Prisa Namibia hosts successful communication conference

MEMBERS of the communication industry have hailed the Prisa Namibia conference for 2007 as a success, Prisa said in a statement last week.

The main aim of the conference was to add value to the communication industry and to highlight the benefits of Prisa Namibia membership. The conference, held earlier this month, started with prominent Namibian businessman Riaan Potgieter, the Namibia Business Communicator 2007, presenting his thoughts on the importance of internal and intra-group communication in companies today.Well-known presenters from South Africa included Derek Watts, Marcus Brewster and respected academic Chris Skinner.Media representatives from Namibia also contributed to the conference’s success, the statement, issued by Prisa Secretary Wil-Merie Howard, said.”Derek Watts from M-Net’s investigative programme Carte Blanche relayed to the audience the pitfalls communication practitioners encounter when dealing with the media during times of crisis.This presentation enlightened the audience and emphasised the need for co-operation between the media and Public Relations Practitioners,” the statement said.Marcus Brewster, Prisa’s PRISM Award Winner in South Africa, illustrated how public relations create actual return on investment for business.He managed to capture the participants’ imagination about harnessing creativity and teamwork when communication is applied as a strategic management tool.Another highlight was the media panel discussion, represented by Gwen Lister, Editor of The Namibian, Tangeni Amuphadi from Insight magazine and Wesley Vries from NBC Radio and TV.These speakers provided some valuable guidelines on how the media and communication practitioners can strengthen their relationships and strive for a mutually beneficial professional relationship.Robin Tyson, a lecturer at Unam (and former TV presenter for NBC), focused on how public speakers deliver a strong presentation through body language, eye contact and non-verbal communication indicators.Chris Skinner, a respected communication author and academic, delivered presentations ranging from new trends in public relations to professionalising the communication industry in Southern Africa and on the continent’s thought on Global Alliance.”The current Prisa Namibia committee will continue to expand on the current good standing of Prisa in Namibia with the business community by means of several significant and applicable strategic events,” the statement said.The event was facilitated by generous sponsorship from Pro Wealth Group of Companies.* Communicators and interested parties are invited to contact the Prisa Namibia office at prisa@mweb.com.na if they want to obtain a copy of the conference proceedings.A nominal fee is payable.The conference, held earlier this month, started with prominent Namibian businessman Riaan Potgieter, the Namibia Business Communicator 2007, presenting his thoughts on the importance of internal and intra-group communication in companies today.Well-known presenters from South Africa included Derek Watts, Marcus Brewster and respected academic Chris Skinner.Media representatives from Namibia also contributed to the conference’s success, the statement, issued by Prisa Secretary Wil-Merie Howard, said.”Derek Watts from M-Net’s investigative programme Carte Blanche relayed to the audience the pitfalls communication practitioners encounter when dealing with the media during times of crisis.This presentation enlightened the audience and emphasised the need for co-operation between the media and Public Relations Practitioners,” the statement said.Marcus Brewster, Prisa’s PRISM Award Winner in South Africa, illustrated how public relations create actual return on investment for business.He managed to capture the participants’ imagination about harnessing creativity and teamwork when communication is applied as a strategic management tool.Another highlight was the media panel discussion, represented by Gwen Lister, Editor of The Namibian, Tangeni Amuphadi from Insight magazine and Wesley Vries from NBC Radio and TV.These speakers provided some valuable guidelines on how the media and communication practitioners can strengthen their relationships and strive for a mutually beneficial professional relationship.Robin Tyson, a lecturer at Unam (and former TV presenter for NBC), focused on how public speakers deliver a strong presentation through body language, eye contact and non-verbal communication indicators.Chris Skinner, a respected communication author and academic, delivered presentations ranging from new trends in public relations to professionalising the communication industry in Southern Africa and on the continent’s thought on Global Alliance.”The current Prisa Namibia committee will continue to expand on the current good standing of Prisa in Namibia with the business community by means of several significant and applicable strategic events,” the statement said.The event was facilitated by generous sponsorship from Pro Wealth Group of Companies.* Communicators and interested parties are invited to contact the Prisa Namibia office at prisa@mweb.com.na if they want to obtain a copy of the conference proceedings.A nominal fee is payable.