Advice for the Pentagon
Hugh Hewitt invites bloggers to offer advice to Secretary Rumsfeld and the Pentagon on how to get their message out more effectively. I've written on this before, but here is a short version.
Take the message straight to the people.
The Pentagon should take a page from the 2004 Bush campaign and recognize the power of e-mail in both formal and informal networks. E-mail probably did more to influence the outcome of that race than bloggers (although they really worked very effectively in tandem). For some reason, pundits seem to forget that vastly more people read e-mail every day than read blogs.
First, the GOP used e-mail to communicate directly to a formal network of supporters. This enabled them to get their message directly to the public and unfiltered by media bias. Second, just as jokes and funny photos get forwarded over and over through e-mail, in 2004 these informal e-mail networks often spread the word about things such as the Swift Vets with a link to their web site or latest ad. Supporters are actually eager to send along information that the MSM is refusing to cover. A short, powerful message can spread throughout the country in a remarkably short period of time.
The Pentagon should prepare daily, weekly, and monthly summaries of the events in Iraq and the war against terrorists that could be sent to those who ask for them. Using bloggers, talk radio, cable news, and even paid radio and TV spots if necessary, it would be very easy to spread the word that people can sign up to have the summary of their choice sent to them by e-mail. These summaries should also be sent directly to local TV and radio news outlets and to local newspapers. Of course, they would be available to the MSM, just not exclusively.
These summaries should be very short and concise with links to web pages for those interested in stats, documents or a fuller explanation on any particular subject. Major speeches by Secretary Rumsfeld or President Bush should be accessible through the Pentagon web site.
There is obviously a great deal more that could be done, but this would be a good place to start.
A more ambitious Pentagon press office would prepare video presentations about heroism which would be available for local TV news and accessible on the internet. They would work hard to get stories in local media outlets. The basic idea is to bypass the MSM. Do whatever it takes to get the story out.
And knowing that the real story was finally getting out, the MSM might have to worry about the further erosion of credibility. They might even clean up their act (at least a little).
Take the message straight to the people.
The Pentagon should take a page from the 2004 Bush campaign and recognize the power of e-mail in both formal and informal networks. E-mail probably did more to influence the outcome of that race than bloggers (although they really worked very effectively in tandem). For some reason, pundits seem to forget that vastly more people read e-mail every day than read blogs.
First, the GOP used e-mail to communicate directly to a formal network of supporters. This enabled them to get their message directly to the public and unfiltered by media bias. Second, just as jokes and funny photos get forwarded over and over through e-mail, in 2004 these informal e-mail networks often spread the word about things such as the Swift Vets with a link to their web site or latest ad. Supporters are actually eager to send along information that the MSM is refusing to cover. A short, powerful message can spread throughout the country in a remarkably short period of time.
The Pentagon should prepare daily, weekly, and monthly summaries of the events in Iraq and the war against terrorists that could be sent to those who ask for them. Using bloggers, talk radio, cable news, and even paid radio and TV spots if necessary, it would be very easy to spread the word that people can sign up to have the summary of their choice sent to them by e-mail. These summaries should also be sent directly to local TV and radio news outlets and to local newspapers. Of course, they would be available to the MSM, just not exclusively.
These summaries should be very short and concise with links to web pages for those interested in stats, documents or a fuller explanation on any particular subject. Major speeches by Secretary Rumsfeld or President Bush should be accessible through the Pentagon web site.
There is obviously a great deal more that could be done, but this would be a good place to start.
A more ambitious Pentagon press office would prepare video presentations about heroism which would be available for local TV news and accessible on the internet. They would work hard to get stories in local media outlets. The basic idea is to bypass the MSM. Do whatever it takes to get the story out.
And knowing that the real story was finally getting out, the MSM might have to worry about the further erosion of credibility. They might even clean up their act (at least a little).
posted by Stan at 1:27 PM
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