The Agency Spokesperson: Connecting Public Administration and the Media

In: Public administration quarterly, Volume 25, Issue 1, p. 1-48

Abstract

Spokespersons for administrative agencies are the focal point for connecting public administration and the media. However, while significant attention has been paid to spokespersons for elected officials, those for administrative agencies have received less attention. This article reviews the literature on spokespersonship, presents the results of a survey of the chief public information officers in local government agencies, and compares the results to an identical survey of their counterparts in federal agencies. It concludes that spokespersons for all government agencies are becoming increasingly important in public administration due to the rise of the role of the media in modern society.