COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

AND MEDIA APPLICATION

• Presentation By:- HADDUSH KASSU (MBA)

Director, communication And Media
Research and Capacity building Directorate -GCAO
• December/2016
• ADDIS ABEBA

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• “Interdisciplinary communication is where truly great
ideas emerge.”

• “The biggest communication problem is we do not listen

to understand. We listen to reply.”

• “Research is the starting point of any campaign, and

knowing how some body behaved prior to a campaign and
how they behaved afterwards is key. Communications is
pointless without research and evaluation” (The Westminster
Model, October 2011).

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PART ONE

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 What is Communication?
The beginning of human communication through artificial
channels, i.e. not vocalization or gestures, goes back to ancient
cave paintings, drawn maps, and writing.

The Persian Empire (centred around present-day Iran) played an

important role in the field of communication. They devised what
might be described as the first real mail or postal system, which
is said to have been developed by the Persian emperor Cyrus
the Great (550 BC) after his conquest of Media. The role of the
system as an intelligence gathering apparatus is well
documented, and the service was (later) called angariae, a term
that in time turned to indicate a tax system. And the king had
couriers for communicating his decisions.
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The word "communication" is derived from the Latin root
"communicare". This was due to the Roman Empire also
devising what might be described as a mail or postal
system, in order to centralize control of the empire from
Rome. This allowed for personal letters and for Rome to
gather knowledge about events in its many widespread
provinces. More advanced postal systems later appeared in
the Islamic Caliphate and the Mongol Empire during the
Middle Ages.

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The adoption of a dominant communication medium is
important enough that historians have folded civilization into
"ages" according to the medium most widely used. A book
titled "Five Epochs of Civilization" by William McGaughey
This divides history into the following stages: Ideographic
writing produced - the first civilization; alphabetic
writing - the second; printing - the third; electronic
recording and broadcasting - the fourth; and computer
communication - the fifth. The media affects what people
think about themselves and how they perceive people as
well. What we think about self image and what others should
look like comes from the media.

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 Definition of Communication
Communication is a process of transferring information
from one entity to another. Communication processes are
sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents.
Communication is a process whereby information is
enclosed in a package and is channeled and imparted by a
sender to a receiver via some medium.
The receiver then decodes the message and gives the
sender a feedback. All forms of communication require a
sender, a message, and a receiver.
Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting
or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by
speech, writing, or signs".
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• Although there is such a thing as one-way
communication, communication can be perceived better
as a two- way process in which there is an exchange
and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas (energy)
towards a mutually accepted goal or direction
(information).
• However due to rapid development of new media
communication is many-to-one either or many-to-
many (viral communication).
Goal of communication
“ultimate goal of communication is to facilitate a
change in behavior…to achieve management
objectives’’ World bank 2001 *
 Types of Communication
Prof. Albert Mehrabian (UCLA, 1967)[4] identified three
major parts that convey meaning in human face to face
communication: body language, voice tonality, and words.
He conducted research to determine how people make
meaning when a speaker says one thing but means another. If
the speaker is sending a mixed message the listener will rely
on the following cues to determine true meaning:
55% of impact is determined by body language—postures,
gestures, and eye contact, 38% by the tone of voice, and
7% by the content or the words spoken.
Mehrabian says this only applies in situations where the
speaker is talking about feelings or attitudes. *
 Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is the process of
communicating through sending and receiving wordless
messages. Such messages can be communicated through
gesture, body language or posture; facial expression and eye
contact.

Object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or

even architecture, or symbols and infographics, as well as
through an aggregate of the above, such as behavioral
communication.

Nonverbal communication plays a key role in every person's

day to day life, from employment to romantic engagements. *
 Categories and Features of
non-verbal communication
According to G. W. Porter non-verbal
communication is divided into four broad
categories and four features.

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 Categories of non-verbal communication
Physical: This is the personal type of communication. It
includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch,
sense of smell, and body motions.

Aesthetic: This is the type of communication that takes

place through creative expressions: playing instrumental
music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.

Signs: This is the mechanical type of communication, which

includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and
sirens.

Symbolic: This is the type of communication that makes

use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols. *
 Static Features of
non-verbal communication
Distance:The distance one stands from another
frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some cultures
it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or
the intensity of the exchange.

Orientation:People may present themselves in various

ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-to-back.
For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side
while competitors frequently face one another.

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Posture: Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or
standing. These are not the elements of posture that convey
messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs
crossed or our arms folded ? Such postures convey a
degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the
communication exchange.

Physical Contact: Shaking hands, touching, holding,

embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all convey
messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a
feeling of (or lack of) attraction.

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 Dynamic Features of
non-verbal communication
Facial Expressions: A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and
sneer all convey information. Facial expressions continually change during
interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is evidence
that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.

Gestures: One of the most frequently observed, but least understood,

cues is a hand movement. Most people use hand movements regularly when
talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal
meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.

Looking: A major feature of social communication is eye contact. It can

convey emotion, signal when to talk or finish, or aversion. The frequency of
contact may suggest either interest or boredom.
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 Visual communication
Visual communication as the name suggests is
communication through visual aid. It is the conveyance of
ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked
upon. Primarily associated with two dimensional images,
it includes: signs, typography, drawing, graphic design,
illustration, colour and electronic resources. It solely
relies on vision. It is form of communication with visual
effect. It explores the idea that a visual message with text has
a greater power to inform, educate or persuade a person. It is
communication by presenting information through visual form.

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 OTHER TYPS OF COMMUNICATION
meaning Type Item
No
Is making awareness on organization's mission and values Corporate 1.
communication

Is strengthening in-house information exchange Internal 2.

communication

Advocacy is a continuous and adaptive process of gathering, Advocacy 3.

organizing and formulating information into arguments to be communication
communicated through various interpersonal and media channels,
with a view to raising resources or gaining political and social
leadership acceptance and commitment for a development program,
thereby preparing society for acceptance of the programme.
Source : Communication Handbook for Polio Eradication and
Routine EPI, UNICEF, WHO, USAID, Basics – April 2000)

Development communication is the art and science of human Development 4.

communication applied to the speedy transformation of the communication
country and the mass of its people from poverty to a dynamic state
of economic growth that makes possible greater social equality and
the larger fulfillment of human potential. (Nora Quebral)
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 WAYS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication channels can be categorized into two main
categories: Direct and Indirect channels of communication

Communication channels are the medium chosen to convey

the message from sender to receiver
Channels means mode of communicating the messages.
Participants is the communicators who are both senders and
receivers.
Direct channels are those that are obvious and can be easily
recognized by the receiver. They are also under direct
control of the sender. In this category are the verbal and non-
verbal channels of communication.

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Verbal communication channels are those that use words
in some manner, such as written communication or spoken
communication. (word of mouth)

Non-verbal communication channels are those that do not

require words, such as certain overt facial expressions,
controllable body movements (such as that made by a traffic
police to control traffic at an intersection), color (red for
danger, green means go etc), sound (sirens, alarms etc).

Indirect channels are those channels that are usually

recognized subliminally or subconsciously by the receiver, and
not under direct control of the sender. This includes
kinesics or body language, that reflects the inner emotions
and motivations rather than the actual delivered message. It
also includes such vague terms as "gut feeling", "hunches" or
"premonitions".
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 Other forms of communication
Intrapersonal communication
Intrapersonal communication is the act of having an internal
dialogue with yourself; or in other words, self-talk! Some
examples of this include: "Asking yourself what you want for
dinner tonight"; or "Asking yourself if you should have or
shouldn't have done something?“
Intrapersonal communication is language use or thought
internal to the communicator. Intrapersonal communication is
the active internal involvement of the individual in symbolic
processing of messages. The individual becomes his or her
own sender and receiver, providing feedback to him or
herself in an ongoing internal process. It can be useful to
envision intrapersonal communication occurring in the mind of
the individual in a model which contains a sender, receiver, and
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feedback loop.
Although successful communication is generally defined as being
between two or more individuals, issues concerning the useful
nature of communicating with oneself and problems concerning
communication with non-sentient entities such as computers
have made some argue that this definition is too narrow.

