The purpose of this research project is to determine
communication methods military public affairs personnel can use to maintain
credibility with the media while concurrently and regularly using deception
strategies. Military public affairs professionals work as gatekeepers of
information and must temper the natural conflict between the need to use
deception practices--collaborative deception, concealment, omission of
fact, and evasion--and the need to maintain credibility with the media.
First, classical theory of organizational communication is used to explain
the bureaucratic nature of the armed forces. This theory describes how
information flows within a military organization, which is also part of
the motivation to use deception. Deception theory is examined to review
why deception occurs and to learn ways to employ deceptive strategies while
taking ethical considerations into account. Next to be examined is credibility
and why it is important and yet difficult to maintain during the communication
process. Finally, uncertainty reduction theory is applied to the problem
as a solution. The intent is to use deception practices to safeguard sensitive
information and still maintain credibility. Individuals affected most by
this problem are military public affairs personnel and media representatives.
If the media feels it is not getting all the information available from
the military public affairs office, or that this information is not completely
accurate, they will find other sources. Credibility may be lost when other
sources provide information the public affairs office was not able to release.
The suggested solution for the problem of maintaining credibility while
using deception is a two-step process. First, military public affairs personnel
will be trained to minimize the use of deception and second, the media
will be educated on the reasons for public affairs’ use of deception.