The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has issued a response to a recent article in the Belfast Telegraph condemning the number of press officers employed by Northern Ireland Councils.
The article states that Northern Ireland councils employ 36 press officers, and questions whether the hiring of more ‘spin doctors’ is the best use of public money.
Francis Ingham MPRCA, Director General, PRCA, and Executive Director, LGcommunications, said: “This idea of public relations practitioners as ‘spin doctors’ is an antiquated and frankly harmful notion, and is everything the PRCA stands against.
“From information on local services to resolving department queries, councils have a duty to maintain communications with their constituents. As with all public sector positions, a clear and concise communications strategy, carried out by a team of professional press officers, is vital to ensuring that the public are kept updated and informed on a regular basis.”