In Communication: The Social Matrix of Psychiatry, Jurgen

Ruesch and Gregory Bateson argue that intrapersonal
communication is indeed a special case of interpersonal
communication, as "dialogue is the foundation for all
discourse’’.

Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication is defined by communication
scholars in numerous ways, though most definitions involve
participants who are interdependent on one another, have a shared
history. *
 Mass communication
Mass communication is the term used to describe the
academic study of the various means by which individuals and
entities relay information through mass media to large
segments of the population at the same time.
Mass communication have the capacity to convey a message
to hundreds of million audiences (listeners, viewers or readers)
It is usually understood to relate to newspaper and magazine
publishing, radio, television film, and new media as these are
used both for disseminating news and for advertising.

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 Models of Communication
• It can be said there are different models of
communication, however the two main ones are
the following, these are:
 “message influence model”
“ pragmatic complexity model”

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 “message influence model”
• The model tries to express communication between to
parties. MESSAGE

A B
SOURCE CHANNEL AUDIENCE

• This model is based upon Shannon & Weaver’s The Mathematical

Theory of Communication,1949. However, Shannon and Weaver’s model
was not developed with Strategic Communication in mind but was
formulated to examine interference in telephony.
• However, the model is criticized, because of its simplistic and mechanical
approach upon the audience. It assumes audience as passive.
• So to constantly evaluate our effectiveness the source, message,
channel and audience model needs accordingly to adjust, i.e.
objective, audience, channel, source, message and then evaluation.
*
 “pragmatic complexity model”
• The model posits that communication is not a simple
transmission of messages between two groups, but
rather is a much more arrangement between the sender
and the receiver.
• The model presumes that in any communication the
success of A’s message depends not only on the
message alone but upon what B thinks and does. And
what B thinks and does is influenced by A’s behavior and
B’s expectations, interpretations and attributions with
respect to A. The model assumes that message are
always interpreted with in a large and ongoing
communication system and that A and B are therefore
locked into a relationship of simultaneous and mutual
interdependence. This can be represented by the
following diagram. *
 External
environment

.1
Behavior & .2
policies Opinion &
. 4 Attitudes
Consider
.3
message .5
Accept ,
A discard or B
modify
Message is either
accepted, adapted or
rejected depending on 2

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 Here the success of A’s messages are dependent upon the wider
external environment and, in particular, B’s perception of A’s role in that
environment. It is against that role that A’s messages are processed; they
may be dismissed out of hand or they may be accepted but in a
contextualized manner. Rarely are they accepted tabula rasa. This model,
which presents a much more realistic interpretation of society, suggests
that there is no independent audience (B) waiting to be impacted by A.
Instead, both parties are locked into a relationship of interdependence.
This model is illustrated by the following example:

In April 2003 the UK Maritime Component Commander bemoaned

the fact that the Arab media would not report the reopening of the Umm
Qasr – Basra Express Train after the rebuilding of the railway by the 17th
Port and Maritime Regiment. Despite widespread Western media
coverage the Arab media refused to attend the facility. At the
Commander’s request their refusal to attend was analyzed. It was found
that the Arab media did not regard the rebuilding of one rail line as news
worthy, when compared to the collateral damage and loss of Iraqi lives
that the invasion had wrought.
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 Components of Communication
It is critical to understand the following key
components of communication.

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 Audience Centered
Communication
• Guest is a better judge of the meal than
the cook (Aristotle)
• Determine what your audience knows,
their attitudes and feelings
• Construct your argument for them
• Deliver it via a channel that reaches them

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 The Seven C’s of Effective
Communication
1. Command attention
2. Cater to the heart and the head
3. Call to action
4. Clarify the message
5. Communicate a benefit
6. Create trust
7. Convey a consistent message
(Source Esta de Fossard)
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PART TWO

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 THE 10 BASIC
PRINCIPLES OF
GOVERNMENT
COMMUNICATION

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1. Government work is a public activity
• In any democracy, government is elected by its
people, and is therefore an institution for the
people and by the people. It is essential that
ordinary citizens are constantly informed about
government work and empowered to take active part
in it.
• Government needs to make an effort to continually
counter insinuations that government work is
secretive whenever and wherever they surface.
• So to ensure its accountability government have to
strengthen the check and balance system.

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2. A central communication service must
have the authority to carry out its work and
it must be located in the highest office.
• To ensure legitimacy and effectiveness, all
government communication must have its genesis
and Co-ordination from the highest office in the
Government’s structure.
• On all other levels, communication structures must
be placed in the offices of political principals.
3. Political principals are the main
communicators
• Government communication must, in the main, be
done by individuals holding positions of political
oversight or leadership *
4. Every one government is a communicator
• Everyone working in government institutions is indirectly a
communicator and must therefore assume the role of an
emissary and be a positive representative of government.
• This is pertinent in every public service member’s behavior,
including verbal and non-verbal interaction with the people.

5.Communication must be based on an integrated

communication strategy and programme (with core
messages that guide all actors).
• The central communication service must co-ordinate the
formulation of the main and all encompassing
communication strategies for the whole of government.
• All different spheres and parts of government must at all
times communicate in one voice, meaning there must be
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consistency in messaging.
6. Communication structures do not determine
policy – they articulate it.
• Government policy and priority are predetermined and
communication is there to inform and accurately
disseminate them to the public.

7. Communication is more than just media

liaison.
• In communicating, special efforts must be taken to seek,
evaluate and, where feasible, employ all available
measures or tools to get the message across.
• In implementing major campaigns in particular, a
multimedia approach must be adopted for effective
message diffusion and sufficient reach.
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8. Direct communication and mutual exchange of
views with the public is the most effective form
of communication (where possible, there
should be communicators in all localities).
• Communication structures must be established to enable
interaction, mediated or otherwise, between government
and the public.
9. In working out campaigns and programmes,
there must be a deliberate effort to understand
the communication environment.
• Research is an integral part of the communication process.
• In any event, the success of communication depends on the
accurate diagnosis of the surroundings that will inform,
among other things, the selection of appropriate messages,
target audiences and media platforms. *
10. Communication campaigns work best when
they are carried out in partnership with others
outside of government.
• Government does not function in a vacuum and for
maximum communication impact, especially in terms of
credibility and reach, different stakeholders and role-players
such as civic organization, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), opinion-makers and other important figures need
to be involved.

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POLITICS AND THE
GOVERNMENT
COMMUNICATOR

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“If there is one area of governance which fully represents
the political and administrative interface, it is the task of
communication. The communicator straddles the
relationship of political and administrative operations and
harmonises the varying emphasis of these two fraternities
to emerge with messages which reflect their unity of
purpose”. It is a government communicator who must
package messages in a manner which harmonises
the administrative and political arms of government.
The elements of the administrative and political interface
are represented by individual ministers on the one hand,
and the departmental head on the other.
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Indirectly, the work of the communicator is likely
to be related to party political expression as they
communicate policy positions most of which, if
not all, are associated with a ruling party. To this
extent, a government communicator presents policies,
positions and information which may be counter to
those of opposition parties. (Source: GCIS)

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PART THREE

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 The development-communication
approach
It is responsive
This means that communication between government and the
community must be responsive to the needs of the community
within the context of government’s mandated programme to
improve
It relies on feedback
It is a two-way communication process that involves
consultation with the recipients of information and provides
them with answers to their queries. This process similarly
gives government an opportunity to listen to the ideas and
experiences of communities, especially about programmes
and services aimed at improving their lives the lives of all
people. 28*
It must be creative and innovative
The message must clearly show how information can better
the lives of recipients. The message must promote hope and
trust among its recipients, as well as encourage them to be
interested in its content and to become a part thereof.

