EP#191: Storytelling for trust in the AI era

Government comms has shifted from crafting messages to shaping meaning in a fast-moving digital world. Host David Pembroke is joined by Brenda Duran, director of external affairs at LA County’s Justice Care and Opportunities Department, to reflect on what has changed since they last spoke in 2019. They discuss the COVID-19-driven digital acceleration, the rise of direct-to-public communication, and how misinformation has become a high-volume, targeted threat. Brenda also shares practical approaches to faster approvals, building trusted messenger networks, and creating content that earns attention, before looking ahead to why storytelling and public trust matter even more in an AI-shaped environment.

KEY POINTS:

• COVID-19 accelerated digital government for good Government teams had to pivot quickly to virtual briefings, real-time updates and direct-to-public channels, permanently changing how service information is delivered.
• Treat misinformation as a trust and security problem Countering false narratives now requires proactive “pre-bunking”, real-time monitoring and partnerships with trusted community messengers, not just reactive corrections.
• Fix approval bottlenecks by redesigning decision rights Define preauthorised “lanes” for routine updates, rapid approvals and high-risk crisis content so teams can move at the speed of public need.
• Act like a publisher, not a noticeboard Build weekly content plans, create evergreen explainers, use subject matter experts on camera, and turn government data into meaningful stories people can use.
• In an AI-driven world, storytelling becomes the differentiator As content volume increases, trust becomes scarcer—public sector communicators add value by creating narratives that restore context, clarity and humanity.

Links mentioned in the podcast:

• AMEC Barcelona Principles: Measurement principles for communication (outputs, outtakes, outcomes) https://amecorg.com/barcelona-principles-3-0/
• AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication): Organisation behind the Barcelona Principles and comms measurement resources https://amecorg.com/
• Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture (edited by Melissa Vela-Williamson): Book mentioned (Brenda Duran contributed) https://www.routledge.com/Latinas-in-Public-Relations-Shaping-Communications-Communities-and-Culture/Vela-Williamson/p/book/9781032547805

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