The new lobbyist rolodex: PR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15173/jpc.v5i1.2595Keywords:
lobbying, government relations, public relations, PR, public affairs, advocacy, social media, CanadaAbstract
Abstract
Despite its long history and key role in the development of public policy, serving the needs of virtually every sector of society, lobbying is an underdeveloped area of academic research. This study aims to establish an understanding of lobbying at the federal level in Canada and its synergies with communications and public relations. Through a review of existing scholarly research, as well as in-depth interviews with 15 federally-registered lobbyists, five senior communications executives, and a survey of GR practitioners, this paper reveals that lobbying is very much aligned with public relations, especially as the online and social media landscapes continue to grow and evolve. It concludes that integration between the two fields is necessary, if not inevitable, and that greater public relations, marketing and social media expertise should be leveraged to position the government relations practice for a future that embraces the new digital rules of engagement.
References
Barnes, C. (2009, July 31). Will social media eliminate need for lobbyists? Or will lobbyists eliminate need for PR? PR News Blog. Retrieved from http://www.prnewsonline.com/prnewsblog/index.php/2009/07/31/will-social-media-eliminate-need-for-lobbyists-or-will-lobbyists-eliminate-the-need-for-pr/
Baumgartner, F. R., & Leech, B. L. (1998). Basic interests: The importance of groups in politics and in political science. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Berg, K. T. (2009). Finding connections between lobbying, public relations and advocacy. Public Relations Journal, 3(3), 1-19.
Celler, E. (1958). Pressure groups in congress. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 319(1), 1-9. doi: 10.1177/000271625831900102
Chalmers, A. W., & Shotton, P. (July 27, 2015). Changing the Face of Advocacy? Explaining When and Why Interest Groups use Social Media. Political Communication, July 27, 2015. Advance online publication. Doi: 10.1080/10584609.2015.1043477
Chari, R., Murphy, G., & Hogan, J. (2007). Regulating lobbyists: A comparative analysis of the United States, Canada, Germany and the European Union. Political Quarterly, 78(3), 422-438. doi:10.1111/j.1467-923X.2007.00870.x
Crozier, M. (2007). Recursive governance: Contemporary political communication and public policy. Political Communication, 24(1), 1-18. doi:10.1080/10584600601128382
Dozier, D., Grunig, L.A., & Grunig, J.E. (1995). Manager’s guide to excellence in public relations and communications management. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Edgett, R. (2002). Toward an ethical framework for advocacy in public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 14(1), 1-26.
Flynn, T. Savage, P., Sévigny, A., Scholz, D. & Killingsworth, C. (2014). A co-orientational study of entry/junior level public relations/communications practitioners and intermediate/senior level practitioners. Communication + Public Relations Foundation. Retrieved from http://cprfoundation.ca/wa_files/CPRF_20McMaster_20CSKStudy_20Final_20June6_202014.pdf
Grieb, J. (2010, January 26). Lobbying and PR: Where’s the line? Retrieved from http://www.executiveboard.com/communications-blog/lobbying-and-pr-wheres-the-line/
Haug, M., & Koppang, H. (1997). Lobbying and public relations in a European context. Public Relations Review, 23(3), 233-247. doi:10.1016/S0363-8111(97)90034-5
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, S. 1, 110th Cong. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s1
Is it public relations or lobbying? [Web log post]. (2012, April 16). Retrieved from http://prdoctorchicago.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/is-it-public-relations-or-lobbying/
Koeppl, P. (2001). The acceptance, relevance and dominance of lobbying the EU Commission - A first-time survey of the EU Commission’s civil servants. Journal of Public Affairs, 1(1), 69-80. doi: 10.1002/pa.51
Levinthal, D. (2011, October 17). K Street suffers from Twitter jitters. Politico. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66206.html
Levy, R. N. (2005). Lucrative PR opportunity: Lobbying. Public Relations Quarterly, 50(4), 16-18.
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. § 1601 (1995). Retrieved from http://www.senate.gov/legislative/Lobbying/Lobby_Disclosure_Act/3_Definitions.htm
Milbrath, L. W. (1960). Lobbying as a communications process. Public Opinion Quarterly, 24(1), 32-53. doi: 10.1086/266928
Miller, D., & Mooney, G. (2010). Introduction to the themed issue. Corporate power: Agency, communication, influence and social policy. Critical Social Policy, 30(4), 459-471. doi:10.1177/0261018310376800
Newsom, D., Turk, J. V., & Kruckberg, D. (2010). This is PR: The realities of public relations (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Nownes, A. (2006). Total lobbying: What lobbyists want (and how they get it). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012a). About us. Retrieved from http://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/h_00004.html
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012b). Active lobbyists and registration by type. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/lbsRegs;jsessionid=0001zzJuV6IOZmXQI0TPh3-gj8y:S9NUURUD5
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012c). Active lobbyists by type. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/slctRprt?action=lobbyistReport
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012d). The Lobbying Act. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/h_00008.html
Quinn, C. (2012, April 11). House may pull PR, CEOs, communications specialists into lobbying definition. Boston Herald. Retrieved from http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20120411house_may_pull_pr_ceos_communications_specialists_into_lobbying_definition
Shah, S. (2012, January 20). The dawn of social lobbying. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/20/the-dawn-of-social-lobbying/
Sheldrake, P. (2011). The business of influence. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. (2012, January 31). Evidence, Meeting 19. Retrieved from http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/hoc/Committee/411/ETHI/Evidence/EV5344506/ETHIEV19-E.PDF
Toth, E. L. (1986). Broadening research in public affairs. Public Relations Review, 12(2), 27-36.