It is about continuity and sustainability

It is not about government dumping communication material
on communities and not Making sure that they understand its
content. Follow-up workshops can be arranged to emphasise
the importance and necessity of the information. The
community must therefore use it continually and in a sustained
way to enrich their lives. It must be available continuously
when there is a need.
30*
Community participation
Development communication is about planning with
communities and identifying their information needs. It is also
about working with communities in disseminating information,
and inviting government officials to explain how programmes
work and how they can be accessed.

Use of resource material

Various forms of resource material can be used to promote
development communication.
This resource material can be used for awareness purposes
and to mobilise the community to attend workshops, road
shows, dramas, etc.
32*
Loud hailing
A loudspeaker can be used to mobilise a particular
community to attend an event at a stadium or community
hall. It is used preferably in deep rural areas to mobilise
communities.

Word of mouth
This entails the ‘each-person teaches-another’ principle,
whereby information is spread through friends, families,
neighbours, etc. It is also preferred in deep rural areas
were everyone knows each other.

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Posters
A well-designed and printed poster can be put up in
community halls and public places such as schools, clinics,
post offices, local businesses, etc. to disseminate a particular
message. The culture of having community notice boards at
Thusong Service Centres (previously multi-purpose
community centres) should be developed.

Promotional material
Products like T-shirts, caps, key holders, etc. can be used in
big projects

Flyer
This entails a small and simplified version of the key concepts
and messages that is quick to read and easily understand 36*
Integrated community Service Centers: vehicles for
integrated service delivery
The most useful innovation in this process of communication
for development has been government’s programme of rolling
out integrated information services primarily in rural areas.
These centres are designed as places of a more permanent or
semi-permanent point of contact between communities and
govern- ment, and from which a number of programmes and
projects can be run.
Communication officers have a significant role to play in
expediting the notion of development communication. This is
largely as they interact directly with communities on a regular
basis, monitoring and evaluating the impact of the work done
through Thusong Service Centres (Integrated Community
Services) and how this has improved the quality of
38*
communities’ lives. Source:- GCIS
Local liaison and information management
All development-communication programmes and projects
should be aligned to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
The IDP is an essential management tool for local
government, whereby communities are encouraged to
participate in local-level decision making and planning for
service delivery in an integrated manner. Municipalities, and in
particular wards, are key entry points for the development-
communication practitioner.

The Ward Information Management System (Wims) is an

online resource in the form of a database for district-based
communication officers. It provides access to community
profiles (including literacy levels, languages, local
organisations and stakeholders) at ward level.
41*
While it could be argued that these "Epochs" are just a
historian's construction, digital and computer
communication shows concrete evidence of changing the
way humans organize. The latest trend in communication,
termed smart mobbing, involves ad-hoc organization
through mobile devices, allowing for effective many-to-
many communication and social networking.

43*
PART FOUR

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HANDLING A COMMUNICATION CRISIS

Definition of crisis:-
• A crisis (from the Greek plural: "crises") is any event that
is, or is expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous
situation affecting an individual, group, community, or
whole society. Crises are deemed to be negative
changes in the security, economic, political, societal, or
environmental affairs, especially when they occur
abruptly, with little or no warning. More loosely, it is a
term meaning 'a testing time' or an 'emergency event'.
(source: Wikipedia)

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Crisis Management and Communications
• There are plenty of definitions for a crisis. For this entry,
the definition reflects key points found in the various
discussions of what constitutes a crisis. A crisis is defined
here as a significant threat to operations that can have
negative consequences if not handled properly. In crisis
management, the threat is the potential damage a crisis can
inflict on an organization, its stakeholders, and an industry.
A crisis can create three related threats: (1) public safety,
(2) financial loss, and (3) reputation loss.

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Some crises, such as industrial accidents and product
harm, can result in injuries and even loss of lives. Crises
can create financial loss by disrupting operations, creating
a loss of market share/purchase intentions, or spawning
lawsuits related to the crisis. As Dilenschneider (2000)
noted in The Corporate Communications Bible, all crises
threaten to tarnish an organization’s reputation. A crisis
reflects poorly on an organization and will damage a
reputation to some degree. Clearly these three threats are
interrelated. Injuries or deaths will result in financial and
reputation loss while reputations have a financial impact on
organizations.

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Effective crisis management handles the threats
sequentially. The primary concern in a crisis has to be
public safety. A failure to address public safety
intensifies the damage from a crisis. Reputation and
financial concerns are considered after public safety has
been remedied. Ultimately, crisis management is
designed to protect an organization and its stakeholders
from threats and/or reduce the impact felt by threats.

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Crisis management is a process designed to prevent or
lessen the damage a crisis can inflict on an organization
and its stakeholders. As a process, crisis management
is not just one thing. Crisis management can be divided
into three phases: (1) pre-crisis, (2) crisis response, and
(3) post-crisis. The pre-crisis phase is concerned with
prevention and preparation. The crisis response phase
is when management must actually respond to a crisis.
The post-crisis phase looks for ways to better prepare for
the next crisis and fulfills commitments made during the
crisis phase including follow-up information. The tri-part
view of crisis management serves as the organizing
framework for this entry.

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Since we may not be able to prevent crises all the time, there
are a few things we can do once it has arisen:
• do not lie
• do not issue statements if your department has
not made decisions about what to say
• if the crisis is going to impact on government as
a whole, develop an interdepartmental or
government-wide approach
•do this while approaching members of GCAO and other
concerned bodies to co-ordinate the process
•have a central point from which statements will be issued
and co-ordinated
•develop a parallel process for managing the parties who will
be directly affected by the process. *
PART FIVE

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 GENERIC FRAMEWORK FOR
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
- A PROCESS OUTLINE
Why communication Strategy?
• “A thousand voices speaking without a common
message and single purpose will in the end just make
an indistinct noise that few will hear.”
Question to be addressed in Communication
Strategy
• Who am I speaking to ?
• For what reason?
• what is the take away message ?
• What to delivered through?
• How will measure effect? *
 Management decisions
1. Who do we want to reach ?
2. Through what media?
3. What do we want them to do
4. What messages?
5. How to evaluate results?

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synergizing Leadership perspectives
• To influence segment of audience it is important to
synergizing the strategic thinking (macro) and the
operational thinking (micro and the day to day operations).
Challenges of 21st strategic communication
• Engagement versus control
o In the past control of message, now engagement i.e. to “sell”
policy and its out comes to create national consensus and build
positive image of the country.
• Media landscape
o One way versus many-to-many
• Complexity
o Globalization
o Burgeoning (Grow and flourishing –emerging media)
• Organizational inertia
*
o Statuesque-resist change
 Understanding strategy & strategic
communication: towards a definition:-
According to Oxford dictionary
the meaning of Strategy is:-
• The science and art of using a nation forces to execute
approved plans as effectively as possible.
• The science and art of a military command in the planning
and conduct of war.
• A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or
overall aim:
• A plan action resulting from strategy or intended to
accomplish a specific goal.
*
 Types of marketing strategies
• According to marketing GURU’S and
practioners, mainly there are three types
of strategies. These are:-

Push strategy
Pull strategy
 push/Pull strategy

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 push strategy:-
• A channel partner term that is used to describe
how products and services move through
channel partners to the consumer. A push
strategy uses marketing channels, such as trade
promotions, to "push" a product or service
through to the sales channel. Push strategy is
one of several types of channel strategies.

*
 pull strategy:-
• A channel partner term that is used to describe
how products and services move through
channel partners to the consumer. A pull
strategy is where interest for a specific product
or service is created within a target audience
that then demands the product from channel
partners. This causes the product to be "pulled"
through the manufacturer's sales channel. Pull
strategy is one of several types of channel
strategies.

