Role Of Ispr In Handling Media

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

INTRODUCTION

Media shapes the public's behavior about the issues and plays vital role in highlighting certain attributes of issues. Gatekeepers of the media i.e. (editors and journalists) they all play central role in shaping the media agenda which becomes public agenda after sometime. Mc Combs and Shaw assumed that "the mass media sets the agenda for political campaigns, influencing public attitudes towards desired issues". Mass media is the major source of providing news and entertainment to the people who wants to know what is happening around. Aristotle in his book "Poetics" has written that "Media is a means of catharsis and is must for normal living".

The entertainment and news value of media has played very important role its development. The electronic media enjoys larger scope over print media, since it has wider audience, is easily accessible and be understood by even illiterate people. The media provides wide range of entertainment / news according to interest of people of different age groups / liking / languages. Talk Shows Mania has brought more liberalization and has revolutionized the concept since erstwhile taboo issues are being discussed more frankly.

Free media access to the conflict zone is globally considered a threat to national security. This misperception has led militaries to cobble journalists and soldiers together but conflicting interests have always kept this relationship in a flux. In Pakistan, too, military officials confront the same problem, though at a less intense level. While the concept of embedded journalism is generally considered a black chapter in the history of the military-press relationships, it has firm foundations in Pakistan. Over the last decade, the ISPR has provided access to selected groups of journalists, to the militancy-hit areas where they worked in collaboration, yet this area has lot more space to dwell upon.

ISPR Directorate acts as ambassador of the Armed Forces. The Directorate plays a proactive role in bridging gulf between Armed Forces and the public through media. This is a specialized function, which in present era requires a scientific approach. It is imperative to take a closer look at the functioning of the ISPR Directorate, identify the shortcomings and recommend measures/rule of engagement with media for better military media interaction.

AIM

To carry out a reappraisal of role of ISPR with a view to recommend strategy for interfacing with media vis-a-vis national security requirement and suggest measures/rules of engagement for better mil-media interaction.

Scope. The paper has been divided into following parts: -

Part I. Geneses of media stature in Pakistan

Part II. The Media control and mandate of ISPR

Part III. Analysis

Part IV. Recommendations

Conclusion

PART : I - GENESES OF MEDIA STATURE IN PAKISTAN

Geneses of Media

Liberal philosopher like John Stuart Mill ‘on Liberty’ enunciated ‘harm principle’ as one of the limitations of free speech. Mill argued that "there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it may be considered." He explained that "the fullest liberty of expression is required to push arguments to their logical limits, rather than the limits of social embarrassment.’ Mill proposed the limitation of free expression as, "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others".

A second form of limitation on free speech, the "offense principle" has been proposed by Joel Feinberg. Feinberg asserts that Mill’s "harm principle" is insufficient in providing protection against wrongful behavior as it sets the bar too high and fails to take into account serious offense that does not amount to actual harm or injury. He believes that some forms of expression can be legitimately prohibited by law as they are too offensive to one or several groups in a society. However, as offending someone is less serious than actual injury or harm, the penalties should be lesser than those for causing harm.

The Notion of Freedom

The current discourse on the independence of the media in Pakistan, appear to have been mainly drawn from liberal philosophy. It decries any shackles on the media placed by the state and upholds the freedom to conduct criticism of the policies and actions of the government, leaders and their actors. This discourse is based on the notion that freedom consists in the absence of restrictions from external sources- the state, society, powerful groups or individuals. In this sense it seems to be a fairly limited notion that freedom since it refers only to limits placed by outside power in some punitive form.

Freedom from government restrictions or draconian press laws does not guarantee freedom form religious prejudice, patriarchal bias or ethnic narrow-mindedness. It is a self-evident fact that no person is located in neutral space, we all live in structured societies divided along the many horizontal and vertical axes of class, caste, gender, patriarchy, ethnicity, religion or sect. being differentially positioned in relation to the state and centers of power, some people have access to more resources, power and influence than others.

Prevailing Media Trends

Dog bites Man…old news, we already know the outcome, but when it is …..Man bites Dog… it is sensationalized [1] ; it immediately stirs the listener’s mind and is the cause for great hype. The dramatic background music, images of clashes between security officials and civilians, and riots all form part of sensationalism, enticing the viewer to turn on the television set.

