Page 48 - Coespu 2019-1

IN DEPTH

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

PRE DEPLOYMENT TRAINING

By Paolo Rolli rect. Public information, in fact, sations, the aim is also to obtain
can be considerated as the set of the widest possible support and
command or institutional activi- understanding of their activities
“You can save the world; but ties, carried out at any level, ai- from the public. It is based on
if no one hears about it, it didn’t med at keeping public opinion in- the dissemination of objectively
happen”. The essence of the need formed through the media. demonstrable and truthful news
for public information can be en-
capsulated in this sentence. "You can save the world;
National and international orga-
nizations thus develop the function but if no one hears about
of public information to respond
to the public's need to know, and it, it didn't happen".
their need to inform adequately.
In the peace missions sphere, pu-
blic information is sometimes defi-
ned in a simplistic way as the press The public information function is and data and is achieved through
office of a command or a unit. developed by any organizations the mass media. It is conducted
However, this definition appears to to respond to the public's need to by staff within the organization
be reductive, as well as partly incor- know. For military\police organi- who have contact with journalists.

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