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 push/pull strategy
• A push/pull strategy refers to the way information and products
move between consumers and a manufacturer. Specifically in
marketing, this strategy refers to the focus of the promotional
efforts used to sell a good or service. In a push strategy,
suppliers “push” their goods toward consumers, and in a pull
strategy consumers “pull” information or products that are
suitable for their needs. A pull strategy is defined as a promotion
strategy focused on consumers rather than on members of a
marketing channel in order to facilitate the flow of a good or
service from a manufacturer to end-users (consumers).
Conversely, a push strategy is defined as a promotion strategy
focused on marketing intermediaries (wholesalers and retailers)
rather than on end-users in order to facilitate the flow of a good
or service from a manufacturer to consumers.
*
 Dictionary meaning of Strategic Communication:-
• Strategic communication can mean either communicating a concept,
a process, or data that satisfies a long term strategic goal of an
organization by allowing facilitation of advanced planning, or
communicating over long distances usually using international
telecommunications or dedicated global network assets to coordinate
actions and activities of operationally significant commercial, non-
commercial and military business or combat and logistic subunits. It
can also mean the related function within an organization, which
handles internal and external communication processes. Strategic
communication can also be used for political warfare.
• Strategic Communication refers to policy-making and guidance for
consistent information activity within an organization and between
organizations. Equivalent business management terms are: integrated
(marketing) communication, organizational communication, corporate
communication, institutional communication, etc.
*
Strategic Communication:-
• “A systematic series of sustained and coherent activities,
conducted across strategic, operational and tactical levels,
that enables the understanding of target audiences,
identifies effective conduits, and develops and promotes
ideas and opinions through those conduits to promote and
sustain particular types of behavior” (Source:- Standardized
UK or NATO definition- Steve Tatham Director
Communication Research, Research & Assessment
Branch, UK Defence Academy)

This definition emphasizes Strategic Communication

as a means of changing behavior and suggests a challenge
in both devising means to accomplish it and measures of its
success.
*
• Strategists often consider concepts in terms of 'ends, ways
and means'. Strategic Communication is a 'way' to change
behavior – which is a desired ‘end’. Strategic
Communication employs multiple 'means' in that process.
The means should be restricted only by the requirement to
achieve the desired effect on the target audience. In the
US, Strategic Communication is often regarded as being
80% actions and 20% words. A presumption exists that
Strategic Communication is aimed at external
audiences. This is incorrect; However, Strategic
Communication is as important to internal audiences
as it is to external ones.

*
 Because, in the 21st century warfare is becoming
more irregular and population, not geographic, gain is
the measure. Analysis has taken stock of perceptions
and a macro – cultural dimension( as culture is software
of mind): communicators needs to understand there own
perception as well as understanding the target audience
and their perceptions. And in the 21st century “force
and might” is not the right solution for today complex
world, problems, rather “branding – a collection of
perception in the heart and mind of the people in
now day’s complex world is the right tool”.
In short, it can be summarized that, “strategic
communication is about thinking differently”

*
• So, to bring a difference, we must, therefore,
speak with a hared purpose and clarity of
message. Our actions must be informed by an
understanding of the environment in which we are
working, of who we are trying to reach, what they
are thinking, and how they are best reached.

• We must have strategies for communication,

translating our ideas into a concrete programme
that promotes our objectives.

*
 Approaches to Planning
All organizations plan; the only difference is their
approach. Prior to starting a new strategic
planning process it will be necessary to access
the past planning approach that has been used
within the organization and determine how the
organization's cultural may have been affected.
Addressing these cultural issues is critical to the
success of the current planning process.

*
 The four possible approaches to planning are:-
1. Reactive - past oriented
Reactive planning is an active attempt to turn back the clock to
the past. The past, no matter how bad, is preferable to the
present. And definitely better than the future will be. The past
is romanticized and there is a desire to return to the "good old
days." These people seek to undo the change that has
created the present, and they fear the future, which they
attempt to prevent.
2. Inactive - present oriented
Inactive planning is an attempt to preserve the present,
which is preferable to both the past and the future. While
the present may have problems it is better than the past. The
expectation is that things are as good as they are likely to get
and the future will only be worse. Any additional change is
likely to be for the worse and should therefore be avoided. *
3. Pre-active - predict the future
Pre-active planning is an attempt to predict the future and
then to plan for that predicted future. Technological change is
seen as the driving force bringing about the future, which will
be better than the present or the past. The planning process
will seek to position the organization to take advantage of the
change that is happening around them.
4.Proactive - create the future
Proactive planning involves designing a desired future and
then inventing ways to create that future state. Not only is the
future a preferred state, but the organization can actively
control the outcome. Planners actively shape the future,
rather than just trying to get ahead of events outside of their
control. The predicted changes of the pre-active planner
are seen not as absolute constraints, but as obstacles that
can be addressed and overcome.
*
GUIDELINES ON PUTTING TOGETHER
A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
1. Check external perceptions of you centre/programme
among potential target audiences before you start.
Think about how you fit into the external horizon.
This will help you develop a communication strategy that
gives you a distinct and credible voice.
2. Begin with a statement of your objectives in
communicating the project; don’t simply restate the
objectives of the project itself. Make the objectives
clear, simple and measurable.(SMARTER)

*
3. Be clear on the principles underpinning your
strategy. Some may be self-evident, like producing
honest, succinct, credible and cost-effective
communication.
4. Develop some simple messages and model how
these might work in different context- a press
release, report, newspaper article, website page,
etc. Make sure your project is branded in line
with your communication objectives.
5. Be clear about your target audiences and user
groups and prioritise them according to
importance and influence relative to your
objectives. Don’t just only think about the
‘usual’ ones that are known by all.
*
6. Think about both the actual and preferred channels
you target audiences might use and challenge yourself
about whether you are planning to use the right ones for
maximum impact.
7. Include a full list of all the relevant communication
activities, developed into a working project plan with
deadlines and responsibilities.
8. Keep the communication programme simple and include
key deadlines, milestones and review points.
9. Communication should be allocated enough budgetary
resources to carry out its activities. At least five percent
of the total funded budget in the department should be
allocated for communication.
10. Evaluate the implementation and impact of the strategy
and that the implementation process has taken place.
*
 The strategising process
• There are many ways of approaching this function. What
follows is a process that has emerged out experience in
strategising for communication and entails 10 steps.
However, this is not a mechanical process that yields
automatic results. It needs hard work and lots of
thought.
• These steps are the elements of developing and
implementing a strategic communication. Each step is of
critical importance and is interlinked. However, there is a
logical order. We need, early on, to give critical attention to
two elements- objective and message – to ensure that our
work will not be undermined. Strategising is about how to
achieve objectives but if we are unclear about our
objective or get it wrong, then all the rest will be of little
or no value. We also need to correctly define what we *
want to say.
The communication strategising process
entails the following core elements:
• Background
• Objectives
• Environment
• Communication challenges
• Messages and themes
• Messengers, target audiences and channels.
• Types of events
• Communication programme (phased or not
phased)
• Partners and processes
• Action plan.
*
Background
Outlines what has led to the need for the
communication strategy to ensure that we are on
the right track.

Setting Objectives
Clarify intended outcomes and purpose of the
campaign. It may be to educate, reassure
people, receive feedback about a departmental
programme, change a perception, etc.

*
 Environmental analysis
This will define the terrain and environment in which you
communicate. It should deal with issues like the public mood,
the media agenda, concerns and attitudes of varying sectors
and forces, potential for improving the communication
environment, etc.
It is important to understand the environment before
implementing the strategic communication. In fact, the exercise
of scanning the environment contributes greatly to the effective
development of a communication programme. Such a scan
may require a number of areas not clearly understood by the
public and therefore needs further research.
The wider macro environment (far and near far) as well as the
internal environment can be conducted by using SWOT and/or
STEPLE techniques. *
 Communication Challenges
Having considered broad objectives in the context of a
defined environment will lead you to identify specific
communication challenges which have to be met successfully
to achieve the objectives.

Once challenges are clarified, it will be possible to know

exactly what it is we must communicate and how that should
be done.

