Embedded Media and the Operational Commander
Abstract
Embedded media, effectively employed, can be an operational commander's most effective means to gain American public support and counter enemy propaganda. By employing embedded media, an operational commander is not only carrying out an assigned task from a higher authority, but also making use of a powerful asset. Embedded media have proven to be extremely successful in widely distributing information. This same information is the major source of news most Americans use to form their opinions concerning the nation's conflicts. Since public opinion has considerable leverage on leadership and national decision makers, overall mission success is critically linked to an operational commander's ability to accurately inform the public of current military actions. Embedded media have become considerably more potent in recent years, partly due to increased access to military operations and partly due to advances in technology. Live media coverage is now available from even some of the most remote locations in the world. Operation Iraqi Freedom will be used as an illustrative example to outline the operational commander's benefits of employing the embedded media to gain public support and counter enemy propaganda. This paper will sequentially show that embedded media have a significant impact on the operational commander, that embedded media can provide a valuable service for the operational commander, and that the embedded media program is the most effective asset available for both increasing public support and countering enemy propaganda. Proper employment and cautious treatment of embedded media can yield a powerful return for minimal investment, while failure to devote sufficient attention to embedded media may result in detrimental press coverage that ultimately affects the accomplishment of an operational commander's objectives. (28 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 09, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA422789
Entities
People
- Patrick R. Lehman
Organizations
- Naval War College