This book opens up the black box of government communication during the age of political spin, using archival and official documents, memoirs and biographies, and in-depth interviews with media, political and government witnesses. It argues that substantive and troubling long-term changes in the ways governments manage the media and publicly account for themselves undermine the public consent essential to democracy. Much of the blame for this crisis in public communication has been placed at the feet of politicians and their aides, but they are just part of the picture. A pervasive ‘culture of mediatization’ has developed within governments, leading to intended and unintended consequences that challenge the capacity of central public bureaucracies to implement public values and maintain impartiality. It concludes that public servants, elected officials and citizens have an important role to play in accounting for governments’ custodianship of this most politically-sensitive of public goods – the public communications function.

This is the first report of the 2008-09 session from the Select Committee on Communications on the subject of Government Communications (HLP 7, ISBN 9780104014189). One of the most important tasks of government is to provide clear, truthful and factual information to citizens. Accurate and impartial communication of information about government policies, activities and services is critical to the democractic process. Government communication falls into two areas, with the media and with the public. The growth in the 24 hour media, has meant that the cost of Government communications have grown considerably. The last external review of Government communications took place in the 2003-04 session by Sir Robert Phillis, the Chief Executive of the Guardian Media Group (http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/gcreview/News/FinalReport.pdf). Since that review a number of changes to the structure and focus of Government Communications has taken place. This report sets out a number of recommendations, including: when there is sensitive information, the Government should commit to return to Parliament at the earliest opportunity to give an account of developments; that the Prime Minister should draw all Ministers' attention to the guidance in the Ministerial Code that the most important announcements of Government policy should be made in the first instance to Parliament; further, that new information should always be provided on a fair and equal basis to all interested journalists; that the morning briefing to journalists, should appear live on the Number 10 website; that the Leader of the House of Commons should reinstate a weekly briefing on parliamentary business; that all major press conferences should be live on the internet; it is important that Ministers make clear that special advisers must follow the guidance available and stay within set limits; that where possible, high-flying civil servants should spend a period of service in the departmental press office; that the Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information should take the lead in improving standards, with training and guidance to regional press officers, tailoring regional press releases, having greater contact with the regional media and making more senior officials and Ministers available for interview on the local impact of policies; the Committee states that Government information should always be available and accessible to as many people as possible and that the Cabinet Office should collate annual statistics on the costs of Government Communications across departments.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Government communication is a curiously neglected area of discursive analysis. No considered examination of the subject exists which provides either an account of the contemporary governmental landscape or an explanation of the common and divergent themes on both a domestic and international basis. This volume aims to fill that gap, providing a concise and illuminating case-study based review of government communication. It will be divided into three sections to reflect differences in both geography and political allegiances, scrutinizing continental Europe, Anglo-American traditions and newly emerging democracies. Offering a global and thematic account, it is an indispensable resource for all students of political communication.

The passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 inaugurated a new and highly volatile era in telecommunications. The first major overhaul of U.S. communications law since 1934--when no one had a television set, a cordless phone, or a computer--the Act was spurred into being by broad shifts in technology use. Equally important, this book shows, the new law reflects important changes in our notions of the purpose of communications regulation and how it should be deployed. Focusing on the evolution of the concept of the public interest, Aufderheide examines how and why the legislation was developed, provides a thematic analysis of the Act itself, and charts its intended and unintended effects in business and policy. An abridged version of the Act is included, as are the Supreme Court decision that struck down one of its clauses, the Communications Decency Act, and a variety of pertinent speeches and policy arguments. Readers are also guided to a range of organizations and websites that offer legal updates and policy information. Finalist, McGannon Center Award for Social and Ethical Relevance in Communication Policy Research

The first OECD Report on Public Communication: The Global Context and the Way Forward examines the public communication structures, mandates and practices of centres of governments and ministries of health from 46 countries, based on the 2020 Understanding Public Communication surveys.

Communication Ethics Today includes chapters by leading professionals and academics on: .Ethical issues in alternative journalism .Ethical work practices, communication and organisational commitment .Between trust and anxiety: on the moods of Information Society .Communication and the machine of government .Secrecy, communications strategy and democratic values Professor Clifford Christians, of the University of Illinois-Urbana, says: "These chapters en masse promote truth-telling as the over-arching ethical framework for understanding the media's mission and practice."

In this enterprising new text, Ted Glenn equips fledgling public sector communications professionals with the information they need to be successful in their new roles. Leveraging his years of experience in this growing field, Glenn discusses how to present policy goals to different audiences and tailor messages to their needs, write gripping speeches, and use digital media in a world where one ill-phrased tweet can sink a career. Chapters are enriched with activities that walk students through the many responsibilities of public service professionals and encourage them to think strategically in quickly evolving situations. Professional Communications in the Public Sector is indispensable reading for students of public administration, communications, policy studies, media studies, and advertising.

Timely text authored by leading political communication scholars on the effects of tCovid-19 on political communication. How governments, journalists, and the public communicate is of interest within the disciplines of political science, media studies, communication studies, and journalism.

As the media grows more ruthless, the role of public relations has become increasingly complex and critical. Savvy businesspeople know that how a company conveys and maintains its image has never been more important­­or more challenging. The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations & Integrated Communications is the definitive guide for communications professionals. Featuring the expertise of the world's foremost public relations and marketing authorities, it is the first book of its kind to combine the art and science of marketing, public relations and communications in one single resource. An indispensable reference guide to the best practices in every industry, this handbook features more than 40 information-packed chapters authored by the best minds in the business and covers cutting-edge tips, topics and techniques such as: Crisis management Marketing public relations Client-agency relationships Environmental public relations High-tech PR And more!