Chapter 14:Public Affairs: Relations with Government

Introduction to Public Relations

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WHAT IS PUBLIC AFFAIRS?

Public Affairs is the area of public relations that works within the political arena that affects an organization. It addresses public policy and the publics that affect the public policy (i.e. governments, lobbyists, legislators, regulators, etc.).

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GOVERNMENTAL ROLES INCLUDE …

StimulantRefereeRule makerEngineer

•Pursuer of social goals

•Defender

•Provider

•Customer

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AREAS AFFECTED BY GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITY

o Organizations are concerned with government activity in three main areas. Regulating commerce Providing services to various groups Taxing organizations and individuals to support

governmental activities

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UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Governmental roles are shaped by three types of organizations.Electoral Bodies, for example Political Action CommitteesLegislative Bodies, for example Lobbying OrganizationsRegulatory Bodies, for example The Environmental

Protection Agency

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LOBBYING FOR INFLUENCE

Lobbying – the principal tool of business in communicating with government – is beyond the reach of the average citizen.

Governmental agencies are forbidden by law from using funds appropriated by Congress to influence legislation.

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GRASS ROOTS APPROACH

Sometimes organizations influence government in less organized but very effective ways

Examples of Grassroots lobbying: Sending messages to legislators

and Congress Using social media to campaign

the issue

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REGULATIONS APPLY TO A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS

Organizations that are regulated include: Not-for-profits Corporations Industry or professional groups Businesses

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GOVERNMENTAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Governmental public relations practitioners are often called Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) or Public Information Officers (PIOs).

They can’t be called public relations in the federal government because of the Gillett Amendment of 1913.

Because of the 1913 law they tend to be more reactive than proactive.

The public is typically suspicious / skeptical of PIOs.

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GOVERNMENTAL OBJECTIVES - PIOs

Support for new laws or initiatives Better-informed electorates Greater use of government services Better communication with

officeholders Voluntary compliance with laws or

regulations Support for agencies and their

programs

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HOW DO BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENTS COMMUNICATE?

o The Government uses several sources to get its message out:

Public information officers

Information services

Libraries

The Internet

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GOVERNMENT USES FOR THE INTERNET

To bypass media and go directly to information consumers

To communicate with researchers, activists, specialists and journalists

To distribute large volumes of information To publicize projects and activities To solicit public comment or support