EP 81: Generative AI in Municipal Government

Government communications, specifically the kind meant to connect with a diverse mix of everyday people, are always evolving in their reach, variety, and challenges. “I’ve been in the government communications side of things for 12 years, and it has changed dramatically over time,” said City of Hickory Communications and Marketing Manager Dana Kaminske. “It’s not just a press release anymore.” Kaminske, recently named Communicator of the Year by trade advancement group North Carolina City and County Communicators, in an interview with Municipal Equation said the city appreciates its media partners in helping to get the word out (about city hall programs, initiatives, proposals, announcements of immediacy, and so on), but there’s plenty more for government communicators to do. “We as governments have to be very active, just like a business, to communicate what I’d say our air-quote product is, and that’s our city, that’s our town, our government and what we’re doing,” said Kaminske. “We have to find what works really well for our community. I think everybody has to do that.” These points start off a great conversation between Kaminske and League podcast host Ben Brown about the modern and changing landscape of government outreach and information sharing, what the challenges are, what the public might expect, and what seems to be working in the state’s array of cities and towns. How does your town approach it? // Municipal Equation is a production of the N.C. League of Municipalities, . Contact host/producer Ben Brown at .