DETACHED FROM REALITY?: ARMY PR ACCUSED OF BEING SHALLOW AND TOO MANIPULATIVE
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow
18.01.12 | 13:01
The government of Armenia has recently initiated some legislative
changes that it hopes will, among other measures, ensure stronger
discipline in the armed forces. The move is a response to the need
to curb the rise of non-combat deaths in the ranks.
Meanwhile, in order to maintain public trust towards the army the
government has also been carrying out a campaign through movies and
TV serials, which, however, as some experts argue, should be a more
coordinated effort. The quality of such campaigns and their approach
often become subjects of criticism.
The latest movie telling about army life entitled “I Am” was shown
in Yerevan on January 7. Its creators said its main purpose is to
try to promote the “I am my motherland’s soldier” mentality in people.
The film’s producer Armen Mazmanyan defines it as a “positive tale”,
where the reality of the army is put aside and absolute values,
such as the homeland, being a soldier, are propagandized.
“Negativism is widespread in society, as a result of which parents do
not want to send their children to the army and boys, the potential
soldiers, do not want to serve,” says Mazmanyan, who is the rector
of the State Institute of Theater and Cinema.
According to Mazmanyan, art should grant positive emotions to people.
“Unfortunately, hazing, as well as injustice, extreme relations
between men and vulgarity, have been the biggest common problems for
all armies at all times,” he says.
Criticism regarding non-combat deaths in the ranks, which has been
voiced more actively in the past couple of years through public
protests and online social networking often draws similar responses
from army advocates: “The army is a reflection of society and causes
of its problems should be sought outside the army.”
Propaganda expert Karen Vrtanesyan says he has heard conflicting
views on this matter, namely: “On the one hand, it is that the
problems of the army are, in fact, the problems of the society, on
the other hand, from the perspective of those criticizing the army,
it is that the army is an environment where everything is controlled,
and, therefore, it has nothing to do with society, and everything in
the army must be close to perfection.”
“I think that, yes, of course, problems of the society do have an
influence on the army, but it cannot become a universal excuse for
officials. If the army leadership acknowledges that problems of
society affect the army’s fighting capacity, then they should also
think about finding solutions instead of saying: ‘the society is to
blame, so let us alone’,” says Vrtanesyan.
Nevertheless, as a country which is in a state of fragile ceasefire
with its neighbor, Armenia is in a factual information war, and in
this context, according to Vrtanesyan, actions and statements aimed
at addressing army problems may also be construed as hostile to the
Armenia side.
“Yes, there are problems and they should not only be discussed,
but also solved. Problems should be discussed on a constructive and
non-emotional level. If government officials shun their obligations,
then, yes, there should also be protests and pressure. But before
exerting such pressure and presenting another pointless and
unrealizable ultimatum, a civic activist should give the matter a
comprehensive view,” adds the expert.
Member of the “Army in Reality” Initiative Tsovinar Nazaryan believes
that the current PR for the army does not work, because it is far
too detached from reality.
“This propaganda that is being currently carried out shows the approach
and the world outlook of officials: the army is presented as a gray
impersonal mass that, like a machine, keeps repeating one phrase:
‘everything is fine’. Soldiers and servicemen are not presented the
way they are, with their fears, concerns, joys and love,” she says.
“Obligatory military service makes every family in Armenia get
a closer look at the situation in the army, and the tales that are
being told on television are in stark contrast to what they see and
hear in life. First there is a need for the reality to be changed
rather than falsified,” says Nazaryan.
Psychologist Izabella Abgaryan, who is a senior lecturer at the
Yerevan State University, says that researches gauging the moods and
expectations in society as well as the images that the army has in
society need to be conducted before organizing promotional campaigns.
“It is on the basis of these studies that one can build a propaganda
program, which will not trigger an intolerable attitude from the
society. By the way, this intolerance should also be gauged to see to
what extent it is expressed. The thing is that there is practically no
scientific approach in such matters, there are no initial, empirical
studies, impact assessment, etc.,” says the psychologist.