Conducting Psychological Operations in Sophisticated Media Environments

This study investigates doctrine, education, and training improvements necessary to produce effective psychological operations audio, visual, and audiovisual products in sophisticated media environments. Current ongoing operations such as that in Bosnia-Herzegovina cause psychological operations (PSYOP) personnel to affect behavioral modification in target audiences accustomed to very sophisticated media. The quality and sophistication of PSYOP products must be competitive with those other media in order to gain and hold the attention of the target audience. Recent PSYOP experience is mostly third world, targeting audiences accustomed to the most basic and unsophisticated media. Current doctrine, education and training, supports the conduct of PSYOP targeting audiences accustomed to relatively unsophisticated media. This thesis emphasizes proper target audience analysis and product development appropriate to sophisticated media environments. Particular attention is given to graphic design and television product development.