PROPAGANDA OR PR

The video on American and British soldiers going to war in Iraq was thought provoking. At the end of the video, one was left with a mind bogging question as to whether the accounts that we witnessed were public relations or simply propaganda. In my opinion, there seem to be a thin line between propaganda and public relations. Now, let me outline some of the tactics that caught my attention which wre used to hook journalists and public.

CONTROL OF JOURNALISTS IN THE BATTLEFIELD
About 600 journalists were invited to accompany the soldiers to Iraq. It is reported that there were 100 cameras across the battlefield. The soldiers would also take the footage themselves. For example, the photos which show soldiers playing with the Iraq children. One could argue that these photographs were an attempt to depict a positive image bearing in mind that photographs may be important in shaping world opinion.
It is also reported that the strategy was to use journalists effectively because the presence of journalists will enable accurate representation of the facts with the media.
Another tactic was to profile the soldiers who were at war, this may be seen as an impactable strategy because it was a depiction of human stories and the aim was to sell these to TV breakfast shows and these profiles could make great reality TV.
In the video, it is reported that it was important not to portray British soldiers as fighters but as nation builders.
One journalist made a comment that it is hard to be object when they (the journalists) are fed and clothed by the state. Therefore, to some extent there will be sifting of facts.

Whilsts in Iraq, the British government was distributing pamphlets with messages 'we wont let you down'. This in my opinion was to create an impression that the government was giving full support to the soldiers and to reassure the soldiers that they were fighting for a good course.

Kevin Moloney's book Rethinking public relations (pg 87), he states that 'most of UK PR has been, and still is, principally manipulative communications, merging into weak propaganda at its most manipulative - more ordering and telling than listening and talking.


CONTROL OF JOURNALISTS ON HOME GROUND

2PM PRESS CONFERENCE

Journalists shown film & slide show
Coordinated messages at all time
Non attributed briefing
Morning briefing – selected news

RULE #1 OF SPIN

Keep off certain issues
Own message and stick to it
Facts and context short supply
No full answers, don’t get information you need
Real information is given away from briefings

Roving team of journalists, interviewing Iraqi people
Parliamentary is sceptical about journalists reports
Control messages- control journalists – control what goes out

Thinking about the operation, is it magnificent piece of PR
or PROPAGANDA

One voice controlled tightly by the state, people felt they fed a lie and bloggers started to question it.

In my opinion, the video was more propaganda than public relations.