Military Media Relations and the War in Afghanistan: The Australian Experience

This one day symposium, bringing together journalists who have reported from the front lines in Afghanistan, ADF PR personnel, academics and media commentators, will explore how, by whom, and with what effects the Australian military's current deployment has been reported. Specific issues to be examined will include:

• the management of media access to the Australian troops
• the ADF’s media management practices in Afghanistan
• the media’s role in reporting events in Afghanistan
• the role of independent media coverage of Australian forces in Afghanistan
• public relations and reporting
• military-media relations: how did we get here and where to now?
• are the public well-served by the current reporting arrangements?

The symposium will provide a unique opportunity to examine and debate the ADF's use of its own public affairs and imagery specialists, the media's present and future role in the representation of conflict, and what this will mean for Australian media-military relations.

Lunch, tea and coffee will be provided.

For further information about the conference please contact the Convenor: Associate Professor Kevin Foster