NATO PR Push Targets Journalists, Youth [1]
Submitted by Diane Farsetta [2] on
As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [3] (NATO) turns 60 and some ask why the Cold War alliance still exists [4], NATO is launching new media and public relations efforts. The NewsMarket [5], an online source of b-roll [6] and video news release [7] footage, is providing NATO-produced videos to journalists. Not surprisingly, given Barack Obama [8]'s controversial plans [9] to increase troops in Afghanistan [10], the NATO / NewsMarket channel [11] features videos on "mentoring the Afghan Army" and "taking the fight to the Taliban," along with an interview of U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones [12], a proponent of NATO expansion. "NATO Public Diplomacy Division has developed a comprehensive strategy to engage with young audiences," according to the NATO / NewsMarket press release. NATO's youth outreach includes an "Internet TV" channel [13] and "unconventional advertisement videos [14]" posted to YouTube [15]. NATO spent 500,000 Euros (U.S.$666,000) on the videos, which use the slogan "Peace and security. That's our mission."