On the other hand the growing trend in broadcast media for attracting anchors on heavy remunerations, anchors who possess skills of creating sensationalism and who spice news with hypothesis, is an example of how media channels are departing from objectivity and balanced reporting. Furthermore, the frequent switching of anchors from one channel to another mainly for economic gains in utter disregard of the basic ethos of the journalistic profession also supports the argument that broadcast media in Pakistan is headed for over-commercialization.

The media has realized its power and ability to penetrate an innocent mind and they are exercising it so savagely. Big investors with a purpose to enhance business own the private channels. They have to afford massive expenses, so, competition to excel others makes them irresponsible. In order to attract more view ship and resultantly more commercials-they even sometimes forget the damage caused to national interest. A bold and blunt anchor person undermines the set standards. The petty events are heightened.

Perception Development

Perception is how we think and feel about the world. The media not only depicts the reality but also reconstructs it by presenting and interpreting facts in a particular way. The media can turn a hero into a villain and vice versa. For example, the way the Indian press presents Kashmiri militants is different from how Pakistani press projects them. The way the government-controlled media project the state of the economy, society and politics is different from how independent media present the same.

Though all media reconstruct the reality, they do so differently depending on how independent they are. The more independent a newspaper or TV channel, the more objective is the reality it reconstructs. State controlled media, like Pakistan Television (PTV), leave no stone unturned in extolling the policies and performance of the government. The media which espouse the cause of capitalism present free market economy as the panacea for all economic ills.

PART: II – MEDIA CONTROL AND MANDATE OF ISPR

Media Control

Control of the media and background, basic assumptions and education of journalists are also important. How much independent is editorial policy of the control of the owners? Do the owners interfere too much in the editorial policy or leave it largely to professional journalists? On their part, are media persons professionally competent? Are they well-versed in the issues that they speak or write about? Do they have affiliations with a political party or an ethnic organization, which makes them have vested interest or see things through coloured glasses rather than objectively? In the former Soviet Union and other communist countries, for instance, the reality reconstructed by the media was almost always fashioned on Marxism. Today the majority of the western print media extol capitalist values as religiously as fascism was extolled in Hitler’s Germany.

The power to reconstruct reality that accounts for the government’s love-hate relationship towards the media. Thus every government loves compliant media and hates independent media. For the government’s media managers, the fundamental problem is how to use a carrot and stick policy to turn an independent media into a compliant one. The government takes measures to woo, control, harass and intimidate the media. In a democratic and advanced polity, the measures to control the media are normally subtle and moderate, while in a despotic and backward state, such measures are usually rough and extreme. On balance, a democratic government is far more tolerant of an independent media than a despotic one.

Noam Chomsky in his famous article; Top 10 Media Manipulation Strategies has rightly said, "Maintaining public attention diverted away from the real social problems, captivated by matters of no real importance. Keep the public busy, busy, busy, no time to think, back to farm and other animals". Numerous roles of media always remained questionable because of its positivity and negativity in perception management. Sometimes it promotes peace and at times becomes the cause of conflict due to biased approach of some journalist or group of media. Here, we can take the examples of super powers those are using media tool for exploitation of weaknesses of opponent countries.

During World War II media had been used a tool of propaganda which played a glaring role in grouping of blocks and spreading rumors. In this regard divorce between Russia and German has happened because of military journalism which resulted into bringing UK, U.S and Soviet Union on same track and ultimately it paved the path of victory of allied nations. The journalists need to be trained and educated in this era of information since clear awareness is the only approach which shapes the opinion that ultimately becomes the cause of selection of right choices in every field of the life. By virtue of their power to shape public perceptions, the media has developed into a vital political force as well as an instrument of social control.

Influence of Media on Masses

A landmark development is the establishment of private TV channels. This means that now people can view the counterpoint to which they did not have access previously. An uncertain politico-economic environment is the breeding ground for speculations, rumours and sensationalism. In a fast changing scenario, people are anxious to know more either to alleviate their anxieties or just out of curiosity. The media, particularly the electronic media with their round-the-clock and live broadcasts, seek to satisfy this need. Electronic media have a wider reach than the press as literacy is not required and influence is immediate covering a greater viewership.

