NP? selling the War that never ends

[Doug Millison]

When "it comes to the US government getting out its message -- especially
to the Arab and Muslim populations -- the star-spangled know-how looks more
like can't-do." Voice of America's Arabic service "reaches a paltry" 2% of
the Arab population. Even Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld "admits the US is
not doing a very good job of telling the world about the war." But "look
out, world: Uncle Sam has decided he wants you as a listener. The idea is
to take what Americans supposedly do well -- communications and the media
-- and get back in the PR war that the US seems to have lost so far." The
US military "is believed to be broadcasting propaganda messages" from
EC-130 planes over Afghanistan. But shortly, Congress "is expected to
approve creation of Radio Free Afghanistan, and then approve" some $30M to
create the Middle East Radio Network. Also, the Pentagon "has awarded" a
4-month" $400K contract to a PR firm "to present the US side of the war to
79 countries." Most officials and media experts agree that the US "can do
better just by getting into the game." But it's "not going to be a quick
fix." The Pentagon's wartime PR firm, the Rendon Group, "can work quickly
with focus groups and local media to get out the US word. But it will
confront often antagonistic media and suspicious audiences" (LaFranchi,
Christian Science Monitor, 11/1).


      As Pres. Bush said 10/1, the United States is "a nation of good
folks" while Osama bin Laden and his network of terrorists are "evildoers."
So why do "people in the Muslim world see it the other way around?" One
cause even the admin's "staunchest supporters agree on is that the United
States has not told its side of the story very well." To close that gap,
Bush has asked one of the "towering figures of the advertising business,"
Charlotte Beers, to apply "some Madison Avenue techniques to the battle for
hearts and minds." Beers took office 10/2 as undersecretary of State for
public diplomacy and public affairs. In a statement to the House Internat'l
Relations Cmte, Beers "underlined the daunting nature of her new task":
"This is a war about a way of life and fundamental beliefs in values we did
not expect to ever have to explain and defend -- such as freedom and
tolerance." The burden is to redefine the identity of the U.S. "for
audiences who are, at best, cynical." She has "not said exactly how she
plans to do that, but she has made it clear that product-style advertising
will play an important role." Beers: "If I have to buy time on Al Jazeera,
I would certainly consider it" (Kempster, Los Angeles Times, 11/1).


http://www.theatlantic.com/hotline/ [1 Nov 01]


Anybody want some chocolate-covered cotton to munch on?