Message Force Multipliers

Guide Note

"Message force multipliers," or "surrogates" is a term applied by the Pentagon to ex-military personnel who appeared as military analysts on FOX News, NBC, CNN, CBS, ABC and various other television and radio news broadcasts to provide their feedback on American military actions.

The New York Times gained access to over 8,000 records surrounding a targeted talking points operation orchestrated by the Pentagon in a lawsuit against the Defense Department. On April 20, 2008, they published the results of their investigation.

Analysis of various documents showed that many of the military analysts that appeared on news broadcasts, who sometimes got more air time than the network reporters were executives, lobbyists, or consultants for companies competing for military contracts.

In response for presenting the U.S. war effort in Iraq and events at Guantanamo Bay in a favorable light, which often involved parroting specific Pentagon talking points, they were given access to classified government information.

An unpaid analyst for Fox News, who also acts as a lobbyist for a company that assists other companies in obtaining military contracts, stated in promotional materials that he "is privy to weekly access and briefings with the secretary of defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other high level policy makers in the administration."

Fast Facts

1. Analysts admittedly didn't share their negative opinions on air
2. The Pentagon actively recruited over 75 analysts
3. Analysts were taken on tours of Iraq and Guantanamo Bay
4. Networks paid up to $1,000 for each analyst appearance
5. Analysts met 18 times with Donald Rumsfeld
6. The Pentagon instructed the analysts not to reveal their government contacts
7. Networks said they were not always aware of potential conflicts of interest

Quotes

1. "These records reveal a symbiotic relationship where the usual dividing lines between government and journalism have been obliterated." - The New York Times
2. "...the most striking part of the roughly-7000-word article was that several of the most guilty news outlets - CBS, NBC and Fox - just outright refused to answer the NYT's questions about their use of military analysts - Glenn Greenwald
3. "It turns out the pro-war slant of military analysts was in fact part of a carefully orchestrated propaganda effort from the Pentagon. The New York Times has revealed the Pentagon recruited more than seventy-five retired military officers to appear on TV outlets as so-called military analysts ahead of the Iraq war." - Amy Goodman