Public need and desire for information has to be satisfied in a way that does not add to the volatility of the situation. This is especially true of electronic media with their live programs, where anchorpersons and guests can dabble into debates on issues they have little appreciation of. The media, a powerful instrument of dissemination of information and opinion formation, can be used to suppress information, disseminate misleading information and form prejudiced opinion. Media discourses may have an effect similar to that of an ideology a readymade way of thinking can rule out alternative ways of thinking. The media discourse that some foreign hand is involved in an act of terrorism may rule out that the problem may be indigenously caused.

Mandate of ISPR

Aim. Image building of the Armed Forces through a pro-active media campaign with special emphasis on the following: -

To ensure information superiority.

Protect troops from effects of propaganda, misinformation and rumors.

Support, open, independent reporting and access to formations / units within the confines of operational security.

Provide balance, accurate and credible information that communicates Armed Forces view point and messages through a swift flow of complete and timely information.

Mission [2] . Garner National Support for the Armed Forces and strengthen their resolve to accomplish the assigned mission while undermining the will of the adversary.

Objectives [3] .

Enhance Armed Forces image through pro active and effective media management by providing coverage of Armed Forces activities focusing on operational commitments, training activities, national development projects and efforts in aid of civil power

Projection of well considered themes to elaborate Armed Forces perspective on issues regarding ‘War on Terror’ garnering national support

Counter negative propaganda by timely issue of rebuttals / contradictions, where necessary

Keep the media engaged as hitherto fore through forums like national media workshops, media briefings, regular interaction, press releases, rebuttals / clarifications where required

Pro-active and open media management in a systemic manner to provide first hand information to media to achieve a positive and broad based coverage of operations.

ISPR in War. [4] At the time of war the ISPR exposes itself to new stresses and strains. The ISPR problems in war are:-

News media representatives from all over the world swarm in for hot news while the Service Headquarters controlling the sources of information about war tend to be secretive for considerations of security.

The ISPR efforts aim at satisfying the apparently conflicting requirements of the government and the journalists. It arranges quickest censor of dispatches and their immediate transmission through authorized channels like telephone, telegraph, telex and fax.

In wartime certain senior correspondents are accredited as war correspondents. These correspondents are selected by the ISPR on the recommendation of the Press Information Department of External Publicity Wing. This accreditation is on joint services basis and authorizes them to move around the war zone, war uniform and enjoy a number of journalistic privileges.

ISPR in SCW/LIC/Counter Insurgency Operations. [5] ISPR is the outlet/org in Pakistan which manages information regarding these operations, coordinates and manages media visits, issues video clips, arranges interviews of field commanders, briefs media etc. Due to peculiar nature of the area and security reasons ISPR is the main organization, which facilitates all the media teams in the coverage of all the activities taking place in rugged inhospitable and un-accessible areas.

Themes. [6] Few themes adopted/propagated by ISPR:-

War against extremism is a national effort. Army is part of it.

Need for synergy in all elements of national effort viz-a-viz political, socio-economic, administration and military.

Majority of the people are moderate. They are our own people. Some are misguided.

Military Operations are only means to an end, not an end.

Army is a national institution which always supports the nation and civil administration, whenever called upon to do so.

Foreign elements and miscreants from other parts of the country are also present, who are involved in acts of militancy and terrorism.

Military operations are for our own good / national interests.

Foreign elements and miscreants from other parts of the country are also present, who are involved in acts of militancy and terrorism.

Till the time Afghanistan stabilizes, there will be negative effects on our internal dynamics, especially in KP.

Success of military operations in FATA and Swat has been due to wholehearted support of the local population.

Indian Army Media Policy. [7] 

Introduction. The directorate of Public Relation is the link between Ministry of Defense and citizen of country. Similarly PRO is a link between formation and citizen. It is also the authoritative communication channel between ministry of defence and mass media. The PRO looks after the needs of publicity of three services, defence undertakings and Research and development establishments.

