Government and Political communications: The role of PR

There is a difference in many societies between political communications and government communications. In some cases government communications is poluted by political comms. However, the role of government communication or public affairs in politics and government is interrelated.

Obviously, the relation between media and government is definately essential and an obstacle to government communications with citizens. What nare the baarriers to this effective government communucation? Communication pratcitioners are perceived to have questionable ethics.

Too often, government communications is referred to as just PR. Secondly, communicators cannot just target a small segment of public but everybody. Government communucations can be handicapped by the opposition who prevent maximum effectiveness and accurate accounting of function's cost and ascertaining the coroporate value.(Cultip et al,.2006. pp 427).

In this class, we learnt some of the political communication tools that politicians use such as advertising, party political broadcasts, leaflets, stunts(demonstrattions), posters and newspapers etc to put their messages across.

What are some of the PR roles in government communications?

Firslty, it works to inform the public about the governments activities, ensuring active cooperation in government programmes, managing information internally, facilitating media relations and image management which is to have style over substance, media training (how to handle media)and voice coaching.
In media management, if you are a politician you need to build relationships with different kinds of media to ensure maximum publicity. The relation between media and government is definately essential and an obstacle to government communications with citizens.