The Role of Public Affairs in the Military - Media Relationship

The Role of Public Affairs in the Military - Media Relationship

Author: Adriane B. Craig

Publisher:

Published: 2000-04-01

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 9781423536826

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The image of public relations, and particularly government public relations, is often linked to thoughts of press agentry and propaganda (Brown, 1976; Cutlip, 1995; Cutlip, Center, & Broom, 2000; Lesly, 1988), and journalists seem to agree with this association (Ryan & Martinson, 1985; Stegall & Sanders, 1986). As a result, a "media-public relations struggle' (Cutlip, 1976, p. 6) ensues, despite the reliance each has upon the other to do their jobs effectively (Bishop, 1988; Brown, 1976; Cutlip, 1976; Gieber & Johnson, 1961; Shea & Gulick, 1997; Sietel, 1992). This mutually-dependent relationship is especially important to the Department of Defense (Baroody, 1999, Braestrup, 1991), which considers the news media "the principal means of communicating information about the military to the general public" (Joint Pub 3-61, p. vi) and measures the effectiveness of the military public affairs program upon its ability to communicate with various publics to maintain awareness and support of the Defense Department (Public Affairs Handbook, 1991). Each of the branches of the armed forces - the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps - has a distinct public affairs structure, including how they designate public affairs officers (Public Affairs Handbook, 1991). With the exception of the Marine Corps, which follows Navy guidelines, each branch also has their own set of regulations and policies.


THE MILITARY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ? Issues, Strategies and Challenges

THE MILITARY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ? Issues, Strategies and Challenges

Author: Col. (rtd) John Adache PhD

Publisher: Author House

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 1496982355

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Public Relations practice, its approaches and methods have become widely and deeply entrenched in business, government and in many other complex organizations especially in the developed nations of the world. In same manner, its relevance and utility as tool of institutional promotion have equally come to be appreciated in the Armed Forces. The text therefore, within context of the evolution, growth and development of the broad discipline of Public Relations appropriately situates its practice in the military. It articulates and highlights in-depth, the many aspects to public relations practice in the armed Forces drawing examples extensively from especially the experiences of the United States and UK Armed Services. Divided into Four Parts, the book examines the role of the Military in society and traces the evolution of modern public Relations and its development in the military. Under 'Public Relations Principles, Approaches and Practice", it analyses the role and function of public relations in the interface of military and society, and further highlight the purpose of military public relations, its targets, strategies and tactics. It examines Public Relations practice in the Nigerian Military including public perception and management. Current and topical Issues in Public Relations and Communication such as 'Technology, the Military and Public Relations', 'Social Media, Public Relations and the Military', 'Security Threats, Crisis Management and the Role of Communications', and 'Challenges to Military Public Relations Practice' were analyzed. The book finally concludes with 'The Importance of Military Public Relations in a Democratic Society'. Given the perpetual need to constantly `keep the military in the public eye', the book strongly posits that it is appropriate that public relations be properly positioned as the strategic machinery through which the military could seek to identify with the people and invariably, national interest in order for them to render accounts of their performances and seek informed public support as obtains in developed democracies. This book will be a useful source of reference to especially military public relations officers and indeed all military officers across the world. It further should bring forth better insight to the understanding by the civilian populace, communications professionals, and research scholars specializing in military public relations or public affairs operating in diverse regions of the world.


Military-Media Relations: A Study of the Evolving Relationship During and After the Gulf War

Military-Media Relations: A Study of the Evolving Relationship During and After the Gulf War

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 175

ISBN-13:

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The study examines the status of military-media relations in the aftermath of the Gulf War. Based on public relations theory, studies on source-journalist relationships, the historical precedence of wartime military-media relations, studies about military public affairs, and critiques of the Gulf War situation, the author assesses the Gulf War media policy, the post-Gulf War revised DoD policy, and their impact on present relations. The perspectives of media representatives, military representatives, and communication scholars about Gulf War and present military-media relations were gathered through interviews. Findings of each study group were analyzed and compared. Findings of previous studies on the subject are also discussed. The researcher concludes, while some provisions of the Gulf War policy did not facilitate open media coverage, problems in the policy's execution created more tension between the military and the media. Hostility towards the media also remained from the Vietnam era. Military commanders' support is also a prerequisite for media access to units. Military education programs to foster a better appreciation of a free press' role free in a democracy are needed for all members. In addition, the author recommends additional public affairs training, including a mentoring program, be instituted. Also, while the military should continue to provide opportunities for reporters to participate in training exercises to learn about the military, it is unrealistic to expect that most reporters can participate due to shrinking resources at news organizations. Finally, military and media representatives continue a dialogue to regularly discuss issues of mutual concern.


Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1968-1973

Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1968-1973

Author: William M. Hammond

Publisher: Government Printing Office

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 684

ISBN-13: 9780160873003

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Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1968-1973, the sequel volume to William M. Hammond2s Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1962-1968, continues the history and analysis of the relationship between the press and the military during the final years of the Vietnam conflict. Relying on official records and histories, news media sources and interviews, and significant secondary works, Hammond has carefully and capably traced the many turns that public affairs policies and campaigns took to protect military secrets without diminishing the independence of news correspondents. Massive amounts of information were forthcoming without endangering U.S. forces, but neither the press nor the government was totally satisfied with the system. Doubts and criticisms loomed large, giving rise to tensions and disagreements. With some exceptions, the military and the news media became enemies. What happened in Vietnam between the military and the news media was symptomatic of what had occurred in the United States as a whole. Hammond2s well-written account raises the issues and problems that can confront an open society at war, documenting events and precedents that will continue to affect military-media relations during future operations. It offers important lessons for Soldiers, newsmen, policymakers, and the public at large.


