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Author Foster, Kevin D. (Kevin Dennis), 1961- author

Title Don't mention the war : the Australian Defence Force, the media and the Afghan conflict / Kevin Foster
Published Clayton, Vic. : Monash University Publishing, 2013
Clayton, Victoria : Monash University Publishing, [2013]
©2013

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Location Call no. Vol. Availability
 MELB  070.4499581046 Fos/Dmt  AVAILABLE
Description xvii, 168 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm
regular print
Series Investigating power
Investigating power series
Contents Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Mistaking the lessons of Vietnam -- ch. 2 The feel free to fuck off approach to public relations -- ch. 3 Military--media relations in the Netherlands, Canada and Australia -- ch. 4 Bus tours, dogs and ponies: covering the ADF in Afghanistan -- ch. 5 Public opinion and political debate -- ch. 6 Reputation management and redemption
Summary Don't Mention the War examines Australian media coverage of the war in Afghanistan. Kevin Foster demonstrates how the military's public affairs personnel have taken over many of the roles traditionally performed by reporters, and shows the restrictive affect of this on media coverage. This tight media management is contrasted with the more open approach of Dutch and Canadian militaries in Afghanistan, a fact Foster explains through reference to the different positions of the military within these different nations. As opposed to the Dutch and the Canadians, who had reputations to rebuild, the almost uniquely exalted position of the military in Australia has enabled and driven a media strategy tailored to defend the Australian military's high social standing. In Australian media coverage, Foster goes on to argue, the war in Afghanistan has then functioned as another platform for the celebration of national military virtues. What has been offered is less a representation of action than an affirmation of identity, less a chronicle of unfolding events than a testament to immutable character. Kevin Foster is an Associate Professor at Monash University
Analysis Australian
Military operations
Media coverage
Australian Defence Force
Defence civilian relations
Opinion poll data
Canada
Netherlands
Australia overseas comparisons
History
Afghanistan
Notes Includes index
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Audience Adult
Subject Australia. Australian Defence Force.
Australia. Australian Defence Force -- Public relations.
Afghan War, 2001- -- Participation, Australia
Afghan War, 2001- -- Participation, Australian.
Afghan War, 2001- -- Press coverage.
Afghan War, 2001- -- Mass media and the war.
Armed Forces and mass media -- Australia.
War -- Press coverage.
Mass media -- Objectivity -- Australia.
ISBN 9781922235183
Other Titles Australian Defence Force, the media and the Afghan conflict