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SPINSPINDOKTORI
DOCTORS
medijski manipulatori
media manipulators
Višnja Knežević
SPIN DOKTORI - medijski manipulatori
SPIN-DOCTORS - media manipulators
Izdavač:
Littera
Banja Luka
Za izdavača:
Jovica Latinović
Priredio:
Aleksandar Aničić
Korice:
Ognjen Radumilo
Prevod:
Slobodan Tabaković
Štampa:
Mikro print
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Za štampariju:
Davor Ševa
Tiraž:
300 primjeraka
ISBN 99938-49-08-1
Višnja Knežević
Spin doktori
medijski manipulatori
Littera
Banja Luka
2006
5 Spin doktori - medijski manipulatori
UVOD
2
S. Cutlip, A. Center, G. Broom (2003). Odnosi s javnošću, Mate, Zagreb, str. 113.
3
S. Black (1997): Odnosi s javnošću, Clio, Beograd, str. 222.
4
S. Black, str. 122.
9 Spin doktori - medijski manipulatori
9
S. Cutlip et al., str. 108.
MODELI ODNOSA S JAVNOŠĆU
1. Faza manipulacije
2. Faza informacije
:: Moderni Machiavelli;
:: Kreira politiku;
11
Dobar spin doctor zna postaviti granice. Spiner koji je izmaknuo kontroli laže i pogrešno
usmjerava. Osim što znaju koja će izjava postati naslov, spin doctori stvaraju događaje kako bi
privukli novinare i organiziraju situacije za koje su sigurni da će biti fotografirane.
12
Američki predsjednik Theodore Roosewelt tvrdio je kako je 'izmislio nedjelje'. Znao je da
novinarima uvijek nedostaje tema kojima će popuniti novine za ponedjeljak, pa je uvijek izjave
davao nedjeljom jer je bio siguran da će biti objavljene.
13
Anthony Davis: Public Relations od A do Z, Adizes, Novi Sad, 2005., str. 191 192.
23 Spin doktori - medijski manipulatori
14
A. Davis, str. 193.
ŠIRENJE VIJESTI ILI MANIPULACIJA?
15
Spin doktoring odnosi se na niz aktivnosti i pojedinaca.
Odnosi se na «čuvanje straže» od novinara, odobravanje ili
odbijanje intervjua, kao i brifiranje onih koji daju intervju o tome
što da kažu i što da ne kažu. Uključuje i komentiranje priča ili
govora novinarima, ističući određene rečenice ili
interpretacije. Oni stvaraju povoljne prigode za fotografiranje i
brinu se da novinari i fotografi budu na pravom mjestu u pravo
vrijeme. «Spin doktoring uključuje pisanje govora i pratećih
priopćenja za novinare i ide sve do toga da novinare tlači ili
uvjerava, bilo prijetnjom ili ulagivanjem, da njihova klijenta
16
prikaže u dobrom svijetlu»
I Andrewu Heywoodu17 piše o aktivnostima i radu spin
doktora. Umjetnost «spina» kojim se bave spin doktori, prema
njemu, javlja se u više oblika:
19
medijskom facom.»
Istaknuto je da su spin doktori stručnjaci i za javne nastupe,
kameru, govor tijela.
Michael Shea, bivši glasnogovornik kraljice Elizabete II, u
knjizi Spin doktor20 opisuje gostovanje britanskog ministra
zdravstva na televiziji. Promatrao ga je vladin spin doktor
Marka Ivora. On komunicira s Rickom Macleanom (…) Nisam
vidio kako se ponaša na press konferenciji. A to je bitno. Kako,
zapravo, vlada sobom, kako se suočava s pitanjima, kako
opušta novinare, kako ih nasmijava i posebice, kako prezentira
svoje stavove. To će ga uzdići ili srušiti, a i stranku. …Njegova
politika…bit će vrlo malo zanimljiva. Pet minuta. Dugoročno -
time mislim duže od večerašnjeg dnevnika ili sutrašnjih prvih
izdanja to znači kako kaže ono što mora reći a ne što kaže, to
će biti važno. …Evo ga dolazi. Promatrajte ga, Rick. Ocijenite
ga ocjenama do deset: za odijelo, stil, timing, vještinu
odgovaranja na teška pitanja, sposobnost da dvoranu drži
zainteresiranu i dobronamjernu. Zaboravite bit. Zaboravite
sadržaj. …Reakcija medija na ono što će reći - to je ključ. Vjeruj
mi. Mora to prodati kao sapun. …Ali novinari znaju što je on
učinio za zdravstvenu službu. Povijesno… Mnogi se novinari
od povijesti sjećaju jedino onoga tko im je platio zadnje piće.
