Future of PR in local government

PR in local government

In my blog texts I have discussed the role of PR in local government from different angles. The blogging process did not give me an answer to my initial question (if PR and local government are an impossible mix) but has helped me to realize the role that public relations play in local government today. It seems this role is becoming more and more important. This may be partly due to the general development of PR and communication as a more strictly and exactly defined field of research and practice. As consequence,  it is now also being applied in local government in a more systematic manner.

The article on measurement of PR and communication in local government by Marita Vos (2009) is one evidence of this development. When scientific measurement instruments are being set up, it means that the field has been able to claim a certain position and importance. Measuring it enforces this development. The same development applies to the whole field of PR.

As PR is being normalized as a daily practice in local government, it also seems to become a trend. Every municipality, whether small or big, has to do it, sometimes without analyzing which forms of public relations suit them, the reasons why they do certain things and or without giving a second thought on how these practices actually serve them.  In order to make the best use of public relations local authorities should think ‘out of the box’ while all the time recognizing the reasons and motivations for their actions. Since this is not the situation today, it should be set as a goal for the future.

Is Twitter the answer?

The use f new channels of communication to reach the citizens is an example of the aforementioned situation, the compulsive need to follow the trends (whether or not it is purposeful). Besides Facebook, some Finnish cities have now found Twitter (eg. Tampere and Lahti) and are using it as a channel of communication. 

Recognising the good sides of these channels of communication, one can still ask if Twitter really is a way to make citizens more informed or does it only provide more information for those who are already engaged? Or is this the picture of the future communication in local government: extracts of information delivered as fast as possible? What happens to the bigger picture? 

This is clearly an area where local government is still on the starting line. Local authorities have to learn how to use the new channels (such as social media) and how to use them correctly. The main thing to notice here is that no matter how many channels local government has in use and how much information it sends, it will never reach the citizens if the decision-making culture  does not change to a more open one. The point being here that communication is a tool, not an end.

And the biggest challenge for the future is…

The way public relations and communication are handled in local government is certainly becoming more professional all the time. Municipalities put more resources, both money and personnel, into it. Furthermore, it is not anymore regarded as a separate field but something that is an integral part of all the public sector functions.

Still, it should be remembered that PR cannot be used to save unsuccessful strategies or poor citizen participation, it cannot polish reputations or solve problems within the organisation if the foundations are not in order. I claim that understanding this is the biggest challenge for the future of PR in local government.

Sources:
Vos, Marita (2009) Communication quality and added value: a measurement instrument for municipalities. Journal of Communication Management. Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 362-377.