*
 Messages and themes
It is critical to indicate the themes and concepts that are
associated with the communication effort being
undertaken. A distinction can be drawn between core
themes and sub themes.
Once this has been done effectively, it will be possible
to formulate a core message.
The core message must be integrated with the
Government’s core message for the year and the coming
five years as well as the future one’s.
The Government’s core message is particularly
important because it communicates the central
message adopted by the Government. *
Developing the Message

The key to a pro-active relationship with

your audience
Does anyone have any questions for my answers?
Henry Kissinger

The Message and the Messenger

Both the message and the messenger are
equally important

76*
• Framing the Message
• Based on
– Experiences
– Prejudices
– Alliances
– Interests
– Knowledge
 Lens through which we see things

 Changing the lens, changes how the message

is perceived
*
Messages should based on evidence:-
• The competition for messages is intense
• Messages should be designed with audience’s
interest or self interest in mind
• Readers and Viewers must immediately recognize
the story as being important to them.
• Use Position-Evidence Structure for messages
and stories
• State the Position
• Provide Evidence for that position Use Problem-
Solution Model
• state the problem
• indicate the solution that is proposed
*
Elements of a Good Message
• Problem
– Talk about the situation
• Solution
– Talk about the way you propose to make things
better
• Position of the Organization
– Mention the position of your organization, and the
name
• Interviews
– Skills that are needed to handle interviews with
effectiveness.
*
Five C’s of effective Messages
• Clear-No Jargon
• Concise-30 seconds or less
• Consistent-repeated often
• Convincing-data and stories
• Compelling-says something

*
How to Compile Key Messages
Key messages are simply key messages and
not something else
• Key messages are not statements. They are also not
briefings or comprehensive statements of information.
• They articulate the essentials of government’s
position on critical issues.
• They should inform all communicators on the issues by
using communication tools such as interviews, press
conference & briefings, issuing communiqué statements,
articles, posters, pamphlets, leaflets, photo album,
stationed or mobile exhibitions, promotional materials
(key, Cap, T-shirt, Scrap) etc.
*
Key messages generate and develop a
government discourse
• Key messages over time generate a body of discourse
that consistently reflects government’s position.
• Consistency of style and terminology is the therefore
critical.
• Consistency of positions is critical-drafters should always
check previous messages on related topics.
• Consistency in formulation on key issues helps
communication – but formulations should also be
sensitive to the current environment.

*
 Key messages communicate Strategic
Directions
• Key messages are informed by the strategic directions of
government policy.
• Therefore, when drafting them, don’t rely on desk research
only – we need the guidance of those informed with
strategic perspectives.

• While communicators should be informed accordingly,

other senior officials and policy-makers are often best
placed – behind every successful drafter is a good
network.
• Drafts will always reflect the brief given – a good drafter
must be a good briefer. *
Key messages are time bound
• Good communication is on time: a proactive step ahead
or an instant response.
• Therefore, key messages must be available without
delay.

Messengers, audience and channels

• A campaign should always have its own voice: Who
speaks for it, to whom, in what way and through which
channels?

*
 Types of events & Government
communication and Environmental scanning
Types of events :-
•There are two types of events:- i.e calendar (public event)&
creative event.
•However, to organize events it needs environmental
•scanning.
Government Communication and Environmental
Scanning:-
Communication in government is pursued to fulfill the
mandate and duty to inform the public. We must understand
the chain of events in the government communication
system and should be able to examine all conditions that
characterise the environment. *
Government Communication takes place in an environment
that must be improved, sustained or encouraged. The
illustration suggests that a communicator pursues the
function of communication to alter the environment to
promote fulfillment of government’s mandate. It is, therefore
of paramount importance that government
communicators should make serious attempts to
analyse the environment in which government messages
would be communicated.

*
The function of government communication is directly
linked to the function of meeting the information needs
of society. Therefore, every communicator must seek to
execute their function with the knowledge that the
messages are to satisfy public expectations.

*
Various media may also mediate these messages. The
challenge for a government communicator arises because
these mediators might interpret the message in a way
inconsistent with what government intends.

A communicator must understand these dynamics within the

environment. The next challenge for a government
communicator is to understand the journey taken by the
messages to be communicated, and what and who deals with
these messages before they reach the target audience.

It is important that we understand that the messages we

communicate may reach the target audience through the
interpretation of those who are mediating them. Hence, the
communication strategy must take this into account. The key
issue to deal with is the possible changes in the message and
how to minimize distortions to the content of the message.
*
Phased Communication programme
This consists of two parts: phasing of a campaign and the
broad outline of a communication programme.

Very rarely is there just one stage to a campaign. One may

move from a first phase of education and awareness, to a
second of mobilizing for action. Each phase has different
needs and challenges.

Partners and processes

Implementing the communication strategy requires
consultation with various stakeholders. It has to be well –
articulated who the partners in the programme are and what
their role will be.
*
Communication strategy document and
action plan
A well designed and written communication strategy document is
critical for a good campaign. The document will be the guide for all
future action, the standard against which the success or failure of
communication is measured and the most critical means for keeping
the campaign on track.
It needs to be clear and concise, and well-written in a form that is
easily understood and persuasive, not as a series of bullet points but
as a logical presentation of the thinking behind.
To put into practice the ideas resulting from strategising requires an
action plan that spells out in detail what is to be done for each event in
the programme, who is responsible for doing it, what the specific
targets and objectives are, budgets, and so on. This will also serve as
a strategic management and co-ordination instrument to ensure
objectives are met. An action plan is best set out in tabular format.
*
 A critical part of the action plan is to identify
other supporting plans needed, for example:
• A media liaison strategy consisting of a detailed plan of
interviews, press briefings, media/journalists to be targeted,
opinion pieces, etc. Most importantly, a statement of key
messages and frequently asked questions (FAQs) and
answers, should be developed for use by communicators and
writers, especially for campaigns whose objectives are to
educate and inform and have a medium-term to long-term
duration. There is a need for a positioning strategy related to
the objective, challenges and messages.

• A distribution strategy citing a detailed plan on how the

various products/services will be disseminated to the
identified target audiences.
*
 The Top 5 Effective
Communication Techniques
1. Know Your PURPOSE
PURPOSE is the same for communication. It answers the
question: what am I hoping to achieve? PURPOSE drives
every decision you will make about communication;
therefore, it must be incredibly FOCUSED!
2. Know Your AUDIENCE
Now that you’ve given a lot of thought to your purpose, it’s
time to think about your audience. With whom are you
communicating? One person? Ten people? Ten thousand
people? What do you think THEY are hoping to get out of
this communication? How do THEIR goals mesh with your
purpose? If you don’t know, have you asked them?
*
3. Know Your SELF
Now that you’ve determined a specific purpose and given
consideration to your audience, you need to think about
yourself. Only, in this case, It is not suggesting you think
about your goals–that was your purpose– it is suggesting
you think about your tactics.
To be an effective communicator, you must play to your
strengths. For instance, do you prefer verbal or
written communication? There are advantages and
disadvantages to both. Does that preference depend
on whether it’s one person you’re trying to reach or a
group?

*
4. Know Your MESSAGE
When it comes to your actual message, it is believe you
must follow four rules: Be HONEST, Be FOCUSED, Be
TIMELY and Be POSITIVE!
5. Know Your APPROACH
So you determined a PURPOSE, thought about your
AUDIENCE and your SELF, and crafted an honest,
focused, timely and positive message. The last step in
the process is to determine your APPROACH.

*
• Email, Face-book, Twitter, simple letters and other forms of
communication such as face-to-face, word of mouth etc are
great for both formal and informal settings, but know
that anything in writing will NEVER go away. Especially
with social media, we must always follow the first four
rules, even when making an on-the-spot post. Once you
put something in writing, it can follow you for years and
years, so be careful.
• Of course, the personal touch is always a plus. But if
you fail to follow steps 1-4, you run a high risk of
communicating poorly or rambling. The advantage, of
course, is that energy is contagious. In person, you can
quickly gauge your audience’s body language. You can
ask questions and have a dialogue. In short, it can be a
very powerful medium to use.
*
 List Of Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively is a trick learn by
many, but practiced perfectly by not too many. This is
because for most communicating is simple process.
However, it is not so, it a rather simple-complex-
networking system that has varied undercurrents
flowing between the speaker and listener/s.

