$20M. TO GENERATE POSITIVE PRESS ON IRAQ

[Anonymous]

U.S. to Spend $20 Million to Generate Positive Press on Iraq
U.S.
military leaders in Baghdad have put out for bid a two-year, $20
million public relations contract that calls for extensive monitoring
of U.S. and Middle Eastern media in an effort to promote more positive
coverage of news from Iraq.The contract calls for assembling a database
of selected news stories and assessing their tone as part of a program
to provide “public relations products” that would improve coverage of
the military command’s performance, according to a statement of work
attached to the proposal.The request for bids comes at a time when Bush
administration officials are publicly criticizing media coverage of the
war in Iraq.The proposal, which calls in part for extensive monitoring
and analysis of Iraqi, Middle Eastern and American media, is designed
to help the coalition forces understand “the communications
environment.” Its goal is to “develop communication strategies and
tactics, identify opportunities, and execute events . . . to
effectively communicate Iraqi government and coalition’s goals, and
build support among our strategic audiences in achieving these goals,”
according to the statement of work that is publicly available through
the Web site http://www.fbodaily.com .A public relations practitioner
who asked for anonymity because he may be involved in a bid on the
contract said that military commanders “are overwhelmed by the media
out there and are trying to understand how to get their information
out.”They want it [news] to be received by audiences as it is
transmitted [by them], but they don’t like how it turns out,” he said.
As an example, he said, there are complaints that reports from Iraq
sometimes quote Shiite cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr more
than military commanders.The proposal calls for monitoring “Iraqi,
pan-Arabic, international and U.S. national and regional markets media
in both Arabic and English.” That includes broadcast and cable
television outlets, the Pentagon channel, two wire services and three
major U.S. newspapers: The Washington Post, New York Times and Los
Angeles Times.Monitors are to select stories that deal with specific
issues, such as security, reconstruction activities, “high profile”
coalition force activities and events in which Iraqi security forces
are “in the lead.” The monitors are to analyze stories to determine the
“dissemination of key themes and messages” along with whether the
“tone” is positive, neutral or negative.The media outlets would be
monitored for how they present coalition or anti-Iraqi force
operations. That part of the proposal could reflect Defense Secretary
Donald H. Rumsfeld’s often-stated concern that the media does not cover
positive aspects of Iraq.In a speech before the American Legion on
Tuesday, Rumsfeld said that a search of leading newspapers revealed
that a soldier punished for misconduct was written about “10 times” as
often as the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in anti-terrorism
efforts.The proposal suggests a team of 12 to 18 people who would
provide support for the coalition military command as well as the Iraqi
government leadership.Prospective contractors are also asked to propose
four to eight public relations events per month, such as speeches or
news conferences, including “preparation of likely questions and
suggested answers, themes and messages as well as background, talking
points.”An attempt yesterday to reach the contracting officer for this
project was not successful. Bids are due Sept. 6, and the 24-month
contract is scheduled to begin on Oct. 28.The Rendon Group, which has
represented organizations such as the Iraqi National Congress,
currently holds a much smaller year-to-year contract with the military
command in Iraq.

[Author]

September 1, 2006 at 11:23 AM