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SWJED
08-31-2006, 06:16 AM
31 August Washington Post - Positive Press on Iraq Is Aim of U.S. Contract (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083003011.html) by Walter Pincus.


U.S. military leaders in Baghdad have put out for bid a two-year, $20 million public relations contract that calls for extensive monitoring of U.S. and Middle Eastern media in an effort to promote more positive coverage of news from Iraq.

The contract calls for assembling a database of selected news stories and assessing their tone as part of a program to provide "public relations products" that would improve coverage of the military command's performance, according to a statement of work attached to the proposal...

The proposal, which calls in part for extensive monitoring and analysis of Iraqi, Middle Eastern and American media, is designed to help the coalition forces understand "the communications environment." Its goal is to "develop communication strategies and tactics, identify opportunities, and execute events . . . to effectively communicate Iraqi government and coalition's goals, and build support among our strategic audiences in achieving these goals," according to the statement of work that is publicly available through the Web site http://www.fbodaily.com...

SWJED
09-27-2006, 01:21 AM
26 September Associated Press - Group Wins Public Relations Deal in Iraq (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092601406.html) by Rebecca Santana.


A public relations company known for its role in a controversial U.S. military program that paid Iraqi newspapers for stories favorable to coalition forces has been awarded another multi-million dollar media contract with American forces in Iraq.

Washington-based Lincoln Group won a two-year contract to monitor a number of English and Arabic media outlets and produce public relations-type products such as talking points or speeches for U.S. forces in Iraq, officials said Tuesday...

The idea is to use the information to "build support" in Iraqi, Arabic, international and U.S. audiences for what the military describes as its goals in Iraq such as destroying the insurgency and helping Iraqis build a democracy, according to contract documents.

The list of media outlets to be watched includes the New York Times, Fox Television and the satellite channel, Al-Arabia...

SWJED
09-28-2006, 09:32 AM
28 September Washington Post - U.S. to Gauge Iraqi Support for Operations (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092701912.html) by Walter Pincus.


As violence continues in Iraq, the military is looking for ways to achieve stability through opinion polls and public relations.

The Multi-National Command in Baghdad wants to hire a private firm to conduct polling and focus groups in Iraq "to assess the effectiveness of operations as they relate to gaining and maintaining popular support," according to a notice the Department of the Army posted yesterday.

"Since the end of major combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Coalition Forces have sought to build robust and positive relations with the people of Iraq and to assist the Iraqi people in forming a new government," the notice says, posted on the government contracting Web site FBODaily.com.

Polling and focus groups are being sought as "important tools for assessing changes in the level of a population's support for various groups," according to the posting...

ilots
10-02-2006, 08:05 PM
Interesting articles. As a fairly long time PSYOP guy, civilian PR campaigns have repeatedly failed to translate into effective cross-cultural behavior influence and objective-driven, phased timeline campaigns. Likewise, the analysis of international media coverage does not accurately reflect MOE's or the impact indicators found predominantly in ground truth. Non-unified talking points (though TPs should be employed) and civilian-styled "PR" simply do not equate to effective influence with the target audiences in theater.