1 MILITARY / MEDIA RELATIONS

2 Elected Decision Makers Military Members IMPACT PUBLIC PERCEPTION HAS AN IMPACT

3 Media Political Leaders Private Organizations Personal Contact INFLUENCES ON THE PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF THE MILITARY

4 Awareness of impact of public perception Training Public Affairs / Procedures Transparent Military Justice System KEYS TO POSITIVE PUBLIC PERCEPTION

5 Make information available No censorship Withhold only to protect security, safety, or privacy Conduct public affairs planning & coordination PRINCIPLES FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS

6 Media Relations Internal Information Community Relations FUNCTIONS OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

7 LAWS REGULATING RELEASE OF INFORMATION Freedom of Information Act - Disclosure is the rule - Equal access - Government must justify any denial of access

8 CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMATION Classified documents procedure: - Decision to release by designated officials - Classification limitations Internal practices and rules Trade secrets Memos and letters Personnel and medical files Investigatory records Exempt by statute

9 Media goalsvs. Military Goals News is a product to sell Mission comes first Information = commodity Information = asset Seek access to information Restrict access Broad principles, loosely organized Rules, tightly organized

10 THE DILEMMA... THE DILEMMA... MILITARY JUSTICE PUBLIC INTEREST PERSONAL PRIVACY

11 U.S. SOLUTION ! U.S. SOLUTION ! MILITARY JUSTICE Courts-Martial Open to Journalists--But No Cameras AP Photo/William Hennessy Release:  Name  Rank  Hometown  Charge  Details of Confinement

12 THE DILEMMA... THE DILEMMA... MILITARY OPERATIONS PUBLIC RIGHT TO KNOW OPERATIONAL SECURITY

13 U.S. SOLUTION! MILITARY OPERATIONS Commander’s Control Roaming Journalists Press Pools

14 Press Pools Pre-selected, given access to area of operations and military information Possible conditions for inclusion: –Ready to respond when notified to deploy –No reporting of deployment without permission –Remain with military escort –Military review of reporting prior to release

15 Embedding of Media Provides long-term, minimally restrictive access to military operations –Live, work & travel with military units –Commanders to ensure media provided opportunities to observe actual combat operations –All interviews on the record

16 FALSE REPORTING...THE DILEMMA... FREE SPEECH MISLEADING THE PUBLIC

17 U.S. SOLUTION... Rebuttal Media Conference Defamation Laws

18 CONCLUSION Vital Role of the Media Military/Media Cooperation Methods of Allowing Media Access to Information

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