“Strategic Communication”: Far-reaching EU Initiative against Freedom of the Press across Europe | Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization
While you slept last night, a draft resolution by the Committee
of the European Parliament (EP) foreign Affairs approved on Monday
threatens press freedom across Europe. The draft entitled; “Strategic
communication of the EU as a counter-propaganda of the third parties,”
states that Russia is waging an information war against the EU.
The document goes on to say that aid that Russia:
“Aggressively uses a wide range of tools and instruments,
in particular, the special funds (“Russian World”), multilingual TV
channels (Russia Today, RIA Novosti), news Agency (Sputnik), social and
religious associations (including the Orthodox Church), and social media
and Internet trolls to attack Western values, promote disengagement in
Europe, and domestic support and create the impression that the Eastern
partnership countries are failed.”
Furthermore, the committee suggests a global EU strategy to combat
propaganda by the third countries, calling for the EU to incorporate
strategic communication into their activities and create the structure
of the European external action service, a specialized unit with the
“adequate staff and budget resources.” The move essentially calls for
steps to create a “counter propaganda” unit replete with propaganda
training for journalists and organizations. The move reminds of when
Google created the so-called Digital News Initiative (“DNI”), a
partnership with the European newspapers; Les Echos, FAZ, The Financial
Times, The Guardian, NRC Media, El Pais, La Stampa and Die Zeit, where
$150 million went toward a similar initiative. Of course, Google’s
millions were not earmarked “reverse propaganda,” but the end was the
same. Looking at how the money dispersed brings to mind George Soros and
his various Open Societies programs. Enough about the greater scope,
let’s continue with the Poland initiative.
