Seldom has the critical role of public communication been made so evident as in recent years. Revolutionary changes in the information ecosystem have pushed governments to reinvent how they produce, share and consume information and data to remain authoritative sources in the crowded and highly sophisticated world of today’s mass media. This transformation has occurred in parallel to a series of international crises that undermined people’s finances and health, with direct consequences on their trust in the ability of the state to protect them and ensure their well-being.

Public communicators are facing an increasingly complex information environment brought about by rapid technological changes, which have provided both novel opportunities and unprecedented challenges. These evolutions have connected individuals around the world, facilitated their ability to create and share information, and helped social movements broaden their reach. At the same time, online and social media platforms are undermining the role of traditional media and have facilitated the unparalleled speed and scale of the spread of mis- and disinformation in ways that undermine trust, public discussion and democratic engagement.

This chapter explores the opportunity for public communication to support better governance, improved policies and services, and greater trust. It illustrates how this function can help strengthen democracy in a context where digital transformation and novel and emerging challenges to information ecosystems are creating new imperatives for better dialogue with citizens. The chapter concludes by elaborating the analytical framework on which the Report is based, unpacking how governments can use strategic and two-way communication for more open and inclusive societies.

This chapter discusses the prerequisites for effective governance of public communication. Based on the OECD surveys and related research, it focuses on institutional structures and mandates, strategies and planning, co‑ordination, as well as human and financial resources that can support the institutionalisation and professionalisation of this key government function. It makes the case for how these pillars enable a more strategic use of public communication, which goes beyond mere information sharing but rather contributes to government priorities, strengthens trust and increases transparency and dialogue with citizens.

Key data on audiences, their perceptions, behaviours, and on the performance of different content and messages can make communication more strategic. This chapter provides an overview of governments’ gathering and use of insights about their publics and the application of behavioural science in this field. It also explores the potential of these practices to foster a better understanding between government and citizens and contribute to more data-driven and inclusive communication. The chapter concludes with forward-looking approaches to further mainstream the use of evidence in the design and delivery of public communication.

This chapter provides an overview of the role of evaluation in promoting evidence-driven communication. It explores diverse approaches used by Centres of Government and Ministries of Health, identifies challenges inhibiting their application and reflects on a series of avenues to professionalise practices in this field. In doing so, it explores the extent to which evaluation is institutionalised and identifies existing mechanisms adopted by governments for such purposes. It then discusses the importance of linking evaluation with organisational goals to reap its full learning, accountability and strategic foresight benefits. It lastly reflects on the potential for evaluation to demonstrate the impact public communication can have for the achievement of key policy outcomes.

This chapter explores emerging practices and salient issues that governments should consider when communicating in a fast-paced digital environment. It will begin by taking stock of how Centres of Government and Ministries of Health are communicating in today’s digital landscape to build an understanding of how this function is perceived and valued and to identify trends and existing challenges. In advocating for digital by design approach, it will explore the opportunities for governments to amplify the reach, interactivity and inclusiveness of online communication efforts.

This chapter provides a brief overview of the rapidly evolving phenomenon of mis- and disinformation and analyses how governments’ public communication function can contribute to responding to it. Informed by OECD survey data, the chapter first reviews countries’ efforts to institutionalise their response to these challenges, notably through the creation of official guidance and strategic documents, training and evaluation, and the role of intra- and inter-governmental co‑operation. It then explores specific communication practices and opportunities to engage with private sector and civil society stakeholders to support a holistic response to the mis- and disinformation challenge.

This chapter analyses the contribution of public communication to improved policies and services as well as to the fundamental open government principles of transparency, integrity, accountability and stakeholder participation. It focuses on campaigns, crisis and internal communication, as well as media relations. It makes the case for communications as a lever of government and a key contributor to good governance and democracy. It provides examples of how it can be used to advance countries’ strategic objectives with a focus on the responses used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The OECD Report “Public Communication: the Global Context and the Way Forward” is based on data collected through the OECD 2020 Understanding Public Communication Surveys administered to Centres of Government (CoGs) Centre of government is defined as the support structure serving the highest level of the executive branch of government (presidents, prime ministers and their equivalents). and Ministries of Health (MHs) in 46 OECD member and non-member countries as well as the European Commission. It builds on the mandate of the OECD’s Public Governance Committee and draws on the OECD’s analytical framework on public communication as well as discussions of the OECD Working Party on Open Government (WPOG) and Experts Group on Public Communication (EGPC).