Communication
Employing PR Principles To Streamline Government Communication
By Anthony Taiti
In today ’ s world , when people are conscious of political accountability and social justice , a government ' s ability to engage and communicate effectively with its people is vital to its success . The crucial role of strategic communication in building trust and confidence among people cannot be overstated , and when PR principles are overlooked in government communication , there is a considerable risk of missing the target . In Kenya , for example , in a televised live interview following the Gen Z demonstrations in June of this year , the president is on record saying that his communication team , which is mostly made up of former journalists , may have failed him . This came after noticing a series of communication gaps , which were characterized by a lack of critical PR elements . For reasons like this , I wrote in June of last year about why journalists without professional PR training should not be hired as PR and Communication Managers .
One of the most fundamental principles of PR is research . This involves evaluating communication to determine its effectiveness with the target population and calibrating it to match or reflect reality . PR professionals leverage this principle by tailoring their communication strategy to meet the public ’ s expectations in line with the matter at hand and communicating effectively through appropriate channels . With millions of people now owning smartphones and having access to the internet , social media has emerged as the most popular platform for individuals to publicly express their thoughts on issues that affect them . While some believe that those actively voicing concerns on social media are a minority , it has been proven over and again that they wield profound influence over their peers . Through timely research , PR professionals identify issues , predict behaviours , and provide informed advice on managing them before they
06 MAL61 / 24 ISSUE escalate into crises .
Audience-centricity is crucial in strategic communication . It calls for people ’ s concerns to be addressed without distractions . To accomplish this , PR professionals must first gain an indepth understanding of the citizens ' demographics . In 1968 , Prof . James Grunig proposed the Situational Theory of Publics , which assists PR professionals in developing targeted communication . The theory posits that people will act on an issue or situation if they believe it affects them personally , and their actions can have a desired impact . According to the theory , PR professionals can achieve more success in engaging citizens by categorizing them based on the following three variables : problem recognition , which denotes the extent to which individuals understand a particular problem or issue ( e . g ., people identifying the unwanted provisions in a proposed bill ); constraint recognition , which refers to people ’ s awareness of limitations or obstacles that prevent them from taking action ( e . g ., coming face-toface with armed police who arrest anyone protesting , thus constraining citizens ); and level of involvement , which is the extent to which people feel attached to the issue at hand , determining their action ( e . g ., going to the streets to take part in the protests ).
Based on the three variables , Grunig identified four types of publics : active publics ( those who take action to address an issue that affects them ); aware publics ( those who are affected by an issue but don ’ t take any action ); latent publics ( those who are affected by an issue but are unaware of it ); and non-publics ( those who are unaware of and unaffected by an issue ). When advising on how to engage citizens , PR professionals identify the various publics and develop targeted communication for
each . They are particularly interested in “ active citizens ” because they consistently take specific actions to address the issue or situation at hand , such as protesting , boycotting , or suing . The “ aware citizens ” are also critical because they can be easily influenced by the active ones . While at it , they emphasize the principle of timely communication , which is a twoway communication process that involves listening and responding appropriately in good time . Delays in communication allow others to fill the void , resulting in misinformation and disinformation . Some issues are complex and require extensive thought before responding . As a result , conducting research during a crisis or public unrest can help the government anticipate potential scenarios and develop genuine , relatable communication .
The PR aspect of humanity must be maintained throughout all communication . Some citizens may use offensive or demeaning language to put pressure on the government , but it must remain humane in its responses . When communicating , PR professionals can assist in tapping into human elements , such as empathy , authenticity , and respect , which can help the government gain public support .
Ultimately , getting the right PR professionals will help the government streamline communication and connect with citizens on a humane level , which is what truly matters .
Anthony Taiti is a Public Relations , Communication , and Marketing professional , currently serving as Head of Corporate Affairs at PAC University . You can connect with him by email at : ATaiti09 @ gmail . com