1Introduction
Although social media, the news, and technological advances play significant roles in the lives of most Americans today, the field of public administration has virtually ignored the topic of public affairs in government. However, effective communications strategies not only advance the mission of a public agency, but provide an important and required public service. Public information is one of the key aspects to government accountability. Today’s practitioners (and students training to be practitioners) have witnessed the crucial role that social media and the news play in public life, and will benefit greatly in understanding how to deal with these outlets and, more generally, how external communications ...
