[Media-watch] Even the spin-doctors condemn Bush

[Andy Rowell]

>From PR Week

PR world condemns Bush's war PR

Written by Holly Williams

Published on March 27 2003

The international PR community has condemned President Bush’s media
operation on the Iraq crisis as unethical and untrustworthy, according
to a survey out this week.

   
 
Not one of the 423 PROs taking part in the study believed that the Bush
administration’s PR efforts were credible. Four per cent of those polled
said the Iraqi PR campaign was trustworthy.

The survey - conducted among members of global PR bodies including IPRA
and the European PR Association - revealed that 36 per cent felt the US
Government’s PR tactics were not in line with their ethical standards.

PROs from the UK, US and Europe responded to the questionnaire,
conducted by German agency komm.passion group over the past three
months.

While critical of the US handling of PR on the war, respondents were
less sceptical of the UN’s comms operations, with 44 per cent saying
they believe the information to be balanced and 32 per cent agreeing
that UN PR has been credible.

Report co-author Arne Westermann said: ‘The credibility loss of the US
government is alarming. To repair this “collateral damage” will take as
much time as rebuilding Iraq after the war.’

Meanwhile, Washington and Downing Street have launched their 24/7 war PR
operation, putting in place a daily briefing system with spokespeople
from both governments.