In May, the Russian government "created a high-level commission to overhaul its image on the world stage as the first anniversary of Russia's war with Georgia approaches." The commission is chaired by President Dmitry Medvedev's chief of staff, Sergei Naryshikin, "underscoring how serious the Kremlin considers the problem, which it often blames on shadowy external enemies and ill-wishers," reports the Wall Street Journal. "Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will also sit on the panel." A Kremlin official declined to discuss the commission, saying, "This isn't something we're keen to advertise." Over the past few years, Russia has increasingly sought to improve its international image. "In 2005, it set up an international English-language TV channel, Russia Today, to broadcast its views. Since 2006, Moscow has retained U.S. public-relations company, Ketchum, mostly to help it deal with foreign media." The Russian government has also hired the lobbying firm of Alston & Bird, and set up the "Institute of Democracy and Cooperation," a think tank critical of the U.S. and European governments.

U.S. military psychological operations (PSYOP) campaigns continue in Iraq, though many question their effectiveness. "They have a very crude tone and content, and the narrator sounds like Saddam's own propagandist," said political science professor As'ad AbuKhalil. "The Arabic used also is awkward, clearly translated from English texts most likely drafted in some office on K Street." An Iraqi lawyer criticized the money spent on PSYOP: "If those funds had been given to the poor and the widows, Iraq would have been a pioneer in social welfare. Millions of dollars go into the pockets of war profiteers who believe victory in Iraq can be won through the media using underground movies." The head of Iraq's Journalistic Freedom Observatory dismissed the PSYOP newspaper "Baghdad Now," which the U.S. military has published and distributed since at least 2004, saying, "Nobody reads this." Yet "Richard C. Holbrooke, President Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, recently told lawmakers that the administration is working on a strategic communications plan for that region that draws on the lessons of Iraq," reports the Washington Post. "Electronic media, telecom and radio" should be used "to counter the propaganda that is key to the insurgency's terror campaign," Holbrooke said.

"In recent months, the U.S. command in Afghanistan has begun publicizing every single enemy fighter killed in combat, the most detailed body counts the military has released since the practice fell into disrepute during the Vietnam War," reports the Wall Street Journal. The change comes in response to concerns "that at home, the common perception is this war is being lost," explained a military spokeswoman. Enemy body counts are only released for U.S. troops separate from the NATO-led forces, as European nations feel that publicizing deaths "would prove politically unpalatable at home and counterproductive in Afghanistan." In addition to making "it harder for insurgents to credibly claim victory," the U.S. military says releasing body counts will also help "debunk ... enemy propaganda" over civilian casualties. Afghan officials, local human rights organizations and U.S. military personnel often disagree over how many civilians have been killed by military operations, leading to "public-relations chaos."

Once again, the U.S. Defense Department is trying to absolve itself of wrongdoing. The Pentagon's Washington Headquarters Service (WHS) has ruled that the American Forces Information Service and the Stars and Stripes military newspaper "did not break the law in how they handled money for the America Supports You program." America Supports You (ASY) is a Pentagon program tasked with boosting troop morale. Under Allison Barber, a former Pentagon official and public relations professional, ASY's funding practices, close ties to corporate sponsors and massive spending on public relations made the program controversial. Last year, the Defense Department Inspector General's office reported that ASY funneled $9.2 million through Stars and Stripes, against Pentagon rules and with so little oversight that officials "lost visibility of about $4.1 million." Yet, the Pentagon's WHS, an administrative office, ruled that the Antideficiency Act, "which prevents government agencies from spending money in ways not authorized by Congress," had not been violated.

The Victorian government has spent $222,000 Australian on a television program promoting the attraction of living and working in areas outside the major metropolitan areas. The program, ''Changing Places: Life in Provincial Victoria,'' was broadcast on commercial television at Easter. "It's incredibly important to continue to demonstrate that provincial Victoria is a go-ahead place, that there's a lot of activity, that they are vibrant communities with job opportunities and great opportunities for kids through good education institutions," said Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan. Reporter Paul Austin noted that a when Premier John Brumby was in opposition a decade ago, he complained about state government "advertising and self-promotion." Sponsored television programming is referred to by marketers as "branded entertainment."

"To distance itself from past practices that some military officers called propaganda," the Obama administration closed the Defense Department's office for support to public diplomacy. "The office was created in 2007 to be the central point within the vast Pentagon bureaucracy and far-flung military to coordinate the Defense Department's overseas information efforts" with the White House, State Department, overseas embassies and other U.S. government entities. In 2008, the office's "'talking points' ... for use in responding to queries on matters like civilian casualties" were criticized by U.S. officers in Afghanistan. The officers refused to use the talking points, saying Afghans would see them as "blatant propaganda." The Pentagon is now supposed to "play a supporting role to the White House and the State Department" on public diplomacy, though the "Defense Department has far greater resources in money, trained communications personnel and broadcast and print technology than any other government agency or department." The Obama administration also eliminated the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Support to Public Diplomacy, previously held by Michael Doran.

Worried about "increasing international willingness to negotiate with Tehran over its nuclear program," the Israeli government is ramping up its anti-Iranian messaging. Israel has committed 8 million NIS, or around U.S.$2 million, for the campaign. "To appeal to people who are less concerned with Iran's nuclear aspirations and more fearful of its human rights abuses," Israel will work with the "international gay community" to highlight Iran's repression of LGBT people. "The campaign will also reach out to Jewish groups who want to bring more attention to [Iranian president Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial and some members of the Iranian regime's anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist views," reports Haaretz. The Israeli campaign will also include "increased briefings for foreign journalists on the Iranian nuclear program and greater use of the Internet and sites such as YouTube." A "senior political source in Jerusalem" said the campaign will "lay the groundwork" for "possible diplomatic failure" with Iran. "Despite talk of a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities," the campaign advocates "harsh economic sanctions."