Difference between revisions of "Spin (politics and public relations)"

Revision as of 02:01, 1 May 2012

In public relations (WP), spin is a form of (WP), achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics.^[1]

Politicians are often accused by their opponents of claiming to be honest and seek the truth while using spin tactics to manipulate public opinion. Because of the frequent association between spin and press conferences (especially government (WP) press conferences), the room in which these take place is sometimes described as a spin room. A group of people who develop spin may be referred to as "spin doctors" who engage in "spin doctoring" for the person or group that hired them.^[2]

Post-9/11, the US government has expanded its use of spin, not just for minor news cycle manipulation, but larger scale policies, such as the use of torture in interrogating prisoners. As early as the 1990s, it had already moved away from Gerald Ford's prohibition on assassination, by using a Big Lie technique.

Techniques

The techniques of spin include:

• Selectively presenting facts and quotes that support one's position (cherry picking)
• Wikipedia:Non-denial denial
• Phrasing in a way that assumes unproven truths (Wikipedia:Begging the question)
• Euphemisms to disguise or promote one's agenda
• Big Lies (WP) simply repeat a lie often, with the intention that it, the effort taken to oppose it, and those who believe it, together squelch dissent (trivial, but an example: US 'shock jock' Bill O'Reilly calling his show the "No Spin Zone", which is only true inasmuch as he is not clever enough to spin very often, instead relying more on browbeating and bludgeoning his 'opponents')^[3]
• "Burying bad news": announcing one popular thing at the same time as several unpopular things, hoping that the media will focus on the popular one.

Wikipedia:Edward Bernays has been called the "Father of Spin". Larry Tye describes in his book, "The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays & The Birth of PR", some situations in twentieth-century America where tobacco and alcohol companies used techniques to make certain behaviors more socially acceptable. Bernays was proud of his work as a propagandist.^[4]

For years businesses have used fake or misleading "customer testimonials" by editing/spinning a customers clients to reflect a much more satisfied experience than was actually the case. In 2009 the FTC updated their laws to include measures to prohibit this type of 'spinning' and have been enforcing these laws as of late. Additionally, over the past 5–6 years several companies have arisen that verify the authenticity of the testimonials businesses present on the marketing materials in an effort to convince one to become a customer.

Another spin technique involves the delay in the release of bad news so it can be hidden in the "shadow" of more important or favorable news or events. A famous reference to this practice occurred when UK government press officer Wikipedia:Jo Moore used the phrase It's now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury in an email sent on September 11, 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center.^[5] When this email was reported in the press it caused widespread outrage for which Moore was forced to apologize.^[6] She was later made to resign when it was claimed she had sent a similar email following the death of Princess Margaret.^[7]

In the United States public affairs dealing with military contacts during the beginning of the War in Iraq used a spin tactic. Several parts of U.S. military wanted to hire public relations firms to send out fabricated or misleading information to get a rise in the public approval of the war. Some officials did not want to join information officers with public affairs officers for the fear of undermining the military's credibility. This form of spin uses the tactic of blowing small circumstances out of proportion to get a certain reaction from the public.^[8]

State or corporate run media in many countries also engage in spin by only allowing news stories that favorable to the government and encouraging vigorous debate of trivial criticisms, while serious criticisms remain unmentionable (for example, by requiring Patriotic Correctness).

Euphemisms / Big Lies

• Assassination (WP)  : Wikipedia:Executive Order 12333 bypassed by claiming that assassinating terrorists is not assassination
• Due process (WP) came under attack in early 2012 by the claim that "due" did not necessarily mean "timely", although of course it always had previously
• Torture (WP) becomes Enhanced interrogation techniques (WP)

Spin doctors

Skilled practitioners of spin began to be called "spin doctors" during the 1980s.^[9] True or not, it once had the equivalent PR effect of calling a writer a "hack"; however, as so often happens, use of the term diluted its power, and it can even be a complimentary term, among less ethical political allies.

Edward Bernays was one of the earliest spin doctors.

Alastair Campbell, was involved with Tony Blair's public relations between 1994 and 2003 as his spin doctor (and also played a controversial role as press relations officer to the British and Irish Lions rugby union side during their 2005 tour of New Zealand). More recently Peter Mandelson & Alastair Campbell, have become widely regarded as the previous Government's "spin doctors".

Karl Rove, in the United States, has been working with the republicans and more exclusively the Bush family and is considered a spin doctor within the United States.

Peter Mandelson was one of the first people in Britain to whom the term "spin doctor" was applied; he was thus called 'the Prince of Darkness'^[10][11] and, after his ennoblement, 'the Dark Lord', nicknames he apparently enjoys having.^[12]

Fictional spin doctors

• Conrad Brean – hired to save a presidential election in Wikipedia:Wag the Dog.
• Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe in the BBC comedy Absolute Power.
• In the game Wikipedia:Toontown Online, one of the Lawbot Cogs has been named a Spin Doctor.
• Dick Harper – Protagonist in Fun With Dick and Jane.
• Eliza Cassan in Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
• Jamie McDonald – Senior Press Officer from Number 10 in the BBC comedy Wikipedia:The Thick of It and the film In the Loop.
• Jeremy Slank in Fat
• Kasper Juul in Wikipedia:Borgen (Danish TV series).
• Malcolm Tucker – Number 10 Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy in the BBC comedy Wikipedia:The Thick of It and the film In the Loop.
• Deputy Mayor Wikipedia:Mike Flaherty in the American Wikipedia:sitcom Wikipedia:Spin City.
• Wikipedia:Nick Naylor – Protagonist of Christopher Buckley's bestseller Thank You for Smoking.

See also

References

Bibliography

• Roberts, Alasdair S., (2005). "Spin Control and Freedom of Information: Lessons for the United Kingdom from Canada," Public Administration, 83, 1–23.

External links

• Christian Science Monitor: The spin room – oily engine of the political meat grinder
• Outfoxed: OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism
• Spin of the Day – Center for Media and Democracy
• Spinwatch monitors spin and propaganda
• SPIN (documentary): [1]
• Booknotes interview with Bill Press on Spin This! All The Ways We Don’t Tell the Truth, January 6, 2002.

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