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Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Tabitha Clark, Communications Director for the City of Perry, Georgia.
Connect with Tabitha on LinkedIn.
What I’m Listening To: AI Six Podcast, Joanne Sweeney
Picture a government communicator today: putting out a social media fire, filming a reel, hosting a live event, analyzing metrics, then watching a new “urgent” task swoop in to blow up the to-do list.
The role of the government communicator has evolved more in the past 30 years than in the previous hundred. Once a behind-the-scenes messenger, we’re now strategic advisors, digital first responders, and community storytellers.
The Shift from Information to Engagement
In the early to mid-20th century, government communication was about control, press releases, speeches, and formal memos. Citizens weren’t expected to engage; they were expected to listen.
Then came the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and Watergate. Suddenly, government had to explain itself. Public Affairs offices emerged, and communicators became translators between organizations and the public. The press conference replaced the bulletin. Transparency became a rule, not an option.
The Rise of Digital Communication
The 1990s and 2000s changed everything. The internet gave citizens direct access to government. Websites, email newsletters, and early online portals turned communication into a 24/7 operation. Events like September 11 and Hurricane Katrina highlighted the life-or-death importance of clear, coordinated communication. We became crisis managers as much as writers.
Transparency laws and open data portals followed. The communicator’s workspace evolved into a true nerve center – the place where information, strategy, and public trust converged.
The Rise of Real Time Communication
By the 2010s, social media turned information, and confusion, into everyone’s business. Facebook and Twitter gave us direct access to residents, but also trolls, misinformation, and endless expectations.
We became videographers, analysts, and human voices for organizations once seen as faceless. Posts were no longer “nice-to-haves”—they were the first line of public trust.
Our tone shifted from official to authentic
Today’s Government Communicator
Today’s communicator is equal parts strategist, storyteller, and systems thinker. We use AI to analyze sentiment, track misinformation, and draft faster. But don’t forget to depend on empathy to connect authentically.
We operate in real time, on every platform, for every audience while managing the public’s expectation for instant clarity. We’re not just telling stories; we’re building trust.
The communicator’s evolution mirrors society’s – faster, more transparent, and more human than ever before.
Final Thought
Technology keeps evolving, but the heart of the work remains – serving, informing, and connecting people. From the clack of a typewriter to the scroll of a smartphone, our role has always been about one thing – bringing humanity to government.