Functional Responsibility:
The Publicity Bureau was officially established in An Act to amend The Department of Economic Affairs Act (S.A. Chapter 24, 1952). Order in Council 0190/72 under the Public Service Administration Act (S.A. Chapter 90, 1971) transferred the administration of the Publicity Bureau and the Film and Photographic Branch that existed in the Department of Industry and Tourism to the Executive Council. Order in Council 0191/72 authorized the formation of the Public Affairs Bureau under the Executive Council. As authorized the Public Affairs Bureau would consist of a Director and the staff of the Publicity Bureau and the Film and Photographic Branch.

By Order in Council 555/73 the Public Affairs Bureau is responsible for: the promotion of widespread interest in the Province Alberta, its resources, development, people and in the activities of the Government; public relations, advertising and information services and related functions required by every department of the Government; all Government advertising, publications and printing.

Predecessor and Successor Bodies:
The function of publicity in the Province of Alberta was first set out in The Agricultural Department Act, (S.A. Chapter 8, 1906). The duties of the Department were to adopt measures for circulating and disseminating information concerning agricultural statistics in a matter and form best adapted to promote the progress of the Province. The Publicity Bureau was established in 1910 under the Department of Agriculture as an organized effort to induce settlers to locate in Alberta. In 1916 the Publicity Bureau was amalgamated with the Statistical Branch to become the Publicity and Statistics Branch. In 1931 the publicity and general statistics function was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Executive Council. Publicity was transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry in 1936 and then to the Department of Economic Affairs in 1946.

Administrative Relationships:
The Public Affairs Bureau began reporting to the Executive Council in 1972. Although the Bureau was established as a separate entity in 1973, it continued to report to the Executive Council. In 1975 the responsibility for the Public Affairs Bureau was transferred to the Department of Government Services. The Public Affairs Bureau became a division of the Department of Government Services until dissolution of the Department in 1982. In 1983, an Order in Council 0503/83 under the Public Service Act (R.S.A. Chapter P-32, 1980) designated the Public Affairs Bureau as a department for purposes of the Public Service Act. In 1984 the Public Affairs Bureau was once again established as a separate entity reporting to the Minister Without a Portfolio, Bill Payne. In 1986, the responsibility for the Public Affairs Bureau was transferred to the Minister of Advanced Education (O.C. 0341/86). In 1989, the responsibility for the Public Affairs Bureau was transferred once again to the jurisdiction of the Executive Council (O.C. 0194/89).

Administrative Structure:
The Public Affairs Bureau has always maintained a hierarchical structure. It typically maintained three main operational divisions, Corporate Communications, Communications Resources, and Human Resources, Administration and Regional Information Telephone Enquiries. Corporate Communications consists of Communication Operations and the Calgary Service Bureau. Communication Operations provides cross-government communications planning and consulting support and places communications professionals in government ministries to coordinate, plan and implement communications programs. Calgary Services Bureau provides communication support and coordination to government for the Calgary region and southern Alberta. Communication Resources Division consists of Publishing Services, Communications Technologies and Alberta Queen's Printer. Publishing Services manages the Alberta Communications Network to distribute news releases, supports Alberta Connects website and manages the content for the Alberta Government's website. Communication Technologies provides research and implementation support for new communication technologies and manages the technology needs of the Public Affairs Bureau and the Executive Council. Human Resources, Administration and Regional Information Telephone Enquiries Division consists of the Human Resources and Administration and the Regional Information Telephone Enquiries Telephone System. Human Resources and Administration provides manpower and financial management services.

By 2006, the Bureau had an Executive office in addition to four operational units: Communications Services, which executed cross-government communications activities; Communications Resources;, which managed the government website, distributed the Alberta Communications Network (ACN) news releases, supervised the Visual Identity Program, and provided technical support for announcements; Alberta Queen's Printer, which produced government publications; and the Service Alberta Call Centre, which provided Albertans with toll-free access to government. By 2009, the units were known as Corporate Communications, Brand Initiative, Marketing Services, Internet Communications, Information Technology and Media Services, and Corporate Services.

Names of the Corporate bodies:
Following the amalgamation of the Publicity Bureau and the Film and Photographic Branch the entity became known as the Public Affairs Bureau.