Duties of PRO

Act as advisors to formation commanders in matters relating to the policies and activities that can be projected through publicity in the media.

Dissemination of factual material to press.

Maintain close liaison with editors, correspondents, editorial staff, central and state government information officers, and audio visual media.

Supplement written material with oral briefing whenever necessary.

Organize and facilitates, press briefings, press conference and interviews.

Cover ceremonials, functions, visits and other important activities of the services to including aid to civil authorities.

Military – Media Relations

Aiden White, the IFJ’s secretary general says: "The manipulation of public opinion by media-savvy extremists and the poisoning of public discourse happen because individuals and groups that express themselves freely do not aim at truth. When journalism is inaccurate, when it marginalizes important issues or denies access to different voice and when it is manipulated to serve narrow interest, it damages democracy. It cannot be right that with the supposed expansion of free expression, the quality of information delivered by the media should be declining. Journalists must start standing up for principles to circulate the worries, fears and inquires of people who have no institutional voice."

By and large, militaries feel ill at ease when media personnel are around. During the Iraq war, the US military embedded journalists in tactical units; the experiment was considered a success. In reality, however, the US military came out smelling of roses mainly because embedded journalists had compromised their professionalism. ABC Pentagon correspondent, John Mc Wethy, told The Washington Post: "Riding around in a tank is a fun, but you don’t know … what’s going on." Embedded journalists sacrificed journalism to reportage and thus the major stories of the Iraq invasion were the ones such journalists missed out.

While the concept of embedded journalism is generally considered a black chapter in the history of the military-press relationship, it has firm foundations — though in a different vein — in Pakistan.

The country’s media outlets took to the concept of embedded journalism mainly because ‘information’ obtained this way was cost-effective and served the national security narrative. Yet the issue, in and of itself, is dead serious. Military ‘tour operators’ who accompany journalists were often questioned and debated by the field reporters of media. A correspondent for an international news network commented that "the operators follow journalists everywhere and don’t hesitate to snub them if they’re moving off the beaten track. I once violated the norm by publishing a balanced story, and since then I am not taken on any embedded assignments the only available window to see Fata".

Free media access to the conflict zone is globally considered a threat to national security. This misperception has led militaries to cobble journalists and soldiers together but conflicting interests have always kept this relationship in a flux. "When their aims brought them into conflict," says media expert Michael Sweeney, "the press lost most of the battles because journalists, after all, carry notebooks, while soldiers carry guns." Given all this, the uneasy media-military relationship is not going to deliver despite growing ties between journalists and militaries everywhere.

PART : III – ANALYSIS

Impact of Media on the Conduct of Operations. Media impacts on the conduct of the operations as follows:-

Escalation and De-escalation. Media can escalate or de-escalate any conflict directly or indirectly. Mere presence of video camera may prompt any of the sides to start shooting. Similarly media may offer better communication between the adversaries and may help to prevent demonization of other side.

Selective Focus. Visually dramatic, acute events such as battles or bombings receive more coverage/attention than widespread situations like famine/ poverty. For example, Gulf War got extensive coverage while deaths of over 140,000 Bangladeshis due to spring flooding and massacre of about 800,000 Rwandans in 1994 went virtually unreported.

Search for Truth. The media seeks to confirm official accounts, reveal official deceit, and correct errors of omission. During Gulf War I, due to official claims of an oil spill eighteen times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill spreading off the coast of Kuwait, one reporter hired a helicopter to look for the spill and found no evidence of a spill of that magnitude, revealing that official claims were greatly exaggerated.

Forced Multiplier. Media coverage is a force multiplier. Perception of the military as a dedicated and professional organization comes from media reports; so closer trust and confidence must be created.

Deception. Deception is a part of warfare. Incorporation of media into such ops is a highly dangerous game. If the free/ patriotic media discovers they are being used for such purposes, they are likely to distance themselves from the events.

Education and Information. An excellent source of education Media contributes in making societies aware of happenings around them. It has contributed in raising education standards and the level of awareness in society.

Political Effects. The mass media have transformed the political process. They have revolutionized political campaigning, changed the nature of the Political representation and has also contributed towards the [8] modification and functioning of the Political system.

