory bodies will no longer be recognized. Unlicensed operators must immediately halt operations and apply for proper authorization to avoid penalties, which include a fine of ₦20 million and additional daily fines of ₦20,000 for continued violations.
LASERC has encouraged entities unsure of their regulatory status to seek clarification to prevent sanctions. Despite the transition, existing national guidelines, including tariff structures, grid codes, and safety regulations, will remain in effect unless amended.
Dr. Fouad Animashaun, CEO and Executive Commissioner of LASERC, emphasized that the order is designed to ensure a secure, efficient, and reliable electricity market in Lagos.
He reiterated the commission’s commitment to global standards and safeguarding the interests of electricity consumers and investors.
This policy marks a significant shift in the state’s power sector and aims to enhance regulatory compliance while ensuring a more structured and effective electricity market.
Video entertainment company MultiChoice’s woes are persisting with the company continuing to suffer massive losses in revenue and subscribers.
This emerged today when the DStv parent company announced its financial results for the year ended 31 March (FY25).
In a statement to shareholders on the Stock Exchange News Service, the JSE-listed firm says the past two financial years have been a period of significant financial disruption for economies, corporates and consumers across sub-Saharan Africa due to challenging macro-economic factors.
Combined with the impact of structural industry changes in video entertainment such as the rise of piracy, streaming services and social media, this has materially affected the overall performance of the MultiChoice Group, it notes.
Over this period, MultiChoice says the group lost 2.8 million active linear subscribers and had to absorb a R10.2 billion negative impact on its topline due to local currency depreciation against the US dollar.
For the year ended 31 March, the company reveals that linear subscribers were down 1.2 million or 8% year-on-year (YoY) to 14.5 million active subscribers, with the loss evenly split between South African (600 000) and Rest of Africa (600 000).
Although reflecting an improvement on FY24 trends, MultiChoice says this indicates ongoing broad-based pressure across the group’s entire customer base.
Active paying Showmax subscribers were up 44% YoY, reflecting healthy growth and gaining regional market share, it adds.
Group revenue declined by R5.2 billion or 9% YoY to R50.8 billion, mainly due to an 11% decline in subscription revenues (-1% organic) caused by foreign currency and subscriber volume headwinds and the deconsolidation of the NMSIS insurance business from December 2024, it explains.
According to the firm, this was partially offset by inflationary pricing and new product growth (DStv Internet, DStv Stream and Extra Stream).
Trading profit, which declined by R3.8 billion or 49% YoY to R4 billion, was materially affected by the R2.3 billion organic increase in trading losses in Showmax and the R5.2 billion in foreign currency revenue losses, partially offset by a significant outperformance in delivering total cost savings of R3.7 billion.
Adjusted core headline earnings, the board’s revised measure of the underlying performance of the business, shifted to a loss of R800 million (FY24: earnings of R1.3 billion) due to lower trading profit and hedging losses in FY25 (compared to gains in FY24), partially offset by smaller losses on cash remittances from Nigeria.
The group incurred a free cash outflow of R500 million in FY25 (FY24: inflow of R600 million), impacted by lower profitability, higher lease repayments due to timing and partially offset by improved working capital management as well as a 29% YoY decline in capex.
At year-end, the group held R5.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents and retains access to R3 billion in undrawn general borrowing facilities.
A part of the R12 billion term loan was repaid early by using the R900 million upfront proceeds from the NMSIS transaction (ie R1.2 billion, net of tax), says the company.
The group operates in numerous markets across Africa and internationally, resulting in significant exposure to foreign exchange volatility.
Amid the challenges, MultiChoice states that management acted decisively to ensure that the group could withstand these headwinds, focusing on key areas within its control.
It notes that this has meant maintaining a discipline of inflationary pricing, with price increases of 5.7% in South Africa in FY25 (FY24: 5.6%) and an average of 31% in local currency in Rest of Africa (FY24: 27%), which enabled the group to offset subscriber volume pressures and deliver 1% YoY organic revenue growth in the current financial year.
In addition, further efficiencies were implemented to manage costs and cash flows without unduly sacrificing the group’s customer value proposition, it adds.
In this regard, the group delivered R3.7 billion in cost savings, well ahead of management’s initial R2 billion target (and the revised R2.5 billion target set at interims) and almost double the R1.9 billion saved in FY24, the company says.
Afia TV & Radio has announced its official entry into the Lagos media market, in its commitment to expanding the broadcaster’s footprint, connecting businesses to audiences across Nigeria, and redefining regional media excellence.
Chief Emeka Mba,
Nnamdi Obanya, general manager of Afia TV & Radio, said there is only one digital satellite and one digital station in the southeastern region of Nigeria, which is Afia.
Obanya, stated that: “We are specialists in developing products. A programme on our channel, ‘How Market’, is where we talk to the people in the market to tell their stories and advertise their products on AFIA.”
According to him, “the market world has changed a lot, as the physical market has become a ware house while people are buying digitally.”
Chief Emeka Mba, founder and CEO, stated: “The parley brought together top media buyers, advertising agencies, and communication professionals for engaging conversations around emerging trends, innovation, and future-forward strategies in media planning and buying. The event also served as a platform for Afia TV and radio to unveil its offerings, platforms, and unique value proposition to Lagos-based stakeholders.”
While noting that they are thrilled to bring Afia’s fresh, original, and regional perspective to Lagos, Mba said, “this parley signals our readiness to collaborate, innovate, and deliver impactful results for our partners through data-driven content and targeted reach especially for brands looking to penetrate the southern Nigerian market.”
Equipped with modern broadcast studios, digital-first production capabilities, and a highly experienced team, Afia TV & Radio is poised to make a bold impression on the Lagos media landscape.
The media brand delivers high-quality programming ranging from news and documentaries to lifestyle, business, culture, and entertainment only in south-east but in Lagos, African and beyond, we want to be chief marketing platform of the eastern region, we are the only 24/7 radio station now in Enugu.
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