*
 Given here is an interesting list of communication
skills that one should be aware of in order to better
their ability to convey their valuable messages…

• Taking responsibility for one’s messages

• Claiming ownership for one’s messages
• Preparing to listen
• Encouraging the speaker to speak more
• Reflecting on what the speaker has to say
• Adapting to difference of opinions
• Being open minded
• Acknowledging differences
• Assessing without being judgmental
• Accepting feedback
*
• Being assertive
• Ability to share one’s thoughts
• Sharing one’s feelings
• Conveying to others a message without commanding
or dictating terms
• Being aware of the information coming in
• Maintaining a communication wheel of conclusions,
sense data, emotions, impact and desire
• Calm repetition to drive in a message
• Addressing people by their name
• Ability to explain a concept differently so that all those
present understand it at their level
• Ability to resolve conflicts so that it is a win-win for all
*
• Ability to be concise and clear
• Ability to convey thoughts in a focused and concrete
manner
• Ability to confront a situation when faced with reputation
crises using techniques of reputation management.
• Ability to convey with and empathetic statement
• Ability to explain objectively without evaluating
• Ability to provide specific details supported by concrete
examples
• Ability to monitor emotional reactions and filter out
irrational thoughts
• Ability to project oneself into the audience’s point of view

*
PART SIX

*
 THE INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION VALUE
CHAIN FOR GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNS
Introduction
In our ongoing endeavours to educate and inform audiences about
government’s policies and service-delivery initiatives we develop
and manage campaign brands to be communicated in a coherent
manner while differentiating the brand to effectively reach the target
audience.
As social marketing practitioners, we are often confronted with
changing attitudes and behaviours of these diverse audiences.
It is therefore imperative to interrogate not only the psychographic,
demographic and geographic profiles of these target audiences, but
their behavioral profiles as well. The questions that government-
marketing communication practitioners should be asking are the
*
following:
• is the campaign brand distinct enough?
• is it visible at the various brand contact points, and does it
resonate with the audience with respect to the values it is
espousing?
• what informs the various groups’ behavioral patterns?
• what are the cultural fundamentals?
• what are the preferred communication vehicles?
• what are the various groups’ immediate priorities and needs?
The reality is that more often than not, there is limited time to
conduct research for each campaign − research that should
inform the integrated marketing communication strategies.
This has a major impact on the messages that are
developed and consequently the information products that
are created.
How then do these campaign brands fit in the overall brand
management process of government, and what is their *
relationship to the government brand?
 How to implement marketing
communication campaigns for government
Common marketing principles used in both
the consumer and social marketing process
There are four basic elements used in the marketing process
which apply to both consumer and social marketing. They are
commonly known as the ’Four Ps’ of marketing and entail
product/service, place, price and promotion.

There are, however, eight elements to the social marketing

process. These include the ’Four Ps’ applicable to all
marketing and additional four elements – publics,
partnerships, policy and purse strings.
*
Products/services
• A problem is identified in the market place and a solution is
found to solve the problem e.g. extremist or/and terrorist act is
the problem and practicing tolerance and peaceful co-existence
is the basic solution (product).
• In social marketing, products are intangible e.g. environment
protection.
• In consumer marketing, products can be tangible (sweets) or
intangible (services).

Price
• This refers to what the consumer/audience needs to do to obtain
the product.
• In consumer marketing, the consumer exchanges money to get
the product.
• In social marketing, a person often has to give up something e.g.
*
exert some effort, risk embarrassment or disapproval
Place
• This describes how the product reaches the end user.
• Tangible products use warehouses, trucks, trains or the
store.
• Intangible products use training, information or servicing.

Promotion
• It is necessary to create and sustain a demand for the
product.
• This can be achieved through advertising, public
relations, promotions, entertainment vehicles, media
events, editorial, etc.
*
Publics
• Many audiences need to be reached to ensure the success
of the social product. ’Publics’ refer to the external and
internal groups involved in a programme.
• External publics consist of the broad target audience,
which includes the primary and secondary markets,
policy-makers and gatekeepers.
• Internal publics are those involved in the approval and
implementation of the programme.

Partnership
• The issues to be communicated are usually complex and it
is often necessary for a number of social organisations to
team up for strong and effective delivery.
*
Policy
• It is difficult to sustain a change in an individual’s
behaviour if the environment does not support that
change. This usually necessitates a change in
government policy to support the social marketing
programme.
Purse strings

• Most social marketing programmes are funded from

foundations, governmental grants or donations. This needs to
be considered in the planning process as a programme cannot
happen without funding. Against the clarification outlined above,
it is critical to understand the process involved in implementing
an integrated marketing communication (IMC) plan for any
given campaign.
*
CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
AND MANAGEMENT
• Communication campaign: –
It is defined as ‘a connected series of
operations designed to bring about a
particular result’ (Kendall 1992). A campaign
can further be defined within the context of
the project-management cycle as follows:

*
• it has a specific start and end
• it changes to the way things happen
(behaviour, attitudes and perceptions)
• it requires a new system or organisational
arrangement
• it terminates once the objective is met
• it draws experience and expertise from various
people
• it requires teams to meet the necessities of
various stages of the project
• it has a specific budget.

*
 Types of campaigns
Campaigns vary from political, product or service,
ideological or issue- or cause orientated,
advertising and public relations.

The objectives of carrying out a campaign can also

range from public awareness, public information,
public education and seeking to reinforce, change
or modify the behaviour and attitude of the targeted
public.

*
Campaign management includes both
systematic and creative elements
The step-by-step campaign process throughout a
project life cycle consists of the following elements.
Initiation
Determining the scope
Campaign design/communication
Campaign planning
Campaign implementation and control

*
 Campaign evaluation and closure
After the campaign is completed, it has to be
evaluated. Evaluation focuses on performance of
the campaign and the extent to which the
campaign has met its objectives.

*
The team needs to ask itself difficult questions:
did the campaign deliver the objectives as
set out in the plan?
• what were the campaign’s constraints?
• were the stipulated deadlines and timelines as
stated in the plan satisfactorily met?
• have we learnt from our experiences and how
will we apply those lessons and best
• practices to improve in future?

*
 Conclusion
Remember that the key beneficiary of every
campaign is the target audience, who are normally
a segment of the public. Therefore, the real
measure of a campaign’s success should be its
impact on their lives, not just how well the
individuals or teams performed their tasks or how
much media coverage the campaign received.

*
PART SEVEN

*
 DEALING WITH THE MEDIA

Media

In general, "media" refers to various means of

communication. For example, television, radio, and
the newspaper are different types of media. The term
can also be used as a collective noun for the press or
news reporting agencies. In the computer world,
"media" is also used as a collective noun, but refers
to different types of data storage options.
*
 Types of mass media
Traditional mass media are:
• Falk medium and other mechanisms
• Press (Newspaper & magazines, broachers pamphlets,
posters, leaflets)
• TV.
• Radio.

The modern mass media are:

• Internet.
• Mobile Devices (Mobile Phone - iMode - iPod).
• Interactive Kiosks.
• Interactive TV.
*
 Electronic media
In the last century, a revolution in telecommun- ications
has greatly altered communication by providing new
media for long distance communication. The first
transatlantic two-way radio broadcast occurred in 1906
and led to common communication via analogue and
digital media:
• Analog telecommunications include traditional
telephony, radio, and TV broadcasts.
• Digital telecommunications allow for computer-mediated
communication, teleg- raphy, and computer networks.

*
Modern communication media now allow for intense
long-distance exchanges between larger numbers of
people (many-to-many communication via e-mail,
Internet forums). On the other hand, many
traditional broadcast media and mass media favor
one-to-many communication (television, cinema,
radio, newspaper, magazines).

