Bloggers Create New Challenges for Military Public Affairs Officers

By Steve Rubel - Mon, 12/06/2004 - 10:30am.

According to an article in the Washington Post this weekend, US military and weblog PowerPoint presentations ...

... paint a very different picture of the fighting in Fallujah, creating new challenges for government public affairs officers.

"The military's presentation depicts the fight for Fallujah as a liberation of a city from the insurgents. The Web log posts far more graphic wire service and other photos, and tends to point the finger of blame for civilian suffering at the military.

Judging by the reaction of several soldiers and military experts, a comparison of the two presentations shows, among other things, how the might of the U.S. military can be matched by a single blogger working part time."

Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President with Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.He authors the Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.

News Tags: bloggers, Edelman, Rubel, Weblog, Military, persuasion

About the author:
Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President with Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.

He authors the Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.