…Pola sata kasnije, kada je ministar ustao da napusti dvoranu,
okružila ga je gomila novinara. Ivor se okrenu prema
Macleanu. …Kako ste ga ocijenili? Maclean baci pogled na
blok koji je Ivor držao u ruci. Šest za nastup u cjelini. Sedam za
odijelo i stil, pet za odgovaranje na pitanja i timing. Samo tri do
četiri za držanje dvorane budnom. Dosadno, zapravo. A
sadržaj? Nisam ga uhvatio mnogo. Pa? Biste li ga mogli
dotjerati da ste njegov savjetnik za image? Natjerao bi ga da se
prestane igrati sitnišem u džepu dok govori. I cijelo je vrijeme
19
John Street (2003): Masovni mediji, politika i demokracija , FPZ, Zagreb, str., 163.
20
Michael Shea (1996): Spin doktor, Knjiga trgovina, Zagreb, str. 100-101.
28 Širenje vijesti ili manipulacija?
upotrijebljavane:
Kenneth Starr kao negativac - Glasnogovornici Bijele kuće,
predsjednika i Hilary Clinton, su kritizirali Starra kao gorljivog
dešnjaka, čija je samostalna misija u životu bila da izbaci
Clintona s dužnosti. Na početku godine, Hilary Clinton je išla
po nacionalnim jutarnjim TV kontakt - emisijama da brani svog
muža i izgrdi Starra za provođenje strogo stranačkog «lova na
vještice». Clinton, u svom govoru priznanja «nedolične veze»
u kolovozu, također je izgrdio Starra za «uplitanje u privatne
živote» i za potrošenih više od 40 milijuna dolara u
četverogodišnjem periodu u nastojanju da ga diskreditira.
Smisao je bio da se pažnja javnosti usredotoči na
neispravnosti sudskog procesa, a ne na Predsjednikov
prijestup.
Ponašajući se predsjednički - Clinton je nastavio ponašati
se «predsjednički» i kao vrhovni zapovjednik vojnih snaga.
Govorio je o robusnom gospodarstvu i ponudio nove inicijative
u zdravstvu, obrazovanju i socijalnoj skrbi. Odmah je poduzeo
vojne akcije kada su američka veleposlanstva u Keniji i
Tanzaniji bila bombardirana i čak naredio bombardiranje Iraka
na noć svog postupka za opoziv. Često su njegove izjave
davane sa američkom zastavom u pozadini i sa
predsjedničkim pečatom prikazanim na vidnom mjestu na
podiju vizualni apel na domoljublje.
Najširi slojevi potpore - Operativci Bijele kuće poticali su
građane da pišu svojim kongresnim predstavnicima protiv
postupka za opoziv. Jedna kalifornijska online organizacija
nazvana «Censure and Move On» dostavila je 300.000
potpisa Kongresu protiv postupka za opoziv, koje su bili
prikupljeni na njihovoj web stranici. Druga skupina, liberalni
«People for the American Way» puštali su radio - jinglove da
33 Spin doktori - medijski manipulatori
24
Jasna Zanić Nardni: Njegovo veličanstvo medijski manipulator, www.vjesnik.hr
SVI MOGU ZNATI, (ALI) JE LI TO ISTINA?
26
kažnjavaju. (…) Švercaju se na račun tiska.»
Kada Bernard Igham govori o A. Campbellu i C. Whelanu na
djelu je vrhunski cinizam svojstven spin doktorima. Dakle, B.
Igham bio je tajnik za odnose s medijima Margaret Thatcher.
Iako je posao tajnika premijera državni činovnički posao,
Igham je svoj položaj istinski podigao na političku razinu.
Predsjedavao je Zborom tajnika za informiranje, tijelom što su
ga činili viši službenici za odnose s javnošću u Whitehallu, a
koordinirao je rad ministarstava u upravljanju vijestima. Prema
nekim analitičarima, do završetka tačerovskog doba Igham je
postao de facto «ministar informacija», a ne neutralni javni
službenik. U tom je svojstvu, piše B. McNair (2003), orkestrirao
i usmjeravao vladinu komunikaciju u skladu s interesima, ne
javnosti kao cjeline, nego svoje vlade i osobito premijerke.
Kada bi, na primjer, Margaret Thatcher poželjela da u medije
procure štetne informacije o ministrima koji su joj pali u
nemilost, često je u tu svrhu angažirala Ighama i sustav lobija,
uvjerena kako se ništa što je rečeno na brifinzima ne može
pripisati njoj osobno. Jedan od takvih ministara (Nigel
Lawson) izrijekom je optužio vladu i Ighama da se u odnosima
s njima služe «crnom propagandom».
26
J. Street, str. 127.
VLAST UKLJUČUJE SPOSOBNOST PRINUDE?
