PR is a 'vital and central part' of good government
IN RESPONSE to Peter Roffey's column ('No time for ''delusions of Grande Havre''', 14 July), it is unfortunate for the role of public relations to be misrepresented in this way. In the current climate, of course, there are sensible debates to be had about cost-effectiveness within governments, but singling out public relations and communications functions as unnecessary expenses and 'nice to haves' suggests a misunderstanding of the purpose and valuable role public relations can play in modern organisations, including governments.
I would argue that actually it is entirely sensible that communications professionals should be employed by an organisation that provides frontline services to over 60,000 people. A publicly funded body has a responsibility to deliver a first-class service to its communities and engaging in two-way open, honest and transparent dialogue is essential if that is to be achieved. Drawing on the expertise of professional and accountable public relations practitioners is the best way to do that.
The view that all public relations professionals do is send out press releases and answer media calls is outdated. In fact, a modern public relations team has to work hard to reach and engage with its communities, whether through events, consultations, information provision or via traditional, social and digital forms of media, which are global and complex in nature. In the UK there is plenty of evidence of public relations being at the core of consulting with communities in negotiating local government spending cuts, communicating these challenges internally with staff and externally with the public they serve. Moreover, with access to services moving more and more online to save money across departments, there will be an even greater need for qualified communications teams in governments in the future. Public relations is not a 'nice to have', but a vital and central part of the role of government.
We are fortunate in the Channel Islands to have a sizeable pool of well-qualified, experienced public relations professionals who abide by the CIPR's standards and code of conduct, and who are contributing regularly to the success of organisations by listening to and engaging with the local community. Thankfully, smart businesses across Guernsey and Jersey are increasingly alive to the value of high quality public relations, and it is right that governments should be too.
ADAM RIDDELL,
Chairman,
Chartered Institute of
Public Relations CI Group,
St Aubin, Jersey, JE3 8AB.
