Toward Strategic Communication
Abstract
A number of articles in the press this past year have reported that political and military leaders are frustrated because the government does not have an integrated process for delivering "strategic communication" on issues of national importance, particularly the War on Terrorism. Frustration over the inability to coordinate and synchronize public information activities has been vented toward the Department of Defense (DoD) and the military services. Others have voiced similar worries about a lack of cohesiveness and coordination within the Department of State and the National Security Council. In short, the question of how to transform public communication channels and methods to meet the challenges posed in an era of globalized, instantaneous, and ubiquitous media has caused concern and even alarm. Moreover, many, especially in the military, are worried that our enemies have already occupied and dominated the infosphere battlespace. Army doctrine has evolved greatly over the last three years to deal with this challenge. It acknowledges that the information domain truly is a battlespace and that acquisition of favorable media coverage supporting regional and national political objectives should be equated with seizing a form of key terrain. This view is reflected, for example, in Chapter 1 of the recently published FM 3-24, "Counterinsurgency," which states, "The information environment is a critical dimension of such internal wars and insurgents attempt to shape it to their advantage." The FM clearly recognizes that counterinsurgent operations must be equally sophisticated, flexible, and cognizant of the power of shaping information strategies. Against such a background, let us ask, What is strategic communication? And how does it differ from the traditional means the government has used to inform the public? The purpose of this article is to clarify the concept of strategic communication so that commanders at all levels can understand and exploit its benefits.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA575198
Entities
People
- Mari K. Eder