28
Legenda američkog televizijskog novinarstva Dan Rather mora u prijevremenu mirovinu zbog
objavljivanja netočnih informacija o služenju vojnog roka sadašnjeg predsjednika Georgea W.
Busha. Najteži udarac preživio je New York Times, koji je zbog laži i krivih informacija svog novinara
Jaysona Blaira morao objaviti čak četiri strane isprika. Jedini američki nacionalni dnevnik, USA
Today, također je morao otpustiti urednike zbog pisanja neistina svoje zvijezde Jacka Kellyja.
Doduše, najveća afera u novinarstvu SAD-a dogodila se početkom 1980-ih kada je novinarka The
Washington Posta Janet Cooke dobila čak i Pulitzerovu nagradu za tekst o osmogodišnjem
dječaku, ovisniku o heroinu, koji nikada nije postojao.
Niti europski mediji nisu 'cijepljeni' od manipuliranja. Poznat je slučaj britanske televizijske stanice
Sky Newsa koja je krivotvorila snimke ispaljivanja raketa s podmornice na iračke ciljeve. Kasnije se
saznalo da je snimak napravljen u luci pred isplovljavanje, zbog čega je Sky kažnjen sa 50.000 funti.
Novinar James Forlong, koji je radio ono što mu je rečeno, nađen je obješen.
48 Vlast uključuje sposobnost prinude?
Spin-doctors
media manipulators
Littera
Banja Luka
2006
55 Spin-doctors - media manipulators
''Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the
act falls the shadow''
T.S. Eliot
INTRODUCTION
that they could «do the job that was usually done by press
agents for most of the clients, and for the biggest price that
2
market can sustain». First client of the Office for publicity was
Harvard University. First New York Company for public
relations was called Parker & Lee, which was established by
George F. Parker and Ivy Ledbetter Lee. They become
partners after successful cooperation on Theodore
Roosevelt's campaign. Until The First World War other
institutions establishing their offices for Public relation.
In the beginning of the 20th century, the first isolated
samples of public relations were being noticed, in Great
3
Britain. According to Sam Black, Ministry of Finance, as a part
of the state mechanism took the roll as a spokesperson for
foreign policy. The then Minister of Finance Lloyd George
organized in 1912 a body in order to explain employers and
labors from around the country the new Law on insurance.
Public relations in The First World War transformed from
defensive in proactive approach. President Woodrow Wilson,
aware of importance of public opinion, established "The
Committee on Public Information”. Purpose of this Committee
was to mobilize public opinion to support war activities and
Wilson's policy, since the general opinion on this issue was
very contradictory.4
After The First World War, advertising becomes more and
more present in humanitarian movements and new scope of
activity social work. Due to growing needs of urban society,
there should collect more money. Advertising started to get on
importance, and it showed a need for education of future
advertisers. Many intelligent people on managing positions
considered advertising as the most practical human lesson
that war has teached them. In that, new area right in that time
2
S. Cutlip, A. Center, G. Broom (2003). Odnosi s javnošću, Mate, Zagreb, str. 113.
3
S. Black (1997): Odnosi s javnošću, Clio, Beograd, str. 222.
4
S. Black, str. 122.
59 Spin-doctors - media manipulators
9
S. Cutlip et al., str. 108.
MODELS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
1. Manipulation phase
2. Information phase
:: Paid advisors for public relations and they work for their
clients almost indifferent what their states are;
:: Modern Machiavelli;
:: Create politics;
13
Anthony Davis says in his book Public relations that the
media contrived term spin doctors for persons assigned by
governments to control news content, i.e. to decide about what
and how the British government would say every day, and ''to
manipulate the media''. Purpose of that acting is to bring
government messages to readers, watchers and listeners
according to their demands and to always implicate positive
interpretation. Term, according to Davis, comes from
expression, which means to show something in a different,
favorable light. Concerning PR is cogent and always positive,
journalists started to use term spin-doctors generally for
everyone in public relations.
A. Davis in practice distinguishes, and also connects spin-
doctor's activities with special advisors for the media,
especially established in British political practice.
When a term special advisor appeared for the first time in
the media, the term pointed that they were special experts of
hardly understood things which ministries in the government
need if they want to execute their public duties. Gradually it
became very clear that the most of them are experts only for
things that party in power assigned them for, very possible like
explorers or spokespersons.
There was a sensation that special advisors in career are
standing somewhere between parties' aspirant and a
beginning of very profitable career like Member of Parliament
until his old age and represent safe election unit. It is
considered that in the beginning and in the mid 90's in the
British government there were about 30 such people, and in
Tony Blair's government about 80, what means that there is a
rowing trend, and not decreasing number of them.
