Defense industry must embrace social media.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 01 July 2009
• Author: Albritton, David J.

Defense contractors are recognizing the value of engaging in social media. Online magazines and blogs--until recently considered second rate--are now becoming critical reading matter. Traditional media continue to lose readers and viewers at a rapid rate. Thanks to the vast proliferation of blogs, wilds and YouTube, anyone can now become an instant news crew.

That's why success as defense communicators, civilian contractors and military leaders--depends upon the ability to keep up with, and even stay a step ahead of, a growing cadre of tech-savvy journalists and bloggers. We have to know not only what they want, but how and when they want it delivered.

The National Defense University recently acknowledged the importance of social networking as a vital tool for maintaining relationships throughout both the Defense Department and its partners, including both contractors and the media. Fears of cyber-attacks, the university found, should not deter the use of social networking tools.

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Boosting the public's literacy on military weapons systems has been made easier by the introduction of sophisticated personal technologies. Explaining the need for continual upgrades to military technology is simpler now that the...