The Military-news Media Relationship

The Military-news Media Relationship

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1993

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Over the course of the next six months, the Strategic Studies Institute will examine the impact of the media's technological advances on strategic and operational level planning and policymaking, first in an overseas theater, and subsequently on decisions made at the national level. The first of these two studies recognizes the complexity of executing military operations under the scrutiny of a very responsive, high technology world news media. Given the volatile, unstable, and ambiguous environment in which armed forces can find themselves, the actions of field forces have a greater chance than ever before of affecting subsequent strategic decisions made at higher levels. The pressure on field commanders to "get it right the first time" is demonstrably greater than ever. The author intends that these thoughts provide commanders with an understanding of the high technology and competitive news media environment they can expect to experience and offers specific suggestions for successfully communicating with reporters.


Meeting the Press

Meeting the Press

Author: Judson Conner

Publisher:

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13:

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"Meeting the Press identifies the pressures of the trade which influence reporters and discusses the irritants and pitfalls that are part and parcel of military-media relations. By understanding the media's right to freedom of inquiry, military and civilian officials alike will be better prepared to meet the press when necessary as part of their mission." -- Foreword, p. ix.


Public Affairs

Public Affairs

Author: William M. Hammond

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 692

ISBN-13:

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Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1968-1973, the sequel volume to William M. Hammond's Public Affairs: The Military and the Media, 1962-1968, continues the history and analysis of the relationship between the press and the military during the final years of the Vietnam conflict. Relying on official records and histories, news media sources and interviews, and significant secondary works, Hammond has carefully and capably traced the many turns that public affairs policies and campaigns took to protect military secrets without diminishing the independence of news correspondents. Massive amounts of information were forthcoming without endangering U.S. forces, but neither the press nor the government was totally satisfied with the system. Doubts and criticisms loomed large, giving rise to tensions and disagreements. With some exceptions, the military and the news media became enemies. What happened in Vietnam between the military and the news media was symptomatic of what had occurred in the United States as a whole. Hammond's well-written account raises the issues and problems that can confront an open society at war, documenting events and precedents that will continue to affect military-media relations during future operations. It offers important lessons for Soldiers, newsmen, policymakers, and the public at large.


The US Army and the Media in the 20th Century

The US Army and the Media in the 20th Century

Author: Robert T. Davis

Publisher: Government Printing Office

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 9780982328347

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Surveys the US Army's approach to media relations from the Spanish-American War to the first Gulf War. The relationship between the Army and the media is considered in the broader context of the US Government's approach to information management. Given the growing importance of information operations in 21st century warfare, this study provides a succinct overview of how the US Army has approached its relations with the media over the previous century. The study highlights the recurrent tension that exists in both the Army and the US Government's information management writ large. This tension arises from the need for operational security and effective deception and psychological operations and the need to provide transparency to secure public acceptance and support for military operations. The long-running debate over how the Government's information management should be organized and operated reflects this tension. Thus, since World War I a number of bureaucratic manifestations of information management have been tried in wartime, including the Committee on Public Information, the Office of War Information, the Psychological Strategy Board, the United States Information Agency, and, most recently, the Office of Global Communications. With the exception of the United States Information Agency, whose tenure spanned the period from 1953 to 1999, all the other manifestations of bureaucratic information management rose and fell during the wars in which they were created. The growing pains of these organizations sometimes colored the Army's relationship with the media. The need for units in the field to participate in information management is a major challenge for future operations. This study reminds us that those commanders who have gone out of their way to engage the media have, in many cases, had the greatest success with information management.


The Military and the Media

The Military and the Media

Author: William V. Kennedy

Publisher: Praeger

Published: 1993-07-30

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13:

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This book is the first about military-media relations to argue for a fundamental restructuring of national journalism and the first to document the failure of American journalism in the national security field for the past thirty years. Press complaints of excessive control by the military during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91 were the inevitable result of the failure of American journalism to train competent specialists in military reporting and to provide an organizational structure that would assure continuing, comprehensive coverage of national defense in peace and war. This, in turn, is the result of retaining the city-room concept as the basic organizational feature of the press, with continuing reliance on the generalist in an age that demands increasingly well-trained specialists. So long as the press fails to modernize its basic methods of training to assure well-trained defense specialists, the military will be required to closely control reporters, as in the Persian Gulf War, as a basic requirement of security for armed forces members and the national interests. Permitting the military to control how the military itself is reported is a grave danger to the democratic process. Yet, so long as the press refuses to accept responsibility for large-scale reform, the public will continue to support close military control as an essential element of safety for its sons and daughters in the armed forces, and out of concern for the success of U.S. military operations. This book will be of interest to students of the press, of the military, and of the media at large.