Economic Effects. Media has provided access to the worldwide markets to the people of far-flung areas. Global marketing [9] has become possible there by transcending the national boundaries.

Impact of media on Armed Forces and Troops.

Positive coverage of events would be moral boosting for the troops and would also keep the civilians informed. Media could be employed to market selected themes and build perceptions. During World War II media was extensively used for propaganda to break the will of frontline troops.

Media is a powerful instrument building attitudes, behaviors and opinions. Rwanda massacres in 1994 were horrifying proof of how strong an impact "hate media" can have on its audience. Inflammatory statements of Radio Mille Collines, Rawanda, encouraged killings that left 800,000 dead in less than 100 days. Now a new concept of ‘peace media’ advocates tolerance for differences and peaceful conflict resolution techniques.

Shortcomings of ISPR

Shortcoming in Media Policy . ISPR lacks adequate and comprehensive policies for developing basic media ethics and working, Due to which, major shortcomings observed in the direction of our media are

Long-term media objectives or guidance are un-available.

Institutionalization of working of media and unity of effort cannot be achieved.

Regulatory bodies are unavailable ensuring media works within confines and aims set in national interest.

Disjointed media effort during crises and war situations.

Public opinion at home front and abroad cannot be molded to own advantage at the cost of credibility of country and media itself.

Mobilization of masses is more difficult.

Centralized policy restricting timely and accurate information passage.

Varying departments supervised single handedly.

Lack of Sphere of Influence. Due to the organizational limitations the directorate has a very limited sphere of influence. Dedicated media management Manpower needs to be reinforced.

National Media Policy. National Media Policy, coined from national policy and objectives, is un-crafted, thus the effort by the ISPR and private media is divergent instead of convergent, making media campaigns reactive as opposed to pro active.

Influencing Global Media. Sacrifices and earnestness are seen with a question mark by the world because ISPR does not have platforms projecting Army’s efforts against terrorism at International level, thus portrayal by International media is totally biased and anti Pakistan To fight GWOT effectively, Army’s endeavor and resolve against terrorism is to be presented at the global level.

Retired Army Officers on Media. Since there is no code of conduct for retired Army officers appearing on media, It is normally found that retired officers present their personal ideas tarnishing the image of Armed Forces, based on personal reservations.

Virtual Warfare. Myriad paid and biased writers; write against the Armed Forces with the aim to malign their image in the general public. Due to lengthy procedures in ISPR, response to these assertions / allegations comes either late or conveyed in a silent mode, resulting in the public not knowing the stance of Armed Forces. Debate on Defense Budget is a case in point

Response to Indian/Hostile Propaganda. In 1920 psychological warfare was coined by military analyst J.F.C Fuller. He predicted, "the traditional means of warfare may in time be replaced by a purely psychological warfare, where in weapons are not even used or battle fields sought but rather the corruption of the human reason of dimming of the human intellect and the disintegration of the moral and spiritual life of one nation by the influence of the will of another is accomplished" [10] . At present ISPR has no research organization to counter Indian/hostile propaganda. Having a section to analyize enemy propaganda, make recommendations for own themes make counter propaganda more effective is need of an hour.

Credibility. The public believes in fast and accurate information in the current IT age. The ISPR is either late in response or tries to hush things up for security reasons. Moreover relations between national media and ISPR have highly affected the credibility of our media.

Voice of Army. Being primarily a defense organization the ISPR carries the reputation of being the voice of Armed Forces. In the entire previous crises the ISPR information were never regarded as credible and would be taken as an official stance which needed to be verified by other credible sources. The press has traditionally avoided negative coverage of the Armed Forces, and the ISPR has served to hold press coverage of military matters under close restraint. Rumors of intimidation, heavy-handed surveillance, and even legal action to quiet the unduly curious or non deferential reporter are common". [11] 

Training. The armed forces personnel are normally handicapped due to the lack of no media training facilities. Max Jennings, one of the journalists in the Falklands war, claimed: "One Sensible course must be to make more use of serving officers to handle the media in time of war. USA has an elaborate setup at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to impart training, to plan and execute psychological operations through media at any theatre of war that USA and its allied forces may be engaged in. [12] ISPR need to have access to arrangements which ensure befitting responses to the media at every level.