Verčič, D., & Verčič, A. T. (2012). Public relations and lobbying: New legislation in Slovenia. Public Relations Review, 38(1), 14-21. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.09.026
Vongdouangchanh, B. (2012a, February 27). Strategy, tactics, communications, big bureaucracy: Welcome to lobbying. Hill Times, 52-54.
Baumgartner, F. R., & Leech, B. L. (1998). Basic interests: The importance of groups in politics and in political science. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Berg, K. T. (2009). Finding connections between lobbying, public relations and advocacy. Public Relations Journal, 3(3), 1-19.
Celler, E. (1958). Pressure groups in congress. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 319(1), 1-9. doi: 10.1177/000271625831900102
Chalmers, A. W., & Shotton, P. (July 27, 2015). Changing the Face of Advocacy? Explaining When and Why Interest Groups use Social Media. Political Communication, July 27, 2015. Advance online publication. Doi: 10.1080/10584609.2015.1043477
Chari, R., Murphy, G., & Hogan, J. (2007). Regulating lobbyists: A comparative analysis of the United States, Canada, Germany and the European Union. Political Quarterly, 78(3), 422-438. doi:10.1111/j.1467-923X.2007.00870.x
Crozier, M. (2007). Recursive governance: Contemporary political communication and public policy. Political Communication, 24(1), 1-18. doi:10.1080/10584600601128382
Dozier, D., Grunig, L.A., & Grunig, J.E. (1995). Manager’s guide to excellence in public relations and communications management. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Edgett, R. (2002). Toward an ethical framework for advocacy in public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 14(1), 1-26.
Flynn, T. Savage, P., Sévigny, A., Scholz, D. & Killingsworth, C. (2014). A co-orientational study of entry/junior level public relations/communications practitioners and intermediate/senior level practitioners. Communication + Public Relations Foundation. Retrieved from http://cprfoundation.ca/wa_files/CPRF_20McMaster_20CSKStudy_20Final_20June6_202014.pdf
Grieb, J. (2010, January 26). Lobbying and PR: Where’s the line? Retrieved from http://www.executiveboard.com/communications-blog/lobbying-and-pr-wheres-the-line/
Haug, M., & Koppang, H. (1997). Lobbying and public relations in a European context. Public Relations Review, 23(3), 233-247. doi:10.1016/S0363-8111(97)90034-5
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, S. 1, 110th Cong. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s1
Is it public relations or lobbying? [Web log post]. (2012, April 16). Retrieved from http://prdoctorchicago.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/is-it-public-relations-or-lobbying/
Koeppl, P. (2001). The acceptance, relevance and dominance of lobbying the EU Commission - A first-time survey of the EU Commission’s civil servants. Journal of Public Affairs, 1(1), 69-80. doi: 10.1002/pa.51
Levinthal, D. (2011, October 17). K Street suffers from Twitter jitters. Politico. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66206.html
Levy, R. N. (2005). Lucrative PR opportunity: Lobbying. Public Relations Quarterly, 50(4), 16-18.
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. § 1601 (1995). Retrieved from http://www.senate.gov/legislative/Lobbying/Lobby_Disclosure_Act/3_Definitions.htm
Milbrath, L. W. (1960). Lobbying as a communications process. Public Opinion Quarterly, 24(1), 32-53. doi: 10.1086/266928
Miller, D., & Mooney, G. (2010). Introduction to the themed issue. Corporate power: Agency, communication, influence and social policy. Critical Social Policy, 30(4), 459-471. doi:10.1177/0261018310376800
Newsom, D., Turk, J. V., & Kruckberg, D. (2010). This is PR: The realities of public relations (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Nownes, A. (2006). Total lobbying: What lobbyists want (and how they get it). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012a). About us. Retrieved from http://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/h_00004.html
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012b). Active lobbyists and registration by type. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/lbsRegs;jsessionid=0001zzJuV6IOZmXQI0TPh3-gj8y:S9NUURUD5
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012c). Active lobbyists by type. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrrs/do/slctRprt?action=lobbyistReport
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. (2012d). The Lobbying Act. Retrieved from https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/h_00008.html
Quinn, C. (2012, April 11). House may pull PR, CEOs, communications specialists into lobbying definition. Boston Herald. Retrieved from http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20120411house_may_pull_pr_ceos_communications_specialists_into_lobbying_definition
Shah, S. (2012, January 20). The dawn of social lobbying. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/20/the-dawn-of-social-lobbying/
Sheldrake, P. (2011). The business of influence. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. (2012, January 31). Evidence, Meeting 19. Retrieved from http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/hoc/Committee/411/ETHI/Evidence/EV5344506/ETHIEV19-E.PDF
Toth, E. L. (1986). Broadening research in public affairs. Public Relations Review, 12(2), 27-36.
Verčič, D., & Verčič, A. T. (2012). Public relations and lobbying: New legislation in Slovenia. Public Relations Review, 38(1), 14-21. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.09.026
Vongdouangchanh, B. (2012a, February 27). Strategy, tactics, communications, big bureaucracy: Welcome to lobbying. Hill Times, 52-54.
