Phil Taylor's papers
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MoD memo (Jan 2004) on Media Operations in Iraq 2003 Select Committee on Defence Written Evidence Further memorandum from the Ministry of Defence on media issues (January 2004) (Q1362-65) Media Operations Planning Timelines MoD planning for the Media Operation to support Op Telic started in earnest in late autumn 2002, as an adjunct to the mainstream planning that was being conducted within the Department and PJHQ. Prior to that, some contingency considerations had been undertaken, but these were aimed only at looking at in-place doctrine, procedures and arrangements to ensure that should planning demands pick up that media-related activities could respond. Detailed timelines for planning within DGCC and PJHQ were as follows: October/November 2002 - Watching brief. - Outline planning in support for Defence Crisis Management Centre. - Initial considerations of the Media Ops capability requirement - personnel and equipment. - Initial considerations of Green Book arrangements. December 2002 - Participation in US-led Ex INTERNAL LOOK, which included a media ops element. - Further refinement of possible in-theatre media arrangements. - Further refinement of capability requirements. - Nomination of key individuals - Spokesmen and Media Advisers. January 2003 - Comprehensive DGCC/PJHQ Media Ops Stocktake. - Agreed equipment acquisition plan and funding. - DGCC brief to Broadcast Editors re Green Book arrangements and the embedding arrangements. - Similar but separate brief to Print Editors. - DGCC/PJHQ briefing to Spokesmen and Media Advisers. February 2003 - DGCC/D News visit to US DOD with Mr Hoon - DGCC agree operating procedures for incidents with PJHQ. - Refinement of Embedded War Correspondent plan - Detailed manning for Media Operations confirmed March 2003 - DGCC Operational Procedures Rehearsal. - War Correspondent numbers and nominations finalised. - War Correspondent training and deployment to theatre. - Press Office re-organised for 24/7 operation. MINISTERIAL INVOLVEMENT Ministers were briefed on planning as a whole, throughout the planning process, and were kept abreast of the main decisions and developments in the Media Operation but were not involved in specific Media Operations planning. NO 10 INVOLVEMENT In terms of the preparation and planning of the media operation there was no specific No 10 Press Office involvement, although the usual, daily, No10 chaired inter-departmental media coordination meeting took place throughout. In addition, during the most intense phase there was a No 10 chaired weekly inter-departmental overview meeting to discuss media issues amongst the Departments concerned. (Q1410) A note on the costs of the media operation Planning for operations in Iraq envisaged the deployment of upwards of 170 Media Operations Staff to engage with the media, provide advice to Comds and act as spokespeople. This was to be achieved through the augmentation of HQ Media Ops staff and the formation of Press Information Centres. Activities to be planned for were as follows: - Media Operations planning. - Provision of advice. - Engaging with and escorting the Media. - Media briefings and conferences. - Co-ordination and management of media facilities. - Passage of media related information at rapid tempo - External and Internal communications. Some costs are inevitably impossible to extract from overall expenditures, particularly as costs for media related activities in theatre, where the bulk of the activity took place, were not accounted for separately. The most significant