Military – Media Relations. Exploitation of situation through the media is an art and if we critically analyze our national media policy or the objectives of even ISPR, this important element does not surface anywhere. Presently ISPR is working under Chief of Army Staff Secretariat and working almost in isolation. On other hand, reporters want unfettered access to all aspects of operations. [13] 

Mutual Trust with Media. Develop good relationship with the media. Teach them the Importance of good press and the damage that can be caused by poor press. Maintain the media trust, let them sort-out their black sheep their selves. It is better to draw the media your confidence than to shun them or feed them disinformation. [14] 

Present Organization. Present organization of the ISPR is not compatible with the new trends in media management. Following are some observations:-

Since ISPR directorate is a centrally governed institution and the Director General (DG) is the only person who issues a press release, the process requires considerable time for dissemination of information to the media, who need stories in time.

Virtually no representatives of journalists are in areas where active operations are being conducted, resulting in a communication gap between ISPR and media. Moreover, embedded journalism is not encouraged, due to risk of their lives and War correspondence has always balanced censorship and free press.

The org is working on public relations principles, but with army officers as media managers, it is normally hard for them to establish a rapport.

These public relations officers are posted on the basis of their civil education background, not because of media experience/qualification.

Lack of Qualified Media Correspondence.

Lack of genuine media professionals result in frequent inappropriate responses in testing times.

Adopting the "reach first" strategy, with a view to pre-empting uncomplimentary press and highlight our point of view. In Kargil crises, the main sources of real-time war imageries and correspondence from Indian and western media.

Directorate needs qualified war correspondents with all the necessary modern techniques, to comment/ respond to domestic and international media before anyone else.

PART IV: WAY FORWARD

Formulation of Media Policy. The past experience expose, case in pt is 8th Oct earthquake and war against terrorism, that ISPR has mostly belatedly highlt the role and stance of army on national issues. For their late coverage, they initially have to dispel the pessimistic misinformation generated critical of the army on any issue and then provide the army view pt and lastly the achievements. Though this particular scenario highlts lack of coop b/w various tiers in GHQ, nevertheless it also sufficiently explain the lack of expertise in the existing infrastructure. The new media policy therefore should not be reactive but proactive in character.

National Media Policy. For proper responses, the development of a National Media policy based on policies of national Security in consultation with all stake holders is required.

Influencing Global Media. ISPR need to either initiate own channel internationally or request paid hours on international channels to change the global perception of the Military role in GWOT and other sensitive issues.

Code of Conduct - Retired Officers. Officers retired or otherwise should not have emergence on media without clearance from ISPR, adhering to a code of conduct even after two years of mandatory ban.

Countering Virtual Warfare. Competent and qualified authorized officers should respond / comment immediately (using same media) with unofficial stance on malicious articles so facts are known in time.

Research Org – Counter Hostile Propaganda. ISPR should have a research org which should carry out research on themes commensurating with national objectives. It should also constantly monitor and analyse en propaganda and make recommendations to counter this propaganda. These themes should be discussed and fed to the media for project. Propaganda is a capital investment exercise therefore funds must be made available to make it fruitful.

Credibility. Warrant media relevant laws and regulations to better the access to military documentation, timely and accurate information, so that, media’s treatment of subject matters are credible and supportive and the projection of the armed forces role in the national context is realistic and sustainable.

Creation of a Dedicated Radio/TV Channel. To draw attention to the fact that the Pakistan Armed Forces are deployed round the year in a very difficult and inhospitable terrain ranging from high mountains to dense forests and sandy deserts. Like US Army, who operate dedicated radio and TV channels to keep abreast both the public and soldiers about latest developments including entertainment programs, Pakistan Army should also start radio/TV channel on similar lines. It will also reduce workload on ISPR.

Training of Media People. Effecting media requires manpower trained in journalism. Skillful operators/ specialists are needed for worth-while execution of any effort at national and international level.

Establishing Training Institutions. In the era of global inforation and increase role of Pakistan Armed Forces in national and international levels there is a dire need to impart training to our officer at various schools of instructions regarding media handling. This aspect can be practiced even during formations collective training by incorporating the war correspondents.

