Len's News, Notes, and Stuff

When will Government & its Agencies Start Using Today’s Communication Media?

Government ministries and agencies are not known for their responsiveness and communication efficiency.  Hidebound bureaucracies, particularly those run by politicians at the top, are loathe to say the wrong thing.  “Better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing!” is the de facto policy.

That will probably never change as long as we the voting public continue to vociferously punish elected officials and their staff even when the mistakes they make are honest, well-intentioned ones that any of us might make.

Still, there is room for improvement even within that constraint.  No matter how long it has taken you to craft your message, how do you get it out quickly?  That is of primary importance when it comes to emergency management.

Maybe that’s why it has been the police, fire, and other emergency-related services that have been first to use Twitter to communicate with the general public.  Now, in Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is getting with it.

PHAC has its own Twitter feed in order to get the word out as fast as possible.  But what about those people who don’t use Twitter?  How else can they use the Internet to broadcast their information?  They’ve now got a widget developed for people to put on their websites – it will display the Agency’s updates and announcements automatically, just like the Twitter feed on the right side of my own website here.  That’s a big step.

PHAC also has a mobile version of their website to enable fast, easy browsing via mobile phones, smartphones, and Blackberries.  That’s a big step, too.  Even a lot of private enterprises haven’t yet wisened up and created mobile versions of their websites.

To be honest, FoodlandOntario from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) also has a Twitter feed going.  It’s not just the emergency-related services that are getting the message and getting with the times.  But nobody’s life is at stake when it comes to what fresh produce to buy.  PHAC’s mandate involves the public’s health and safety.  That makes PHAC’s use of today’s communication tools much more important.

PHAC gets it.  Police and fire services get it.  Heck, even FoodlandOntario gets it.  When will the other government agencies, ministries, and services get it?

The best way to make sure you get the information you want, the way you want it?  Write to your MP or MPP (or Congressman or Senator).  If you convince them that it’s something important to do, they’ll make sure it gets done.

Now, it won’t change how quickly the information is created, but at least if you and I can get our governments to communicate what they do create as effectively as possible, that’ll be a big step forward.