RSGB Engages a PR Manager

I have to say I was relieved this afternoon to learn from Graham Coomber at the RSGB that the society has employed a PR manager to raise its profile.

Say it loud, say it clear. 

Neither the society nor the hobby of amateur radio is often in the general news.  I've been searching online from time to time for any hint of the hobby, and apart from the odd news item from the US, there really is nothing out there. 

Coomber says the Board have been aware for some time of the need to get better and wider publicity.  Whilst it costs the society money, I think it will prove to be money well spent.  After all, politicians, lobbyists and organisations typically issue several press releases to journalists each and every day, vying for column inches in the papers, online, and on TV news. 

According to Coomber, the society is already learning a lot from the PR manager, who has no previous experience of amateur radio.  Like Coomber, I'm very sure that's a good thing, because years of doing things 'our way' have not been successful by any measure.

Without PR, we are invisible and non-existent to the wider public.  That is a very bad thing indeed, especially as there are plenty of really interesting stories that might change perceptions.

So, well done RSGB Board for seeing the light, and doing something about PR.  Now it's a case of effective deployment.  We're watching...