contrasting, or distinctive viewpoints, and to avoid attracting more attention than is necessary for a particular, narrow function The future may benefit from a much broader and more significant role for govemment communications. The development of the Internet potentially can provide ubiquitous, low cost, multi-media communications capabilities. The cost of communicating via likely to rise relative to the cost of more direct channels of communication fom sing is cultivating relationships with journalists, staging media events, and buying adver government to constituents. Governments, while they are likely to outsource to commercial businesses many aspects of their communications needs, will have much better opportunities to retain editorial control in their communications. Cheaper, more capable communications channels provide governments with an important new tool for providing government services, enhancing democratic political discourse, and promoting private economic development. I Government Communications Today Government is an important provider of information and services. The UK E-Minister recently declared, Government information is the largest information resource available to the uK. Government publications include studies, laws, official statistics, transcripts of hearings and proceedings, material submitted for public consideration as part of hearings or proceedings, and a variety of other material. The US Government Printing Office issued about 18000 new titles in 1999, a volume equal to about a quarter of the total number of new books and new editions published in the US.- Routine, widely experienced transactions with government include renewing a driver's license, getting a marriage license or registering a birth, paying taxes and fines, obtaining information about public parks and recreational opportunities, inquiring into laws and legislative developments, and voting Developing a brand is an important part of a communications strategy. Governments have the advantage of distinctive brands with a high level of public awareness. Most persons know the name of the country in which they reside. Flags, anthems, and less prominently, seals, developed as part of building national government brands Government in a geographic area typically has many sub-brands such as national, state and local governments, and associated particular government bodies and agencies Persons'views about government do not relate just to specific products-did the government get me something specific that I wanted- but are typically based on a broad range of emotions, images, and self-images. Thus citizens may strongly fear government intrusions on personal freedom or strongly support government action, without reference to any particular government actions. Such broad, emotion-laden images and associations are characteristic of a well-recognized powerful brand name SeedTiPressRelease2000/602(6September2000);onlineathttp://www.hmso.gov.uk/p2000602.htm See Biennial Report to Congress on the Status of GP0 Access, Appendix C; online at http://www.access.gpo.gov/sudocs/aces/biennial/index.htmlForthenumberofbooktitlesseeStatistical Abstract Table 9382 contrasting, or distinctive viewpoints, and to avoid attracting more attention than is necessary for a particular, narrow function. The future may benefit from a much broader and more significant role for government communications. The development of the Internet potentially can provide ubiquitous, low cost, multi-media communications capabilities. The cost of communicating via cultivating relationships with journalists, staging media events, and buying advertising is likely to rise relative to the cost of more direct channels of communication from government to constituents. Governments, while they are likely to outsource to commercial businesses many aspects of their communications needs, will have much better opportunities to retain editorial control in their communications. Cheaper, more capable communications channels provide governments with an important new tool for providing government services, enhancing democratic political discourse, and promoting private economic development. I. Government Communications Today Government is an important provider of information and services. The UK E-Minister recently declared, “Government information is the largest information resource available to the UK.”3 Government publications include studies, laws, official statistics, transcripts of hearings and proceedings, material submitted for public consideration as part of hearings or proceedings, and a variety of other material. The US Government Printing Office issued about 18000 new titles in 1999, a volume equal to about a quarter of the total number of new books and new editions published in the US.4 Routine, widely experienced transactions with government include renewing a driver’s license, getting a marriage license or registering a birth, paying taxes and fines, obtaining information about public parks and recreational opportunities, inquiring into laws and legislative developments, and voting. Developing a brand is an important part of a communications strategy. Governments have the advantage of distinctive brands with a high level of public awareness. Most persons know the name of the country in which they reside. Flags, anthems, and less prominently, seals, developed as part of building national government brands. Government in a geographic area typically has many sub-brands such as national, state, and local governments, and associated particular government bodies and agencies. Persons’ views about government do not relate just to specific products – did the government get me something specific that I wanted – but are typically based on a broad range of emotions, images, and self-images. Thus citizens may strongly fear government intrusions on personal freedom or strongly support government action, without reference to any particular government actions. Such broad, emotion-laden images and associations are characteristic of a well-recognized, powerful brand name. 3 See DTI Press Release 2000/602 (6 September 2000); online at http://www.hmso.gov.uk/p2000602.htm 4 See Biennial Report to Congress on the Status of GPO Access, Appendix C; online at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/biennial/index.html . For the number of book titles, see Statistical Abstract, Table 938