The UK Blogging Community is not pleased with how the MoD handled the F-35 blackout...

via Thin Pinstriped Line.

But, centrally the problem seems to be that bloggers are seen as an irritant or bunch of fanboys who deserve little except sneering contempt and certainly not to be taken seriously. This, coupled with an inflexible approach to responding to media stories that leads to situations like Friday doesn’t help the reputation or image of Defence.  Perhaps a more nuanced approach, maybe seeking to work with trusted blogging or twitter accounts could help expand and enhance the reach of defence stories, and not rely purely on the broadcast and print media and trying to exert a ridiculous level of control over it.


This is a frustrating story to read, and a more frustrating article to write. The MOD has had 20 years to prepare to get the F35 trials covered properly, and it seems to have instead lost momentum to the power of social media. We must hope that this is not a portent of things to come and instead is looked back on in years to come as an example of how not to do media, and the event that forced real and positive change for good. 

Read the whole thing here. 

The Brits are fascinating.  They have a much smaller defense blogging community but on whole their PUBLIC seems much more engaged when it comes to military matters.

The problem?

The Brits took a page out of the US Dept of Defense playbook and it hurt them badly.

My recommendation?

They have a unique relationship with their citizens.  That is to be applauded. But they must understand that the gamesmanship that is so easily played in the US will not be tolerated in the UK.  That's a good thing and they should harness the power of the interest instead of muzzling those that follow them!