Public Communication and Public Policy

"This book addresses a vitally important element for strengthening and maintaining democracy - the need for open two-way public communication in policy-making."
David Goessmann Director, Open Government, Civic Space, and Public Communication Unit Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
"This book is a landmark contribution on public sector communication. Grounded in a close examination of relevant theory and solid, global empirical research, it is a masterly exposition of the nature of communication and a clarion call for a radical move away from 'tell and sell' to 'listen and collaborate'. Jim Macnamara provides a practical framework for turning the call into reality. It is a must read for academics and practitioners who care about reviving democracy in the face of the very real threats it faces."
Anne Gregory Professor Emeritus, University of Huddersfield, UK
"This important and deeply researched work highlights the vital role that public communication can play in improving the quality of policy-making and increasing trust in government. Its cogent demonstration of the benefits of interactive engagement between government and citizens, its use of case studies, and practical recommendations of available methods and tools make it an invaluable resource for policy-makers and anyone committed to strengthening our democratic systems."
Carol Mills Director, Institute for Public Policy and Governance & Centre for Local Government University of Technology Sydney
Public Communication and Public Policy: Reviving Democracy by Recalibrating Public Communication reports research conducted across three continents that identifies key causes of the collapse of public trust and a looming "crisis of democracy", offering detailed practical recommendations to redress these trends and revive democracy for the betterment of society.
A review of 16 public policy development cycles and models published in academic literature and as well as the guidelines of governments and public institutions show that half do not mention public consultation, feedback, stakeholder and citizen engagement, or public communication. When public consultation is included, it is listed after policies have been developed. Similarly, public communication is typically positioned at the end of the process to announce and promote policies and government decisions - what this analysis refers to as "tell and sell".
A focus on one-way communication by governments and public institutions is confirmed in interviews with senior public policy and public communication practitioners.
Case studies reported such as introduction of the UK Post Office Horizon System and Robodebt in Australia confirm that a lack of stakeholder and citizen engagement, consultation, and listening to feedback through two-way public communication is a key contributor to public policy "debacles", "scandals", and "miscarriages of justice".
The interdisciplinary research reported in this book shows the lack of democratic participation is both a demand- side and a supply-side problem. While many public policy advisers and analysts do not see two-way public communication as part of democratic policy-making, public communication staff are commonly focussed on the news media cycle and promotional campaigns based on marketing ideology that has infiltrated the public sector. This research informs a number of recommendations for governments, public institutions, public policy and public communication practitioners, and civil society.

Jim Macnamara is a Distinguished Professor of Public Communication in the School of Communication at the University of Technology Sydney. He is also a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the London College of Communication. He is the author of 19 books including Organizational Listening II: Expanding the Concept, Theory, and Practice and Evaluating Public Communication: Exploring New Models, Standards, and Best Practice.