This paper critically examines the use of public communications management (or “publicity management” for short) as a regulatory tool, within the context of a democratic state in which government administrators (including regulatory agencies) are required to be publicly accountable for the exercise of their powers. “Public communications management” refers to communications activity which (1) is concerned with communications, that is, the process of imparting, conveying or exchange of ideas, knowledge or information, whether by speech, writing or signs (2) is concerned with public communications, that is, communications directed at those external to the regulatory agency, thereby distinguishing it from communications within the agency, or communications between the agency and other administrative agencies and departments; and (3) is concerned with the management of public communications, thus referring to deliberate, purposive and strategic activity rather than being unplanned, haphazard or accidental.
Thus defined, public communications management represents a broad sphere of government communications activity which may include, but is not limited to “media management”, the latter referring to efforts to manage the relationships between the government and media institutions and actors, particularly the press and broadcast journalists. Accordingly, it scope extends beyond the dissemination of factual data to include the conveying of specific messages or opinions, and includes communications-based activities oriented primarily at changing behaviour as well as administrative pronouncements that seek primarily to report on agency activity.