Brazen UK domestic “Media Operations” policy leaked

By Gideon Swift | Published: October 16, 2008

The 49 page document Joint Doctrine Publication 3-45.1, dated September 2007 and promulgated by the Chiefs of Staff describes itself as “the key document” for “Media Operations”.

UK military Media Operations have as their “principal target audience” the entire “UK population”, especially “politicians… newspaper columnists… and journalists”. The military doctrine, which states that it is not to be circulated outside the MoD, was accidentally exposed on the MoD website and subsequently released by Wikileaks.

The policy states that “At the strategic level the UK population is usually considered the principal target”. Yet among the “overlapping sub-sets across the spectrum of UK society”, the “most influential target” is “the limited group of people who hold disproportionate influence on the direction of government and public thinking and policy development”. This group includes “politicians and statesmen, members of ‘think-tanks’ and professional bodies, special political advisers, newspaper columnists, academics, analysts and journalists (who are increasingly voicing opinions on current affairs issues)”.

Full Analysis…

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Joint Doctrine Publication 3-45.1