The U.S. Military was good enough to send out an update on its blogging campaign, via American Forces Press Service. (See here for my initial post in January, with related sources.)
So, I assume that means the campaign working.
According to the story, the members of CENTCOM’s blogger engagement team “work with more than 250 bloggers to try to disseminate news about the good work being done by U.S. forces in the global war on terror.”
The team’s work, the story says, has reached more than 17 million online readers.
Maybe I’m just being picky in this next thought: While the job of the CENTCOM team may be “to disseminate news about the good work being done by U.S. forces,” being in PR, I don’t think I would word it that way.
No media — traditional or bloggers — is credible if it focuses only negative or positive news. What you want all media to do is to report the truth, and be balanced. To say you are pushing only good news is a bit blatant. In media relations, our job in working with the media — bloggers included — is to be honest, accurate and provide the media information we feel is of genuine value to its readers. Not just push our clients’ or employer’s “good work.”
The story states the CENTCOM team “engages” bloggers, not debates them. It’s good to see that approach. With bloggers — whether “friend or foe,” as in other communications circles — you can’t win debates on passionate topics like war, religion, politics, etc. For those and other issues, people can be very passionate about them. Therefore, reasoning or rationalizing to pursuade people just doesn’t work because there are very few hard, cold facts.
The story also states: “Many bloggers appreciate the team’s contact.” While I’m sure that is true in many cases, depending on the focus of the blog, I bet there have been some lack of appreciation shown for CENTCOM’s engagement. But, that is the risk one takes in working with bloggers. And, if most of the feedback is positive and helpful to the campaign’s purpose, then it’s worthwhile.
Be sure that the CENTCOM team is working with military as well as non-military bloggers.
” Here too, the team members don’t police content, but if they do discover an operational security violation, they contact the blogger’s command to point out the security violation.”
No one can argue that, that is the proper response regarding any security violation. However, I do wonder how many active military bloggers have been talked to if/when their blogs steer toward the critical side of the military.
Other than my dad serving in the U.S. Army in Germany during the 1950s, I have little direct knowledge of military matters. But, it does seem the military works best when everyone acts as one unit. I am curious to know how military command handles active military bloggers who are seen as critical of the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other military matters.
Finally, the CENTCOM team does realize the importance of transparency.
“When the team ‘reaches out’ to a blogger, the team members do not conceal their identity. They fully disclose that they are public affairs personnel and identify themselves accordingly.”
Ironically, here’s the CENTCOM team in action in regards to its blogger engagement story.
On a side note, for those interested in reading military blogs, see Milblogging.com. (BTW, this, this and this are good milbloggers to visit.)
Take care,
– Mike
Technorati tags: military bloggers, milblogs, U.S. Military, CENTCOM, blogs, public relations, PR