extra costs, imposed by the need to maintain effective and rapid response to the evolving situation and meet the media's appetite for information, came from the requirement to equip the Media Operations effort for operations in Quatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and, eventually, Iraq. It was also necessary to ensure that the Media Operations Group was self-sufficient and capable of enduring through a sustained campaign. As the levels of equipment capability (specialist and military) were insufficient to meet this requirement, further UOR investment was necessary as follows: Deployable "Flyaway" kits ( IT/Comms) 257,000 Office eqpt 10,000 Media Production eqpt (CCT, web) 39,000 AV suite of eqpt 30,000 Flightcases 5,000 Consumables 50,000 Total 391,000 (Q1426) A list of embedded journalists and the units to which they were allocated Notes: - This allocation was based on Green Book guidelines, with the actual choices of names for each unit made by the representative media bodies, not MOD. - This list also includes broadcast technicians. Last Name First Name Organisation Unit 1. Adams Bruce Daily Mail HCR 2. Adrian Stephen BBC RAF Ali al Salem 3. Agar Terry ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 4. Allen Vanessa PA 2 CS Regt RLC 5. Allen Karen BBC RAF Ali al Salem 6. Andersson Hilary BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 7. Arnold Harry Daily Mirror RAF Ali al Salem 8. Ashdown Richard PA 2 CS Regt RLC 9. Baker Dai Ch4 News 7 PARA RHA 10. Barker Chris BBC Documentary RAF 11. Barkham Patrick Times RFA Argus 12. Begg Donald ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 13. Bendix Kathryn BBC Documentary RAF 14. Bentham Martin Sunday Telegraph Scots DG 15. Boon John BBC JHC 16. Bowden David Sky HQ 3 Cdo Bde 17. Boyce Russell Reuters RAF Al Jaber 18. Bremner Juliet ITN 1 RRF 19. Brown Ben BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 20. Bruce Ian Glasgow Herald 1 BW 21. Buckmaster Jonathan Daily Express HMS OCEAN 22. Bucktin Chris News of the World 23 Engr Regt 23. Butcher Tim Daily Telegraph HQ 3 Cdo Bde 24. Campbell Eugene ITN HMS ARK ROYAL 25. Carling Michael BBC HMS MARLBOROUGH 26. Cathcart James BBC HMS ARK ROYAL 27. Catherwood Andrea ITN JHC 28. Chamberlain Gethin Scotsman 1 BW 29. Charles Jonathan BBC JHC 30. Chung Dan Guardian 2 GS Regt RLC 31. Conway Darren BBC 40 Cdo 32. Cooke Jeremy BBC 3 PARA 33. Cooper Graham BBC Documentary RAF 34. Corp Rachel ITN 1 RMP 35. Craven Nick Daily Mail 3 PARA 36. Cubitt Greig ITN RAF Al Jaber 37. Darling Jim Freelance Cdo Log 38. Dewhurst Ronnie Sky 1 R IRISH 39. Dillon Martin Manchester E/News 7 PARA RHA 40. Donnelly Michael Sky HQ 3 Cdo Bde 41. Donnelly Dick ITN HQ 3 Cdo Bde 42. Doyle Martin BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 43. Dukes Rob ITN RFA Sir Bedivere 44. Eaton Richard Carlton RAF Al Jaber 45. Edwards Richard Western Daily Press 42 Cdo 46. Evans Alan W Midlands Express/Star 102 Log Bde 47. Ewart Tim ITN 1 RMP 48. Feast Robert BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 49. Ferguson Susie BFBS 1 RRF 50. Fisher Matthew BBC Documentary RN 51. Foster Stephen BBC Documentary RAF 52. Franks Tim BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 53. Fraser-Andrews James Ipswich Evening Star 3 Regt AAC 54. Gaisford Richard GMTV SCOTS DG 55. Gillan Audrey Guardian HCR 56. Gilmartin Shaun Carlton 70/30 Sqn RAF 57. Goff Jim Sixth Sense 1 UK Div FPIC 58. Goodwin Phillip BBC HMS OCEAN 59. Graff Peter Reuters HMS YORK 60. Graham Terry BFBS 1 UK Div FPIC 61. Gray Steven BBC Documentary RN 62. Grover Paul Daily Telegraph D Sqn QDG 