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The problem with today’s near-instantaneous press coverage is that
analysis is often offered before all facts are considered. Heavy competition
among news agencies encourages the tendency to rush news reports and,
intentionally or not, manipulates our understanding of events. One Washington
Post reporter recently stated that news which is more than twelve hours old is
pointless and may as well be three days old for press purposes. According to
this logic, immediate coverage is vital. This thinking is dangerous and grossly
overestimates the time required to conduct an event’s factual investigation.
This implies that not only the media but also organizations can manipulate
events by rushing to conclusions. This was most recently proved by the intense
negative coverage Richard Jewell received concerning the Atlanta Olympics
bombing. Using police statements, the press unwittingly applied tremendous
societal pressure on Jewell. In fact, the FBI may have manipulated the press by
offering its own version of events.
Unexpected and dangerous consequences can result from rapidly
transferring information when consequences not thought out in advance.
Jewell’s experience is just one example. Consider what could have happened
during the Gulf War if press images were relayed immediately—in real-time—
during the conduct of the coalition ground attack, as many journalists desired.
This would have allowed Saddam Hussein, who possessed chemical and
biological weapons, an unprecedented view of events—and all on CNN. As
Hussein watched his force quickly fall to the coalition and heard reporters tell
the world that Iraq’s command and control structures were destroyed and the
road to Baghdad was open, he may have come to his own “real-time”
conclusion: If all is lost, then everyone else can lose with me. He could have
ordered the launch of chemical or biological missiles. In a manner of speaking,
Hussein could have been unwittingly manipulated into taking such action.
Manipulation Devices
Specific “manipulation devices” have effects that are enhanced by the
Information Age. These include informational, psychological, technical,
semantic, rhetorical, real-time, and behavioral devices. M. E. Gorbachev, a
professor writing for the Russian journal Security, provided one of the most
interesting discussions of many of these devices. Although he was discussing
manipulation from a business relations viewpoint, his descriptions apply to
international relations and military as well. His descriptions of informational
and psychological devices follow. They were chosen due to the Soviets’
extensive research in the propaganda and agitation fields during the Cold War
when many of these devices were used. The first three manipulation devices
will be described below.
Informational Devices
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