Training Aspects – Media Awareness. For inadvertently revealing air strike plans to the media, during a casual conversation, US Air Force Chief of Staff, General Michael I. Dugan, was sacked in September 1990. In Pakistan army, media management being extremely fragile, the following measures are recommended:-

Media training should be taught in various courses managed by qualified instructors from Inter Services Public Relations directorate.

Formation level cadres are run for the other ranks.

Emphasis at every level should be given that In case of war or other crises, the media point of contact should only be Inter Services Public Relations directorate.

Training Media Professionals. Training of Selected Journalists could be permitted at levels by attending parts or whole courses at Staff College or the National Defence College.

Media Stance. Getting it own view point across means the military must have a proactive Media stance with properly trained Manpower.

Media Briefings. To avoid speculation and misleading stories, regular military "show and tell" press briefings should be arranged for the national and international media.

Establishment of Kinship with the Media. National media should have the required frankness from the armed forces so as to build and maintain the very required trust. Incidentally, Inter Services Public Relations should organize on regular basis, sessions for nominated media with troops on borders, in cantonments, and during the exercises.

Media Exploitation. The government and Army should work out how the media should be exploited and harnessed to play its role in exterior manoeuvre and warfare. With proper planning the army should the media as part of its deception effort.

Restructuring of the ISPR. Initiate with a view to cater for futuristic requirements of information warfare and media management.

Sub offices for all including Division/brigade level. Sub offices at headquarters should be organized

Decentralization of control at regional/operation level should be done providing timely and needed information to media related to the operation.

During active operations, point of application is ensured to project military point of view.

To avoid landing in miscreant’s contacts and portray their side of story, Journalists should be allowed, under military protection, to enter the zone of operations and provided necessary information regarding ongoing operation.

Estb of ISPR Correspondents at Division Level. The role of ISPR is multi directional. The existing infrastructure seems to be far away from meeting the future challenges. Hence it is suggested that a media wing consist of qualified persons and dedicated war correspondents be established even at division level. The existing infrastructure at Corps level needs to be enhanced by incorporating qualified and dedicated war correspondents.

Role of Public Relation Officer (PRO). Since the PRO is the only representative of the Army dealing with media, International and regional. Therefore Media management and language courses should be given to PROs to undertake these responsibilities.

Media Professionals. Qualified civilian media professionals should be employed, along with the PROs, in the ISPR Directorate and respective forces.

Real Time Information. Every unit should have trained media personnel equipped to carry out necessary media work including sending real time war imageries to the concerned Inter Services Public Relations representatives. These Imageries can be sifted at the Inter Services Public Relations directorate for further display to the national or international media.

War Correspondents. The ISPR needs a substantial number of war correspondents, so as to be able to cover maximum of the war activities. Alternatively selected individuals from every unit be trained and equipped for the purpose.

War Correspondents Training. Our war correspondents lack the coverage facilities and trg as no comprehensive sys for their trg exists. At present any body from the correspondent cadre may be tasked to cover war activities. Lack of abilities to cover war like events was evident during Kargil conflict as no worthwhile proj and propagation was carried out.

Management of Perception. Milatary Lexicon now accepts perception management as a serious Doctorine. Whether in peace or war, the military through its public affairs/relations machinery has a major role on perception management under the wider ambit of psychological warfare operations vis a vis political propaganda.

Conclusion. In the light of General Patrick (Former public relations chief of US Army) "Journalists will say that war is too important to be left to generals. Reporting of war is too important to be left to reporters. Soldiers need to get involved in this" [15] . Future wars, most probably, will be media wars. Unfortunately, media has never been allowed to function in its role as custodian of interests of people and the state. ISPR Directorate, who have always managed media affairs, in accordance with current times, need to rehash its working methodology to meet challenges of the future. They need to be proactive and make full use of this age to befittingly meet the challenges of the onslaught of the hostile media. Better media management will contribute a great deal in bringing internal cohesion, keeping the morale of the Armed Forces high, enabling the nation to safe guard its internal values and thus add tremendous strength to the state.