Over the years, Washington D.C. has developed into much more than just the nation’s capital. It has become a hub for influencers, media, businesses, and, of course, government relations. The D.C. area is an ideal environment for effective advocacy, with tremendous o
pportunities to reach decision-makers and those who influence them; it has the highest number of media outlets in the nation, a growing international community, and an expanding corporate presence.
The Capital of Decision-makers and Influencers
There are 8,580 independent agencies and federal departments located in Washington D.C. And of course, where there are decision makers, there are influencers.
The high density of influencers in the nation’s capital represents a tremendous opportunity to “influence the influencers.” Public relations firms in Washington are being paid approximately $111 million yearly to reach both influencers and decision-makers. Federal contracts generate another $88 million for PR firms.
The number of registered lobbyists in the nation currently stands at just over 34,000, and more than 20,000 of those lobbyists are located in Washington. These professionals share the $100 million per month that federal lobbying generates.
The number of actual influencers in D.C. (those not required to register as lobbyists) reaches upwards of 100,000. Such influencers include:
Corporate influencers: Most Fortune 500 firms have government relations representatives in Washington to monitor legislative issues and bills.
Law firms: The city has the most lawyers per capita in the nation. Half of the more than 70,000 lawyers in Washington are on the federal payroll, while a large percentage of private-sector lawyers work with the government.
- Clients who hire lobbyists: Congress registered 33,000 firms and organizations that hired lobbyists to help them influence lawmakers. Thousands more are not required to register.
- Professional associations: Nearly half of the nation’s 7,500 trade associations are located in Washington.
- Think tanks: Nearly half of the country’s public policy research institutes have locations in Washington (more than 150).
- State, county and local governments: Most states and many major cities have representation in the capital.
- Advocacy Groups: Most major interest groups are represented, with more than 400 in one database.
Home of the Media
There are more than 12,000 news media outlets located in Washington, and hundreds are added each week. By comparison, Chicago has about 600 media outlets and Atlanta only half that amount. The number of reporters in the capital exceeds 20,000. More than 8,000 cover Congress.
Being located in D.C. is crucial for effectively reach the vast pool of Washington media. For example, the ability to hold press briefings in the National Press Club, atop the National Press Building where many of the news outlets are located, is invaluable. News events can also be held in the Capitol and other federal venues.
An International Gateway
There are 180 foreign embassies in Washington D.C. In addition, the area is home to roughly 150 international business organizations, more than 40 other international institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Inter-American Bank) and about 100 private foreign affairs institutes (National Foreign Trade Council, Center for Strategic and International Studies).
There are also approximately 643 foreign-owned firms operating in the D.C. area, representing 34 countries. In addition, the army of journalist employed in Washington includes more than 400 foreign media bureaus.
Photo by TM Stanton (c)2006
