PR in Federal & State

State public information officers are often tasked with encouraging business and economic development. Often this work is subcontracted to private public relations firms.
States also compete to develop campaigns to encourage tourism, to attract new residents, and to advance the interest of the state.

Advertising is a key governmental activity. Federal agencies spend several hundred million dollars each year on public service advertising, primarily to promote military recruitment, government health services, and the U.S Postal Service. Public Affairs officers and public information specialists engage in tasks that would be familiar to any member of the public relations department of a corporation.

Public Affairs Officers in Federal Agencies; answer press and public inquiries, write news releases, work on newsletters, prepare speeches for top officials, oversee the production of brochures, and plan special events. Senior- level public affairs specialists counsel top management about communications strategies and recommend how the agency should respond to crisis situations.