CNN tour enlightens joint, international group of officers

  • Published
  • By Scott Knuteson
  • Air University Public Affairs
Students from Air University's Air Command and Staff College who elected to take the "War for Public Opinion" research seminar were treated to a special tour of CNN headquarters in Atlanta on Nov. 19, a day trip conducted by the Public Affairs Center for Excellence.

The students, including three international officers from South Korea, Pakistan and Romania, were joined by a contingent of Public Affairs specialists from throughout Maxwell Air Force Base. This year marked the first time international officers took part in the elective class.

The combined total of 23 participants were escorted on a behind-the-scenes look at studios and control rooms related to the major CNN channels, including CNN International, CNN en EspaƱol and CNN Headline News. Multiple news personalities and anchors took time during commercial breaks to answer questions and thank the military personnel for their service.

In addition to the tour, the group was treated to a special question and answer session conducted by two of the network's executives, Nigel Pritchard and Paul Ferguson. Questions centered on the media's approach to military issues and how military members can best interface with the media.

"It was a great opportunity to see [their] perspective," said Maj. Steve Carocci, an ACSC student. "It gave us an appreciation for how they view a story, which will help us in future interactions with the media."

For the ACSC students, who represent an array of military career fields, the trip was the pinnacle of a week of lessons meant to familiarize the officers with how to "effectively deal with the media and counter enemy propaganda while simultaneously executing military operations," according to the class syllabus.