*
NEW MEDIA AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
The mouse, not the dog, is a government
communicator’s best friend! Developments in
information technology have granted government the
opportunity to communicate in exciting ways. Developments
on the Internet front have resulted in an explosion of
information that is available to both government
communicators and members of the public. The Internet has
become an important tool for research and the distribution of
government information.

*
Social impact
Media technology has made communicating increasingly
easier as time has passed throughout history. Today,
children are encouraged to use media tools in school and
are expected to have a general understanding of the
various technologies available. The internet is arguably
one of the most effective tools in media for
communication. Tools such as e-mail, Twitter, Facebook
etc, have brought people closer together and created new
online communities. However, some may argue that
certain types of media can hinder face-to-face
communication and therefore can result in complications
like identity fraud.
*
 Key recommendations, on how to
handle media :

Avoid an adversarial relationship

• There needs to be an alignment of government
communication and the media behind common
objectives. A ‘them’ and ‘us’ mentality is
counterproductive. The culture needs to be one
of information-sharing, trust and respect.

*
 Understand the needs of the
different media types

• Part of the professional standards required

from government communicators is that
they need to know the different platforms
they can harness to deliver a message.

*
 Understand the importance of
journalists’ deadlines

• Be accommodating and assist in meeting

the deadlines. Understand the immediacy of
daily newspaper, radio and television as
well as multimedia /social media news
deadlines.

*
 Be accessible
• Government communicators have to be
accessible to the media to share
information and for them to meet their
deadlines. Ministers and decision-makers
should be more available to the media.

*
 Consistent professional
standards

• Government communicators should

consistently reflect professional standards
in their work.

*
 Don’t be ‘over-bureaucratised’

• Government communicators should try to

‘de-bureaucratise’ the process through
frequent and structured interactions
between their principals and the media.

*
Government spokespersons are
not bodyguards

• It is not the job of government

communicators to protect their principals
but to rather be their ‘voice’.

*
Media are not a ‘loudhailer/echo’
for government

• Government communicators need to

understand that the media are not
loudhailers or there to echo government
messages. They are also not ‘vultures
waiting to disseminate negative news’.

*
 Contact and recognition
• The media want more contact and
recognition at the senior level of
government.

*
 Truthful vs economical
• Government communication is not seen as
untruthful but rather ‘economical’ with the
relevant information

*
 WHAT MUST A GOVERNMENT
COMMUNICATOR DO TO BUILD
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDIA?
Government communicators can contribute to the
building of healthy government media relations in
the following ways:
• Know the policy positions of your department.
• Bear in mind that Ethiopia is in a very rapid all-
rounded development and establishing
democratic multiparty system. This means that
the public’s access to government information
through the mass media is an important right.
• Be professional, efficient and enthusiastic. *
• Know the journalists who work in your field
and avoid limiting your relationship to that of
a voice over the telephone.
• Develop an understanding of the different
kinds of media and customise your service to
journalists to suit each medium.
• Make time to visit newsrooms to understand
the news process and how decisions about
what is newsworthy are made.

*
• Find out about deadlines since each
newspaper, radio station or television
station and multi/social media has its own
deadlines. As a general rule, print media
will have longer deadlines than broadcast
and online media. This means that a radio
journalist will be working on hourly or even
half-hourly deadlines compared with the
print journalist who may have a day or
longer to write an article.

*
As a communicator 10 points to remember!
• Your writing must be accessible, clear and direct.
• Your fi rst paragraph must be punchy but avoid going over the
top.
• Talk to the journalist before you fax or e-mail the statement.
• You should seek to inform and arouse the interest of both the
editor and the journalist who is going to write the story.
• Your statements must be newsworthy. Check this with the
journalist because what is newsworthy to you may not be as
exciting to a journalist.
• Give your statement a title, not a headline.
• Your typing should allow space for editing. Statements typed in
double spacing are preferred.
• Never print on both sides of the page.
• Provide all your contact details and where additional information
can be obtained, e.g. website address.
• In terms of lay-out, try to put all the information on one page and
*
any variation of the following structure:
More options, how to release
information to media
Although the GCAO at this time, in irregular
schedule arranges media briefings on behalf
of FDRE government, communicators are
often required to respond to issues raised by
the media or in response to requests by
principals. Depending on the nature of the
issue being addressed, communicators may
have to decide on the best way to respond.
Some of the options at the disposal of the
communicator are:
*
Letters to the editor: This could appear on the
letters’ page in the name of the political principal,
senior official or the communicator. A stronger
response can be achieved if the corrective information
is put in the public domain in the name of a third party
not seen to be in government. It is advisable that
communicators cultivate contact with third party
endorsers who can be requested to respond to certain
issues. There is generally a strong likelihood that such
a letter will be published as the letters’ page is a
media institution recognised as the columns through
which the public has its say on current affairs. Such
letters do, however, have to conform to laws
governing libel, defamation, etc. before being
considered for publication.

*
Opinion-editorial (op-ed) pieces: An
op-ed piece is perhaps the strongest
response a communicator can use in
correcting inaccurate reporting. As the
name implies, the content of such a piece is
a combination of both opinion and editorial
and does not conform to the conventions of
the ‘objective hard news’ report. Space in
newspapers for such pieces cannot be
booked and involves negotiations with
editors.
*
Editors subject such pieces to a number of tests to
decide whether they are worth publishing,
including the test of newsworthiness. The op-ed
allows a communicator to develop a reasoned
response to an issue or a new development to
explain it to the public more clearly. Although some
of the suggestions in this section are based on a
reactive response to messages in the public
domain, the op-ed allows government to be
proactive in placing new issues on the media
agenda before they enter the communication
environment.
*
Communicators can invoke a media
convention known as the ‘right to reply’ to
ensure publication of such a piece. On the
other hand, if the media made unsuccessful
attempts to elicit government response
because of a slowness to respond to media
queries or evasiveness on the part of the
communicator, the likelihood of such a piece
being placed diminishes.

*
• Advertisements: Often used by government to
respond to issues or to bring new issues to the
public domain, this is the weakest tool at the
disposal of the communicator because of the high
cost of advertising in both broadcast and print
media. Secondly, the credibility of information in an
advert is often treated with scepticism by the public.
Finally, it indicates that the communicator was not
successful in packaging the information in a
manner newsworthy enough to attract the attention
of a journalist. Although a weak option, there are
times where communication in the form of adverts
can be used, but this should be seen as necessary
only when required as part of a broader
communication strategy or a last resort.
*
• Advertorials: Like an advertisement, an
advertorial (advertisement + editorial = advertorial)
is a paid-for media space. The difference, however,
is that it appears to the reader as news copy,
although branded as ‘advertorial’. Although creating
the effect of greater credibility, advertorials still
carry a high cost factor and, where they are
detected, an image of low credibility.
While the above represents some of the tools in
the communicator’s toolbox, one of the most
effective ways of dealing with the media is
through direct contact. Direct contact can be
structured in a number of ways:
*
One-on-one briefings with journalists:
These often arise as a result of requests from
media, but can be effectively used for proactive
communication. As the media are driven by the
psychology of the scoop or the exclusive story,
this can be very effective in certain issues,
particularly where communicators have strong
relationships with individual journalists covering
their beat. This can also work well where a
particular journalist has been consistently
incorrect or off-message on an issue.

*
• Beat Area briefings: Although government
is generally covered by political journalists, it
might often be required that certain beat
journalists be targeted for special briefings. These
could be from health, transport, finance,
agriculture, etc. Such briefings are important as
these specialist journalists have a finer (and
sometimes more troublesome) understanding of a
particular area. Keeping them constantly aware of
developments on their beats is vital to
government.

*
• General briefings Inclusive: PR Office
frequently arranges media briefings on specific
issues and some that affect government in
general. Departments and clusters also conduct
briefings from time to time and these have had
the effect of reducing uninformed speculative
reporting around some issues as pertinent
information has been placed on record for the
media.

