Over the last few weeks, the Government has taken some heavy criticism for its newly founded Strategic Communications Unit’s attempts at communicating the ‘Ireland’s 2040’ plan to the masses.
Following the launch of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan in February, the Government embarked on an extensive PR campaign that had a large focus on advertisements in the form of paid-for newspaper articles and cinema advertising, amongst others.
Reports that came out after these were submitted to local newspapers suggested that many of the advertisements that were placed promoted Government politicians, non-office holders and, in at least one case, a current councillor.
This however isn’t the crux of the issue.
If subsequent reports are to be believed, and local papers were instructed by the “powers that be” to make government advertorials look more like independent stories, this – as one sitting TD eloquently put it – is “akin to something from the Third Reich, Goebbels territory.”
As a communications professional, I can fully understand the valuable role a comprehensive communications plan and activities can play for the government to convey its messages, especially one as complicated as this.
However, communications is one thing, but state-led propaganda is entirely different.
Patrick
