News Director = PIO (oh yeah, same thing)

I started my career as an associate producer for a local NBC Affiliate WITN-TV. I worked closely with our News Director. As I transitioned to local government I realized that the PIO position and the news desk were very similar. I would dare to say they are fundamentally the same. Ok, hear me out. There are vast differences between the two jobs, but the fundamental core can be boiled down to 3 commonalities:

1. Monitor and Collect Information:

As a Local government public information officer, one of the key aspects of my job is to collect and monitor information that is relevant to the community. This involves staying up to date with local events, policies, and developments that may impact residents. Similarly, a local News Director also has the responsibility of gathering and tracking news stories to ensure they are accurately reported to the public.

2. Filter and Prepare Information:

Once information is collected, both the Public Information Officer and the News Director must filter it for public consumption. This means we must analyze and prioritize information to determine what is most important and relevant to our respective audiences. Whether it's deciding which stories to feature in a press release or on the evening news, both roles require a keen eye for what will resonate with the public.

3."Broadcast" Information:

The final commonality between the roles is disseminating information to citizens. Whether through press releases, social media, or news broadcasts, both the Public Information Officer and the News Director are responsible for sharing information with the community. This includes providing updates on government initiatives, public safety alerts, and other important announcements that impact residents.

At the core, the roles of a Public Information Officer and a News Director are fundamentally the same. We both collect, filter, and disseminate information to the public to keep them informed and engaged with what is happening in their community. However, as government communications offices have evolved, we have become our own news media outlets with significant community outreach, more dissemination tools, and a more specific audience.

In today's information landscape where public trust is at an all-time low, government communications offices need to serve as a bridge that carries trust into our communities. By providing accurate, timely, and transparent information, we can help build trust with residents and ensure they are informed and engaged with their local government. As someone who has been in both the newsroom and Council Chambers, I take this responsibility seriously and strive to be a trusted source of information for my community.