Spin-doctors work within Ministries closed to public
13
Anthony Davis: Public Relations od A do Z, Adizes, Novi Sad, 2005., str. 191 192.
74 Spin-doctors
14
A. Davis, str. 193.
NEWS SPREDING OR MANIPULATION?
24
Jasna Zanić Nardni: His Majesty media manipulator, www.vjesnik.hr
EVERYBODY CAN KNOW, (BUT) IS IT A
TRUTH?
legend Imran Khan has called for press conference and read
Newsweek's article, saying that Pakistani President Pervez
Musharaf accepted American insults. Khan himself was known
as Musharaf's critic, but this time he was joined by Pakistani
clerics. When the news was broadcast by radio stations in
neighboring Afghanistan, unrest began resulting with at least
15 dead. Soon, Palestinians from Gaza strip have risen, while
the biggest protest was organized in Indonesia.
When the White House joined the pressures, Newsweek's
editorial staff was forced to apologize since the anonym
source, an American government official claiming he has found
about the impertinence from the military report, finally stated
he wasn't sure anymore. But, an apology was not enough to the
Bush administration, which requested Newsweek's editorial
staff to take part in the action of improvement of an American
image in the World.
Although several American media had to apologize for their
journalists, an influence of the American authorities on printed
and electronic media is questionable. Washington had to stand
the hardest criticism due to infringement of freedom of media in
a case of journalists covering movements of the American
army during the 'liberation' of Iraq.
Remember a movie “Wag the Dog” (1997). When the
President of the USA finds himself in a middle of sex affair just
two weeks before elections, it is obvious his chances to be re-
elected are very slim.
Before the incident causes irreparable damage, a
mysterious “fixer”, president's adviser is called to the White
House. Spin doctor with undisputable reputation, able to
manipulate politicians, media and, most importantly, American
people, has to solve the problem. He knows the only way out is
92 The power includes a skill of enforcement
— Did they get rid of you in such way, dr. Ivor? We heard
that Lord Shand and other 'party eminences' have stabbed you
in a back.
Everybody looked at Ivor, waiting for his reaction. He was
aware of tensions in front and behind cameras in the studio.
Will he explode? That would be a real show. But Ivor was ready.
— I expected you to move in this direction, professor
Rothwell — he smiled — I always say to my clients to be aware
of barbed wire that hosts are trying to wrap around them. I also
keep telling them that during questions and answers meetings
they never take care of answers. Questions are important.
— We are waiting — said the professor.Ivor knew that the
producer and the audience are waiting for statements to
produce headlines. Discretion, on the other hand, wouldn't
help the press, but would be a hint to those he spared that
nothing was changed. A loyalty prevailed.
— Wait professor. I'm sure the audience would agree with
me that you wouldn't give your trust away. Classified things are
not been revealed. The question is inappropriate, but I would
say that the one who controls the door to the power controls the
power itself. But... — Ivor turned around in his chair and smiled
to the host. — But I've been talking too much. I'm sorry.
What else could the host do but to lead a discussion in other
direction.
Examples of spin doctors' activities are numerous. They are
accused of the “abuse” of media, punishment of journalists,
manipulation, propaganda, etc. Meanwhile, they claim they
only “accelerate a process of dissemination of news and
information”. Journalists have depicted their relationship as “a
part of journalists' job is to keep their ears pricked up at them”.
Nonetheless, not trying to get the ultimate “truth”, if one can
96 The power includes a skill of enforcement
28
A legend of American journalism, Dan Rather has to accept early retirement because of
publishing incorrect information on the President George W. Bush's military service. New York
Times took the hardest blow, which had to publish four pages of apologies because of lies and
misinformation of its journalist Jason Blair. The only national daily, USA Today, also had to fire its
editors because of misinformation of its journalist Jack Kelly. The biggest media affair took place in
the 80-ties when the Washington Post journalist Janet Cooke even received the Pulitzer Prize for an
article on eight years-old boy, a heroine addict that never existed.
Not even European media is immune from manipulation. A case involving Sky News is well known,
when the station falsified shots of missiles been launched from the submarine to targets in Iraq. It
was later discovered that shots were made in a harbor before taking off. Sky was fined with 50,000
pounds. A journalist James Forlong hanged himself.
97 Spin-doctors - media manipulators
At the end, it should be said that spin doctors do not act only
within boundaries of the party or government policy. Almost all
organizations, from leading businesses to most radical social
movements, hire experts to “sell them” to the media. They don't
have to call themselves spin doctors, they could be “PR
experts” or spokespersons”, but their job is, roughly said, the
same: to make sure that media coverage of their organization
or their client is what they would want it to be.
SPIN DOCTORS IN THE REGION
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