The Fourth Estate: the Impact of Mass Communications on Defense Systems Acqusition Decision Making - Book Review

Program Manager, May-June, 2003

Author: Robert F. Delaney

Publisher: DAU Press (January 2002)

This guidebook examines Department of Defense Policy and gives an overview of the acquisition process in relation to Public Affairs and the Media. It delves into the historical background of the Press and Media in the United States and the rise of adversarial media-government relations. It also discusses the rise of mass communications in America and the impact of mass media on American culture and politics. It examines the media and the political process, including polls and lobbying. It also discusses media techniques and the future of information technology, including cyber warfare. It investigates national security, public policy, and public opinion using real-world examples from the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon. Finally, it discusses decision making in the Age of Instant Communications--how to relate to the Media and Program Managers, and how to include Media planning in Acquisition decisions.

Online

An online copy will soon be available at http://www.dau.mil/pubs/pubs-main.asp#Online.

Printed Copy

To request a printed copy of The Fourth Estate: The Impact of Mass Communications on Defense Systems Acquisition Decision Making, choose one of three options: 1) Fax a written request to the DAU Publications Distribution Center at (703) 805-3726; 2) mail your request to Defense Acquisition University, Attn: AS-CI, 9820 Belvoir Road, Suite 3, Fort Belvoir VA 22060-5565; or 3) e-mail jeff.turner@dau.mil.