Public information campaigns as policy instruments

Janet A. Weiss and Mary Tschirhart
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Janet A. Weiss: Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy in the Institute of Public Policy Studies and in the School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan, Postal: Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy in the Institute of Public Policy Studies and in the School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan
Mary Tschirhart: Assistant Professor on the Policy and Administration faculty of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Postal: Assistant Professor on the Policy and Administration faculty of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 1994, vol. 13, issue 1, 82-119

Abstract: Considerable controversy surrounds public information campaigns: government-directed and sponsored efforts to communicate to large numbers of citizens in order to achieve a policy result, or what might be called government propaganda. We analyze the use of campaigns as policy instruments in three ways: (1) effectiveness in achieving substantive outcomes; (2) political benefits for public officials; and (3) consequences for democratic processes. Our review of 100 campaigns from these three perspectives reveals significant advantages and disadvantages of using campaigns in practice. We conclude that the advantages of public information campaigns justify their use as policy intruments when used appropriately and with care to mitigate the disadvantages.

Date: 1994
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:13:y:1994:i:1:p:82-119

DOI: 10.2307/3325092

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