The Military and the Media: Problems, Policy, and Operational Issues

Abstract

The relationship between the U.S. military establishment and the media is examined with emphasis on current Department of Defense policy for news coverage of U.S. military operations. Events which influenced the relationship over the past two decades are described and evaluated in terms of their effect on military news coverage guidelines. The 1992 reformation of of the Defense Department's military operations news coverage policy is described in detail. Policy provisions are examined to determine probable implications for the operational commander and his forces in the field. A conclusion is reached that military commanders and operational planners must take increased account of the media's impact on operations in light of recent policy changes. Public affairs goals must be a major factor in the shaping of operational plans, regional public affairs systems, and personnel training programs....DOD news coverage policy, Operational planning media impact, Military-media relations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 22, 1993
Accession Number
ADA264139

Entities

People

  • Timothy L. Watkins

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Facilities
  • Battlefields
  • Department Of Defense
  • Deployment
  • Governments
  • Logistics
  • Military Operations
  • Military Transportation
  • Navy
  • Personnel Management
  • Public Opinion
  • Training
  • United States
  • United States Central Command
  • Vietnam War
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Economics
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.