Contemporary Public Relations: An Examination of Digital Public Relations Practice in Selected Government Institutions in Ghana

Abstract

Public relations has undergone significant changes in recent years to meet the evolving demands of its audience. Traditionally relying on print, radio, and television, the practice of public relations has been greatly influenced by the rapid progress in digital communication. This has led to the emergence of digital public relations as a crucial component in contemporary public relations. While there is a growing body of literature on public relations practices, there exist a research gap in understanding the specific practice of digital public relations by government institutions in Ghana. Literature on the practice of digital public relations in Ghana have primarily been dominated by studies on the practice of digital public relations by educational institutions, political organizations and private organizations neglecting the unique challenges and opportunities faced by government organizations in digital public relations efforts. Given the important role of government institutions in shaping public opinion and fostering citizen engagement, it was essential to explore their utilization of digital platforms for effective communication. This study therefore examined why and how digital media was being used for public relations practice by government institution. The study was underpinned by the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology, organization, and environment theoretical framework. The purposive sampling technique was used to select public relations officers from five public institutions - Ministry Information, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Communications. Due to the qualitative nature of the study, an interpretivist research paradigm was adopted, and a descriptive research design was used. A sample size of five public relations officers from Ministry of Information, Communication, Health, Finance and Youth and Sports was selected using purposive sampling. Data was collected through interviews and social media audit of the website and social media platforms of the government ministry and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed that digital public relations is increasingly being adopted by government institutions in Ghana as a means of engaging with stakeholders and promoting their activities. The study showed that social media platforms and websites, are the most used digital public relations tools in the public sector. The information sharing needs, nature of stakeholders, cost and supporting institutional goals influenced the adoption of digital public relations by government institutions in Ghana. The study also revealed that public sector institutions in Ghana were benefiting from practice of digital public relations within the areas of improved crisis management efforts, awareness creation, enhanced interactivity, and mitigation against disinformation. Based on the findings, it is recommended that government institutions continue to prioritize and invest in digital public relations strategies for effective communication. Additionally, a concerted effort should be made to address challenges related to internet connectivity, cyber security, and digital knowledge of public relations officers to maximize the benefits of digital public relations in government institutions.