Nations Press and Intelligence

The nations press is a vital means of collecting intelligence. This is because it carries extraordinary dormant information potential for human intelligence (HUMINT). The media and nation’s press coverage and its methods of collecting intelligence have been accredited with, and convicted for, a wide variety of constructions, philosophies, and effects. There is a huge disparity between intelligence and information. Such conflicts identify some of the splits within the state concerning intelligence. Customarily, people consider intelligence as secretive while information is usually open to the public. Over the past decade, the nation’s press has established itself as an important source of intelligence for both the public and the government.

The nation’s press role in human intelligence collection originates from the Second World War. An appropriate example comes in when the British media intercepted information that not even the government spies and other intelligence agencies could obtain. According to Goodman (121), the British broadcasting corporation became a major source of British intelligence during the Second World War. “The success of intelligence is not the information nor the secret revealed but the value it adds to decision makers” . The British government communication headquarters was assigned to conduct signal intelligence by intercepting enemy signals and decoding their message. The BBC intercepted and communicated messages from British allies as well as those of the enemies. This information went straight to the ministry of information, the foreign office, and the ministry of economic warfare. The BBC was useful in both data collection and analysis of intelligence. The role of the nation’s press in this era was in direct comparison to that of an intelligent agency. 

The nations press has many impacts on the operations of human intelligence agents and informants. The press may be an integral part of a conscious deception effort. Historically, people have gained strength from reliance on each other. Humans working in groups have consolidated their workforces, increased efficiency, and increased production. Presently, numerous nations are bound by some form of representations of governments in many aspects such as ambassadors. This has made the work of human intelligence easier. Moreover, the advent of social media and the growth in the nation’s press based on technology has lowered transaction costs further. People can communicate cheaply and instantaneously. Nation’s press and social media create the opportunity for a counterinsurgent force to build a large social network within the population of human intelligence collection. Similarly, mobile phone coverage is inclusive, prolific, and growing. Currently, there are many people with access to nations press and social media all over the world. 

The nation’s press collects data and intelligence on human and terrorist activities. The press documents and provides information to warn citizens against terrorist activities. Leonard states “these evolving open source terrorist event data bases have allowed for more rigorous analysis of terrorism and terrorist activity.”  It is common for the press to notify citizens on avoiding certain places due to terrorism threats. The press collects information on terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaida and informs the government on such activities. The press uses investigative journalism to assume covert operations and expose criminal activities to the public. This phenomenon helps the government to plan adequately in cases of terror attacks.  

Data indicates that people are very responsive to information gotten from the nation’s press. Practically speaking, people associated with human intelligence are quite responsive to the direction from the counterinsurgent force. Commanders could frequently broadcast messages to the community directing people to be on the lookout for certain persons, vehicles or solicit input from the community on the impacts of current operations, and they should expect widespread community compliance.

Nation’s press has gained a lot of popularity when it comes to combating crime because communities get informed of potential attacks from gangs and other malicious groups. In turn, communities engage in an exchange of information between them and nations press concerning any new developments that pose a threat to their peace and that of the nation.

The press has redefined privacy. Initially, people had no access to information regarding other people’s secret lives. The recent development of the mass media has assisted in exposing people’s private lives. The relevant authorities get this information from the press. However, this phenomenon could pose numerous threats to personal life. Cottle attributes that “without valuing private behavior and in opening all records, we will begin to treat people as potential delinquents, potential assassins” .  The government can access an individual’s social account to get information if it perceives that the person is a threat to the nation’s security. Until the 21st century, BBC not only relayed news but also gave intelligence concerning people’s lives to the British government. However, numerous nations are in danger of losing the fight for public influence. The entry and ubiquity of mobile technology have transformed the rules of the game. Terrorists are beginning to capitalize on the virtually non-existent transaction costs of forming networks and disseminating information using technology. Operations of insurgents aimed at gathering intelligence and distributing information are slowly outpacing the flexible, antiquated, and unresponsive systems employed by many intelligence agencies.

The social press intelligence has been effective in providing information on criminal activities. During the British riots, messaging services developed in West Midlands enabled citizens to identify suspects whose picture were online. Djajalie states that “with citizen journalism, the general population is able to voice out their own opinions and have them reached to a wide number of readers”.  The new trends of the nation’s press enabled rapid identification of criminal offenders. It has led to citizen journalism because presently anyone can record criminal activities even in remote places. This enables the government to access information in places where the mainstream media cannot reach.

The nation’s press serves as a legitimizing institution because it helps to build public confidence in government institutions. The most significant case was the successful operation of capturing former Iraq president Saddam Hussein. Martin explains that “the war successful on some fronts, particularly in the capture of the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein” . The nation’s press gave full insight on the issues surrounding the operation of the American army, which was to clear the issues revolving around the attack. By so doing, the media was able to defend and legitimize the actions of the American army. The nation’s press makes the public aware of issues and ensures that intelligence agencies are doing their job efficiently. The overriding function of the media is to inform the public about what the government is doing. The nation’s press conveys information and human intelligence to the public on new government procedures. The media projects new policies, new appointments and economic strategies of the government. When the United States of America wanted to invade Iraq the American press brought this out to the public and explained America’s foreign policy to the public. It enables the public to know about public reports such as those exhibited in scandals.

The Nation’s press, in light of the current trend, seeks to bolster its human intelligence collection through crowdsourcing. Through current technology, the nation’s press could make HUMINT operations instantaneous and inexpensive through widespread and timely dissemination of information that shapes public opinion; a fundament of counterinsurgency activities.

The nation’s press has proven to be an imperative source of human intelligence for both the public and the government. The media’s role in intelligence collection originates from the Second World War. The press amasses data and intelligence on extremism activities. It also documents and provides information to caution citizens against terrorist happenings. The nation’s press has revolutionized privacy. Originally, people had no access to statistics regarding other people’s underground lives. The shifting trend and the new media configurations in social networks are also a significant source of intelligence. The press through its agenda-setting function determines the present discussions in the public domain. The media serves as a legitimizing institution because it helps to build public confidence in government institutions. Concisely, the nation’s press plays a very vital role in HUMINT. It enhances the operations of intelligence agencies by integrating community policing and making the work of trained intelligence personnel.

Bibliography

Calkins, Leonard. ‘Patrolling the Ether: US–UK Open Source Intelligence Cooperation and the 

BBC’s  Emergence as an Intelligence Agency, 1939–1948’, Intelligence and National Security, Issue 1, pp. 1-22 .2011.

Cottle, Thomas J. Private Lives and Public Accounts. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2007.

Djajalie, Klaudia. Citizen Journalist: A Case Study on Using Blogs for Self-Promotion. Equinox Publishing, 2010, p. 10. 

Koch-Baumgarten Sigrid, Voltmer, Katrin, Public Policy and the Mass Media: The Interplay of Mass Communication and Political Decision Making, Routledge, 2010.

Leonard, Barry, Report on Terrorism 2008, Diane Publishing, pp. 70. 2008.

Martin, Gus. The Sage Encyclopedia of Terrorism. 2011.

Omand, David, ‘Intelligence Secrets and Media Spotlights: Balancing Illumination and Dark Corners’, in  Dover, R. and M. Goodman (eds.), Spinning Intelligence: Why Intelligence Needs the Media, Why the Media Needs Intelligence, the United Kingdom: C.Hurst and Co. Ltd. 2009.

Priest, Susanna Hornig. Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE, 2010.