Government Communication: Cases and challenges

Description

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. Cover HalfTitle Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements 1 Introduction: Mapping the field of government communication Defining government communication Situating government communication research at a crossroads Looking at government communication cross-nationally The case-study methodology Putting empirical data in context Plan of the book 2 Structures, strategies and spin: Government communication in Sweden Political and media contexts in Sweden Structure of Swedish government communication Government communication resources Communication activities, functions and tasks Conclusion Annex 2.1 3 Government communication in Germany: Maintaining the fine line between information and advertising The political and the electoral systems The development of government communication and its legal background Today’s structure of government communication Challenges for government communication Conclusion 4 Opportunities, challenges and trends in US federal government communication Government communication defined US government communicators Presidential and federal communication Other federal communication related to government communication Legal framework for government communication Communication in a permanent campaign mindset Media relations and a shifting media landscape Next steps in US government communication research Conclusion 5 The strategic shift of UK government communication The political and news environment Millbankization and the shift to strategic communication Government communication post-Phillis, 2004–10 Counting the costs of government communication Challenges for UK government communication 6 Government communication in Australia Political and media environment The development of ‘the PR state’ Government communication resources and advertising Two government advertising case studies: Industrial relations and mining tax Reaching citizens Greater chaos, less control? The future of government communication in Australia 7 The wavering implementation of government communication in France The emergence of a specific institutional body in charge of French government communication French government communication today: From ‘new’ management to politicization? Conclusion 8 Government communication in Spain: Leaving behind the legacies of the past Introduction1 A brief look at history: From militarization to democracy The political landscape: The result of laborious consensus-making The media landscape The development of government communication: Giving central place to communication The organizational structure for government communication today Human and financial resources The process: Tasks performed by the government communication office Conclusions: Challenges for government communication in Spain 9 Government communication in democratic Poland: 20 years after the collapse of communism Political and electoral systems after the collapse of communism Media landscape and journalism culture The development of government communication The structure of government communication Government communication resources and tasks Human resources Communication activities Conclusion 10 Government strategic communication in the democratic transition of Chile Introduction Political and media landscapes The structure of government communication Main trends in government communication Conclusions 11 Government communication in Southern Africa Introduction Overview of the political and electoral systems Overview of the media landscape and culture Trends in government communication Communicating the message Conclusion 12 Incredible India and government communication India’s media landscape and culture India’s political and electoral systems India’s government communication resources India rising in spite of the State A success for government communications? Conclusion 13 Government communication in Mexican democracy1 Political and electoral systems The context of political change Government communication in democratic times Government advertising expenses in Calderón’s administration Conclusion 14 Government communication in Singapore Introduction: Singapore media and its political context An authoritarian premise for communication (Re)defining government communication Great Singapore spin or substance? Recalibrating government communication: General election 2011 and beyond Conclusion 15 The evolution of Chinese government communication: Towards transparent governance Introduction Interplay of politics, government and media Conclusion Nomenclature 16 Government communication in 15 countries: Themes and challenges Introduction Developing an assessment framework for government communication Tactical and strategic communication Communication purposes Categorizing government communication Challenges for government communication research Conclusions Index