Location: FESTAAL – Vienna Marriot Hotel

Distinguished Professor Jim Macnamara returns to the AMEC Global Summit stage again to give a preview of his latest book – his 20^th – that identifies a major opportunity to expand the work of public communication professionals and content analysts that can change the world. Jim will report 18 months of research that will be published in an upcoming book, Public Communication and Public Policy. Jim notes that public policy is developed by governments and public institutions at all levels – local, state, national, international. In democracies, engagement and consultation with stakeholders and citizens to reflect the voice and will of the people is a fundamental human right.[1] However, Jim’s research across three continents shows that public communication predominantly occurs after public policies have been decided, employed one-way to announce and promote policy acceptance and compliance. He outlines steps for a reset in which public sector communication includes increased input to public policy and increased listening by governments and public institutions through analysis not only of media content, but of expressions of the ‘voice of the people’ such as in public consultation submissions, transcripts of public meetings, citizens assembles, and so on.

[1]    Article 21 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights states: “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government.