The Ghana National Communications Authority’s Use of Website and Social Media in Stakeholder Engagement: A Public Relations Dialogic Perspective

Abstract

Using Kent and Taylor’s five principles of dialogic communication, this study examined Ghana’s National Communications Authority’s (NCA) use of website and Facebook page to engage stakeholders. A content analysis of the website and Facebook page of the NCA was conducted for a period of three months. The study analysed indicators of the five dialogic principles namely, dialogic loop, usefulness of information, generation of returned visits, ease of interface, and conservation of visitors. The study found that the five dialogic principles were minimally manifested on the both website and Facebook page of the NCA as both platforms only employed principles such as ease of use and useful information adequately. Comparatively, posts made on the Facebook page and the website of the NCA were similar to an extent and the useful information principle scored the high points on both platforms. Finally, the study revealed that the website of the NCA did not allow two-way communication between the organisation and its publics. These findings may suggest that the NCA website did not foster direct feedback. These findings support existing literature and affirm what communication scholars have discovered on similar subject. Based on these findings, it was recommended that future studies could focus on a longitudinal study of the communication behaviour of the NCA’s online platforms using mixed methods.