63. Hallsworth Neil CNN 2 RTR 64. Harding Andrew BBC HMS OCEAN 65. Haresign Anne BFBS 1 UK Div FPIC 66. Hargreaves Richard Portsmouth News HMS MARLBOROUGH 67. Harman Dave ITN 42 Cdo 68. Harris Janet BBC Documentary Army 69. Harris Paul Observer 2 CS Regt RLC 70. Harrison David Sunday Telegraph HMS LIVERPOOL 71. Harrison Kieth W Midlands Express/Star 102 Log Bde 72. Harvey Neil BBC Documentary Army 73. Hearn Mark BFBS RFA Fort Victoria 74. Hemmings Tony ITN 1 RRF 75. Herbert Andrew BBC 3 PARA 76. Heslop Graham ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 77. Higgins Rory BFBS 1 UK Div FPIC 78. Houston Simon Scot Daily Record SCOTS DG 79. Hurd Emma Sky 1 UK Div FPIC 80. Hird Steven Reuters 29 Regt RA 81. Ison Chris PA 1 PARA 82. Jackson Alistair Carlton RAF Al Jaber 83. Jones Colin BBC HMS ARK ROYAL 84. Jones Catherine Ch5 News 3 RHA 85. Jones Ian Daily Telegraph 3 Regt AAC 86. Judd Terri Independent 3 Regt AAC 87. Kretzschmar Cordelia GMTV 2 Bn REME 88. Lawrence Micky ITN 102 Log Bde 89. Lea Michael Sun RFA Argus 90. Lewis Geraldine BBC Documentary Army 91. Low Valentine Evening Standard D Sqn QDG 92. Magee Rob BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 93. Mangold Abigail BBC Documentary RAF 94. McDonald Peter ITN HQ 3 Cdo Bde 95. McMullen Paul Sunday Express RAF Al Jaber 96. Meszaros Antonia BBC Documentary Army 97. Milam Greg Sky 1 R IRISH 98. Mills John Western Daily Press 42 Cdo 99. Morris Kylie BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 100. Mowat Jonathan BBC Documentary RM 101. Muriel Diana CNN 2 RTR 102. Myrie Clive BBC 40 Cdo 103. Neely Bill ITN 42 Cdo 104. Newton-Dunn Tom Mirror 40 Cdo 105. Nicholls Mark Eastern Daily Press RAF Ali al Salem 106. Nicoletti Tony Scot Daily Record SCOTS DG 107. Oliver Sarah Mail on Sunday 1 R IRISH 108. Parker Nick Sun 3 RHA 109. Payne Stewart Daily Telegraph RAF Ali al Salem 110. Petit Martin GMTV SCOTS DG 111. Price Matthew BBC HMS ARK ROYAL 112. Queally Ray ITN 1 PARA 113. Reay-Smith Phillip Ch4 News 7 PARA RHA 114. Rees David Sky 1 UK Div FPIC 115. Rex Andy ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 116. Richards Mark Daily Mail 1 RRF 117. Richards Terry Sun HMS OCEAN 118. Ritson Julie BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 119. Rivers Dan ITN RFA Sir Bedivere 120. Roberts Brian News of the World 2 RTR 121. Roy Katie BFBS RFA Fort Victoria 122. Roy Andrew BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 123. Sears Neil Daily Mail HMS YORK 124. Sharrock David Times Cdo Log 125. Simms Andrew Soldier Magazine 1 UK Div FPIC 126. Skelton Rachael BBC Documentary RN 127. Stoddard Tom Freelance 539 ASRM 128. Swift Gregg Daily Express 1 GS Regt RLC 129. Tanner Stuart BBC Documentary RM 130. Taylor Sean BBC Documentary Army 131. Thompson Andrew BBC Documentary Army 132. Thompson Paul Sun RFA Sir Percivale 133. Thompson Alex ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 134. Thompson Alistair Ch5 News 3 RHA 135. Tuft Michael BBC Documentary RN 136. Vellacot James Daily Mirror 1 GS Regt RLC 137. Vince Keith BBC Documentary Army 138. Vincent Geraint ITN 1 PARA 139. Walker Simon Times HQ 3 Cdo Bde 140. Wall David ITN 1 UK Div FPIC 141. Wardman Phillip Sky 1 UK Div FPIC 142. Watson Harvey BBC 1 UK Div FPIC 143. Watts Timothy BBC Documentary RN 144. Wazir Burhan Observer 102 Log Bde 145. Weeks Romily ITN 102 Log Bde 146. Weston Michael Soldier Magazine 1 UK Div FPIC 147. Whitehead Tom PA 59 Indep Cdo RE 148. Whitford Steven BBC Documentary Army 149. Wilson Jamie Guardian HMS MARLBOROUGH 150. Wilson Andrew Sky 1 UK Div FPIC 151. Wyatt Caroline BBC 1 UK Div FPIC |