| There have been media reports that the military has | | | | his daily briefings; the Sierra Leone intervention, despite |
| been talking out of turn, and counter views have also | | | | the Indian contingent being actually responsible for the |
| been expressed on the topic by some supposed | | | | success of the mission, was over shadowed by the |
| thinkers. It is not by individual perceptions that policies | | | | British media which highlighted the contributions made |
| are made and the subject, in today's context needs to | | | | by the British troops in the success of the operations. |
| debated with select examples of the world military | | | | However, damage control was carried out by the |
| media relations kept as a backdrop and the examples | | | | Indian Foreign Service at a later stage more as a |
| of using the various media tools as force multipliers. | | | | reaction by sending the Indian media to cover the |
| Military has opened up to the media only recently. | | | | happenings, bringing to focus the Indian Army's actions |
| Kargil operation was the first televised war, which | | | | which brought about peace in the Region. More |
| brought the conflict to peoples homes. It showed the | | | | recently, the American coalition war in Iraq was again |
| war zone to the world and changed people's | | | | a reminder that a war can be projected as a justifiable |
| perception on the pattern of conflict in high altitude | | | | war, if the events are doctored well and projected |
| areas. It reduced the gap between the military and the | | | | selectively. |
| civilians and connected people with the lives of soldiers, | | | | The above examples bring to focus one important |
| who carry out their duties even at the peril of their | | | | aspect, and that is, media has to be intelligently applied |
| lives. It is in their prompt response at the borders that | | | | and it must be situation oriented. It cannot adorn a |
| our countrymen can remain comfortable at their | | | | template which has to dittoed in all situations and the |
| homes. It was a bonding established and a national | | | | content also has to vary. An over or an under play will |
| fervour built which brought about unity in diversity. The | | | | neither be good for the public nor for the military. The |
| up front reportage altered the world opinion in our | | | | responses from the military have to be couched and |
| favour and justified the conflict, making Pakistan the | | | | well articulated. A total ban on interaction with the |
| bad guy. All this happened only because the media by | | | | media will give rise to speculation and invariably result in |
| India was handled with an aim, a vision and the public, in | | | | misreporting. An over eager, inadequately thought of |
| many ways participated in the conflict. The negatives, | | | | hurried response, is again likely to give a negative |
| to balance out, have also been true, with at times | | | | projection. The bait by the media will always be given |
| some media personnel being given preferential | | | | with smiling faces approaching the military and wanting |
| treatment by the military and the same media men, | | | | to be the first to report an incident and in the bargain |
| when rubbished on an occasion have been nasty in | | | | getting access to an event. It may also be that the |
| the reporting about the military. Such practices are | | | | military, at times may feel that some other security |
| reasonably common, despite the users in the game | | | | agency may take the credit for the task accomplished |
| being quite aware, and such practices are bound to | | | | and therefore prematurely reveal some details to |
| take place in a democratic system, yet it is important | | | | pre-empt the other stake holders, which at times may |
| to analyse the reasons for the reporters adopting a | | | | result in tendering apologies at a later stage. Such out |
| sudden change in their outlook. It must be appreciated, | | | | of turn exposures to the media must be guarded |
| after all, they are also individuals and bound to err and | | | | against and that comes with fore thought and practice |
| swing one way or the other to gauge the mood swing | | | | Hence, it is important that media education is imparted |
| of the readers. | | | | to the military as a professional subject. It should be |
| Just prior to Kargil, Kosovo happened, and just a little | | | | taught in schools of instructions right from entrée |
| later the United Nations Force launched an operation in | | | | level and should be practiced over the years. The |
| Sierra Leone. A brief mention of the two will facilitate in | | | | importance of the information warfare with media as a |
| framing opinions on the media being used as a | | | | force multiplier has to be understood and it has to be |
| weapon system. While Kosovo was a ‘War of Will' | | | | correctly used as a weapon of decision making, a |
| at least as projected by the western media, which | | | | weapon of success. |
| gave only a one sided picture with Mr Reuben giving | | | | |