*
• Parliamentary Press Gallery Association
(PGA) briefings: The PGA comprises
reporters whose dedicated beat is Parliament.
The most frequent briefings with the PGA take
place following Cabinet meetings, during the
Parliamentary media briefing weeks following the
opening of Parliament and cluster media briefings.

*
• Lock-up briefings: Most frequently conducted by
the National Treasury, the lockup briefing is based
on the idea that complex information requires
assistance from the media with interpretation.
The release of statistics or complex results of
studies might require a lock-up style briefing
during which principals explain the information
and field questions on information presented to
manage the manner in which it enters the public
domain. Usually, information presented during
such a lock-up is embargoed until the end of the
lock-up. The GCAO can assist line-function
departments in the protocols required for such a
briefing.
*
• Foreign Correspondence Association (FCA)
briefings: Some foreign correspondents based
in Ethiopia are members of the FCA. Through
the analysis of stories in international media and
requests from the FCA, the GCAO sometimes
arranges media briefings for FCA members.

*
 Formats for briefings:
• Formats for briefings: Briefings of the kind
described above can take many formats.
Communicators need to decide on the format in
consultation with the principals leading a
briefing prior to its commencement. The chair of
a briefing should then announce the format
before the briefing begins. The formats are:

*
• On-the-record briefings: As the term
suggests, all information at such briefings is
for broadcast, is printable and is
attributable. In other words, the person(s)
leading the briefing can be quoted by name
by the media in attendance and all the
information is considered a matter of public
record.

*
• On-the-record, but not-for attribution: This is a
trickier and/or leakage briefing to conduct and
manage. The media need to be given a clear
indication that the information being discussed
can be used in coverage, but the source cannot
be named. A clear indication needs to be made
on whether the source can be referred to as ‘a
senior government official’ (i.e. anonymously) or
not at all. These are sometimes referred to as
‘background briefings’ or weak sources and
the format and terms of the briefing must be
announced both in the advisory (as a background
briefing) and at the briefing itself.
*
• Off-the-record and not-for attribution: As the
term suggests, this is intended to be a background
briefing for the information of the media. The
material can neither be used, nor can any
reference be made to the source by name, by
designation or anonymously. The format and terms
of such a briefing must be made clear, both in the
advisory and prior to the start of a briefing. These
are sometimes called ‘deep background
briefings’. The advisory sent to media can
describe it as a ‘deep background briefing’, but
might want to omit the name of the principal
conducting the briefing. Such briefings require
high levels of trust and are best done on a one
on-one basis.
*
• On-the-record and for anonymous attribution: It
is often necessary to prepare the communication
environment for certain important developments. In
such instances, it might be useful to brief the media
on the record but not have a principal quoted by
name. The media should be given an indication on
whether the source of the information can be
described in general terms or more specifically
within the idea of anonymous attribution. For
example, would the attribution ‘senior official in the
Department of Foreign Affairs’ or ‘a representative
from the Ministry of Health’, speaking on condition
of anonymity lends more credence to a particular
story than ‘government official’ or ‘senior ministerial
official’?
*
TECHNIQUES: HOW TO HANDLE
AN INTERVIEW
Skills that are needed to handle interviews with
effectiveness:
 Before the Interview:
 Ask what is the deadline
 Negotiate Ground Rules with the reporter
 Ask what angle the reporter is covering for the story
 Prepare a simple message
 Understand the journalist’s agenda
 Anticipate the questions based on current news
 Practice with short captivating sentences
 Asking for the questions in advance
 Imposing conditions
 Say anything that you do not want to see in print
 Go “off the record”
 Accepting the interview right away
*
Reporter’s Question

Trick,Fuzzy,Nasty,Loaded,Provocative,Banal
• Honest Answer, Turn it around and get it
to your side
• Get your message out, and do not let
yourself be interrupted use the evidence
• End with a memorable punch line or visual
image (word picture)

*
During the Interview

• Give sound bites that are consistent with your message

• Make sure to have eye contact with both reporter and
camera.
• Show enthusiasm for the subject
• Don’t be angry or defensive
• Do not overload with a lot of technical material –
especially in an edited interview
• Possible to be misinterpreted, taken out of context

*
 How should you behave?

The first thing you need to do is to

look/sound as if you want to be there! As
uncomfortable as the situation might be, as
nervous as you may be feeling, cultivate
‘coolth’. Look as if you have no problem
being on the spot because you have nothing
to hide and will answer all difficult questions.

*
Don’t contradict aggressively - there is a
way of looking mildly appalled at the
rudeness of the interviewer and holding up
your hand indicating that you need to speak
but speak, as you are doing this. Correct
them with excruciating politeness. It will make
them look as if they have not done their
homework.

*
Mental Help Net - Anger Management

As a social emotion, anger is experienced

through communication. Angry people tend
to have distinct communication postures that
they habitually take up when communicating
with others. Psychologists have described
four of these communication postures, each
possessing its own motto:

*
• The Aggressive communications posture
says: "I count but you don't count."
• The Passive communications posture says:
"I don't count."
• The Passive-Aggressive communications
posture says : "I count. You don't count but
I'm not going to tell you about it."
• The Assertive communications posture
says: "I count and you do too."
*
No surprises - the only way to do this is to
have your ‘ducks in a row.’ This will mean
some serious advance planning and
research. You don’t want any surprises. YOU
must be in control of the interview.

*
Establishing Credibility
• Rapport
– likable and caring
• Communication
– short sentences and simple words
• Energy
– Voice Volume and Tone

Tell truth and be yourself

*
What to say and what not to say
Anticipate - if there has been a problem in
the department or you have had a personal
crisis and you know you will be grilled about
it… bring up the subject first. If it is
appropriate, express dismay at what has
happened and move right along to what has
been done.

*
If the interviewer challenges the rate at
which the problem is being tackled, jump
right in and list the reasons why caution is
necessary and that the outcome will be
communicated immediately. Take charge
but do not take over! You will annoy the
interviewer!

*
Do not volunteer too much information. You can
come across as ‘too clever by half’. Indicate you
know more than they do. This is a game of
opportunity and playing ‘poker’. Often, just a facial
expression is enough to communicate disbelief
and mild amazement. Never reveal future plans
that your colleagues or peers have discussed in
confidence because you feel pressurised to say
something during a period of ‘silence’. Interviewers
use these hanging silences to play on your nerves
and to force you into saying more than you should.
Wait politely for them to continue.

*
If the question is tough and you are a bit
taken aback, don’t ask the interviewer to
repeat the question. If the audience have
understood it, you should have too, and your
request will just look like a delaying tactic.
Buy time. Ask them to clarify points so you
can marshal your thoughts.

E.g. ‘Les, I’m glad you asked that question.

Les, let me tell you…’ Also, don’t thank them
for asking the question. It is ‘old hat’ and a
time waster.

*
 Body language
If the interviewer says: ‘You are reported as
saying…’ to put you on the spot, listen carefully. DO
NOT NOD, it will be taken immediately as an
affirmative. You may be nodding to indicate that he
or she should go on and you will eventually correct
them but it doesn’t come across that way.

Listen quietly and sit still. Tilt your head as if you are
quizzical about the source. Correct elements of the
accusation and speak about the context. Admit, if
you have to, to some of the facts. Do not be
defensive.
*
Concentrate and keep some eye contact. If
you look down or up to the right, you will
look as if you are avoiding being untruthful.
Project warmth and smile gently whenever
possible. Concentrate as if he or she is
giving you instructions on how to land a
plane when you have no idea how to fly!

*
• Don’t cross your arms while you listen.
Practise keeping them folded quietly in
your lap, hands unclenched. The camera
often focuses here, giving the interviewer
a visual clue as to your state of mind. If
you have a pen in your hand, don’t fiddle
with it either. All these movements are a
dead giveaway to your inner turmoil! The
close-ups can reveal a sweaty upper lip
and brow. Remember, studio lights are
hot. Try and be as cool as possible in your
choice of clothing.
*
*