The PSYOP Linkedin Group posted a link to IO Global (http://www.informationoperationsevent.com/redForms.aspx?eventid=9007&id=389080&FormID=%2011&frmType=1&m=25072&FrmBypass=False&mLoc=F&SponsorOpt=False),
a commercial site promoting their June 2014 Conference.
The link features this quote: “May 2014
The UK military's communications strategy is in the process of a shakeup. Where before there existed two ‘universes’ – that of IO and psyops, and that of public relations, media ops and marketing – the emerging tactic is now in bridging the gap to better coordinate a full spectrum approach to Ministry of Defence communications. As Stephen Jolly, the Director of Defence Communications, tells Defence IQ, such a move should see benefits to all aspects of MOD functions, from recruitment to operations, but it carries the need for a complex adjustment and one that other nations may see as controversial...”
The UK military's communications strategy is in the process of a shakeup. Where before there existed two ‘universes’ – that of IO and psyops, and that of public relations, media ops and marketing – the emerging tactic is now in bridging the gap to better coordinate a full spectrum approach to Ministry of Defence communications. As Stephen Jolly, the Director of Defence Communications, tells Defence IQ, such a move should see benefits to all aspects of MOD functions, from recruitment to operations, but it carries the need for a complex adjustment and one that other nations may see as controversial...”
While a more cynical person than I
might think this is merely a shameless way to, as the Brits are wont to say,
“flog their conference”. The notion is one worthy of consideration this week.
I have had the pleasure of working in
each of the named disciplines at one time or another. We all would agree that
there are indeed some common skills: operational planning, writing, on-line/social
media savvy, video and still photography, etc., the nature of the two worlds
couldn’t be more different.
If perhaps one channel were kept
strictly military oriented and the other pegged toward commercial media and
commercial-like tasks such as recruiting, perhaps there is some merit.
From a Public Affairs perspective,
credibility and reputation is everything. This is especially true in a conflict
environment when the media may be non-existent or evolving and where the media
has historically been state controlled.
The other aspect here is of course the
international media and the US domestic media. Experienced journalists would
likely view the marriage of PSYOP (MISO) and PAO as useful as creating the
perfect kosher pork chop.
A bit of research on Mr. Jolly the
source (see: http://www.prweek.com/article/1164175/ministry-defence-drafts-university-cambridges-stephen-jolly)
reveals that we was “a black propaganda expert at the University of Cambridge”
and appointed as director of media and comms at the MoD in April 2013.
Perhaps this blend of skills in Mr.
Jolly’s background was coincidental or perhaps he was put in that position to
help orchestrate the merger in the first place.
You say, "From a Public Affairs perspective, credibility and reputation is everything." Like the same isn't true from a MISO/PSYOP perspective? Credibility is a pillar of ALL persuasive communication.
ReplyDelete@Anon - I was not meaning to exclude credibility as a crucial element in any discipline. However, much of MISO credibility is face to face while much of PAO credibility is via innuendo. The mere fact that someone is from the military may hamper their credibility with civilian media. Our domestic media in particular loves to imply all sorts of negativity when MISO and the media are linked in any way.
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