This is a presentation I made at a Training/Workshop I facilitated for Public Information Officers in the FCT

1. The Role and Responsibilities of
Information Officers in a Changing
Information Environment
BY
VERSHIMA ORVELL-DIO
21st DECEMBER 2015

2. Contents
• Overview
• The purpose of government
• The role of public relations officers
• The responsibilities of information officers
• Responding to FOIA requests
• The changing information environment
• Preparing for the change in Information Management
• Conclusion

3. The purpose of government
Security & welfare of the citizens = primary purpose of government –
Constitution, FRN
I. harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an
efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy
II. control the national economy to secure the maximum welfare, freedom
and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of
status and opportunity
This is achieved through the instrument of the civil service:
I. The array of administrative and professional staff employed, on permanent
and pensionable basis to established posts, by the state, to advise on and
execute its policies – Idode (1986)
II. the administrative bureaucracy which occupies an essential position in the
political system of nations – Anazodo el at (2012)

4. Functions of the Civil Service
 To close the gap between the expression of government intention asnd
their actual accomplishment – Ezeani (2006)
 The preparation of the nation’s plans – Babatunde (2010)
 Informing the public about the decisions of government as well as the
achievements, activities and major events
Monitoring and evaluating the performance of organizations –
Marshall & Murtala (2015)

5. Who Public Information Officers (PIOs) are
Information officers, by whatever nomenclature are:
Officers responsible for gathering and distributing purposeful
information
 Responsible for giving out information about the organisation to;
I. Members of the public
II. Other departments
 They differ from Public Relations Officers in private organisations

6. What Public Information Officers do
• They are communication coordinators and or spokespersons of
government
• Liaison between their employers and the public
• Media Relations
• Develop and manage information that supports the needs and
objectives of their organisations
• Managing and exploiting internally produced information
• Selecting, managing and acquiring information resources

7. What PIOs do Cont’d
• Crises management
• Preparation of information materials
I. Press releases
II. Facts sheets
III. Speeches
IV. Brochures
• Reviewing and editing messages, to ensure consistency and accuracy

8. The difference between Roles and Responsibilities
Roles
 Who you are in an organisation
 The part someone has in a particular
situation or organisation
 Your designation in the office
Responsibilities
 The functions
 Duties
 Obligations

9. The difference between Roles and Responsibility

10. The roles of Public Information Officers
• Communication technician
• Expert prescriber
• Communications facilitator
• Process facilitator
• Research
• Trusted counsel to the employer
• Trusted advocate of the public
• Building and maintaining public support

11. The responsibilities of PIOs
• Drawing up a media plan
• Don’t plan as you go along
• Come up with a clear cut PR strategy
i. Goals
ii. Plans attaining the goals
iii. Standards for measuring results
• Finding news worthy angles
• Finding possible areas of bad press

12. The responsibilities of PIOs Cont’d
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with key journalists and
media influencers
• Organising special events
• Maintaining a Social Media presence
• Advocating for the masses
• Preparation of a needs budget
• Knowledge of the right of the public to access information
• Development of procedures

13. Responsibilities of PIOs Cont’d
• Drawing up materials for use during media briefings
• Obtaining approval for media/press releases
• Providing status reports on incidents
• Managing media and public inquiries
• Informing the public about what to do

14. The responsibilities of PIOs Cont’d
• Drawing, reviewing and updating contact lists
I. Media
II. PIOs from other MDAs
III. Regulators
IV. Legislature
V. Training institutions/schools

15. The responsibilities of PIOs Cont’d
• Following up on disseminated information
• Monitoring feedback

16. Maintaining a ‘To Go Kits’
• Tools and resources at the disposal of the PIO
I. Pens, stapler, paper, tape recorder,
II. Television, radio
III. Mobile devices with internet connectivity
IV. Organisation’s letterhead
V. Operation plan
VI. Contact lists
VII.Pre-scripted messages & templates releases

17. Providing requested information
• Request made under FOIA
• Request for balancing a story

18. Information Covered by the FOIA
• Everything
• files,
• letters,
• databases,
• loose reports,
• emails,
• office notebooks,
• closed files
• archived material
• information in current use
• videos, photographs,
• wall charts and
• maps
• information received from other
institutions
• etc

19. Information not covered by the FOIA
• Any requests for regular information
• Recruitment brochures,
• Leaflets,
• Press Releases and
• The text of public speeches –
• should be treated as normal and routine correspondence.

20. Guidelines for Implementing the FOIA
• The FOIA is not solely concerned with responding to requests for
information. It also requires that all public institutions shall organize
their records in a manner that makes them accessible to the public as
well as publishing information using multimedia formats (i.e. print,
electronic and online) – HAGF (2012)
• The FOIA applies to all public Institutions. A public institution is any
legislative, executive, judicial, administrative or advisory body of the
Government, including boards, committees or commissions of the
State which are supported in whole or in part by public fund or which
expends public fund, and private bodies providing public services,
performing public functions or utilising public funds.

21. Interactivity in PR
 the internet offers a great avenue for interactivity in PR
the value of the web as a “dialogic communication medium – Kent &
Taylor (1998)
 It can be a major tool for increased transparency with the possibilities
of posting content online and engaging in stakeholder discussions -
Nordström (2012)
social media used to its full potential can provide public relations with
a more two-way and interactive, global, strategic, and socially
responsible approach – Grunig (2009)

22. Creativity in Public Relations
 People think they understand what PR is all about, they think it can be
learned and practiced by observing the rules… but creativity is an
essential part of PR. Contrary to what many people may think success
in this domain cannot be achieved without creative thinking. Palea
(2010)
 Technology itself will not create these relationships; instead it is how
it is used that will decide on the outcome – Kent & Taylor (19998)

23. Approaching negative publicity
Identify the source or originator of the smear
Approach the aggressor with a calm plea, not counter attack
Provide the missing link
Seek removal of the offending information and upload of the correct
information

24. Interactivity in PR
Not merely for mutual engagement but also for trust and accountability
Trust and transparency is increasingly important for organisations in order to
build relationships and create support – Coombs and Holladay (2010)
Open conversations with publics are being argued as essential aspects of
contemporary public relations in order to pursue interactivity, transparency,
and ethical behaviour –
 importance of transparency concerning not just financial information but
additional information that stakeholders find interesting such as decision-
making, “accountability for action, and consequences for those actions – op
cit
 all stakeholders are not interested in detailed disclosure but most want
assurance of honest behaviour – Gower (2010)

25. Internet; cause of the change

26. How the Social Media has Changed Information Management
 Personal service
 Information gathering
 Conversation vs speech

27. Citizen Journalism: Information provision or improvisation

28. The arrival of the internet
• Information is no longer strictly in the control designated persons
• Many people do take information from you, commoditize or even
weaponize it
• People manufacture information where it is not provided
• Bloggers fill the internet with attacks on brands, organisations and
individuals
• Citizen journalism
• Social media

29. The Shift in information management
Traditional information management
• Centralised authority
• Newspapers
• Television
• Radio and
• Town crier
Tradigital information management
• Dispersion of authority
• Owned content
• Social media
• The internet
• Increased and rapid interactivity

30. Preparing for working in a changing information era
 get education about the internet and social media
I. Understand how search engines work
II. Learn how to create, maintain and operate blogs
III. Get conversant with networking sites
 Get conversant with Search Engine Optimisation
 create a database of information about your organisation
Identify your publics and the media space they occupy

31. Conclusion
 Technological advancement has brought changes in all facets of
human existence, including public relations and information mgt
Public Relations and Information Officers must update and upgrade
They must be on the information radar 24/7, monitoring and providing
information