Controlling media outlets to control perception is a concept that many will find intuitive. To be certain, though, let's dissect the logic:

1. Controlling perception of others really boils down to controlling media; media is a symbol of reality, and perception is really just the interpretation of symbols. To control the interpretation of symbols, we must control the symbols themselves.

2. To control the symbols, we must control how they are created and how they are disseminated.

3. Media outlets -- web sites, TV channels, radio stations, for instance -- are how people consume media. Control these outlets, and you'll control your perception.

Historical Example: Operation Mockingbird

Operation Mockingbird is a CIA operation that essentially was about the CIA infiltrating the media (both domestic and foreign) so as to create the spin that was needed. The Church Committee investigation into the activities of the intelligence communities revealed quite a bit about the CIA's attempts at controlling the media. A choice excerpt from the Church Committee's investigation:

The CIA currently maintains a network of several hundred foreign individuals around the world who provide intelligence for the CIA and at times attempt to influence opinion through the use of covert propaganda. These individuals provide the CIA with direct access to a large number of newspapers and periodicals, scores of press services and news agencies, radio and television stations, commercial book publishers, and other foreign media outlets.

Mockingbird was crucial to PBSUCCESS and TP-AJAX -- two major CIA covert operations that set the foundation for the United States' strategy for imperialism via the CIA. While Mockingbird may or may not be around today, the spirit of the operation is still very much in place; Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) notes that on February 19, 2002, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Influence is "developing plans to provide news items, possibly even false ones, to foreign media organizations” in an effort “to influence public sentiment and policy makers in both friendly and unfriendly countries.”

How Can You Apply This to Your Business?

These days, controlling media outlets is getting tougher and tougher. It's one thing to control a few TV stations; it's another thing to try to control every web site. Here are a few ideas:

Control the hubs. Hubs are web sites/pages that are critical in helping people navigate the web. A site like Digg.com, which is nothing more than an aggregation of links, is a hub of sorts; it helps users navigate the daily news of the web. It's virtually impossible to control the whole web, but most of the attention goes to the hubs -- so that's a great spot to focus on.

Blogs and Forums. Blogs and forums are at the heart of how people use the web to have conversations. Make it a point to monitor conversations about your company, and participate in the conversations that you feel are important to control. You can do this by using services like Technorati, Google Blog Search, and BoardTracker to track conversations surrounding words specific to your business (like your company name, or your individual name).

Control the Influencers. A key idea underlying Operation Mockingbird was that certain media outlets are simply "mockingbirds" -- they just mimic what other media outlets are saying. (For instance, a local TV station might mimic national news from another outlet). Identify who initiates mimicking, and control that outlet. Such outlets are influencers, and are critical to controlling your perception. Services like ReviewMe have potential to be useful in terms of influencing influencers -- and their ensuing mockingbirds, of course. Incidentally, the concept of TrustRank is related to mockingbirds; search engines are likely to find a site that can generate viral communication -- which influencers can, thanks to their mockingbirds -- to be more trustworthy, and hence rank them better. So, it is conceivable that controlling the influencers will also help you control search engine placement for terms related to your business.

The following post will focus on the Hegelian dialectic, one of the most important concepts in psychological warfare.

Other Posts in This Series

Mockingbird Marketing: Controlling Perception by Controlling Media
Problem Reaction Solution
Disinformation: Using the Truth to Tell Lies
Additional Resources for Exploring Black Op Marketing