Hometown News: Reaching out for Connectivity

The Problem

There is an obvious lack of saliency and connectivity of the general public to the military in the U.S. Bentz (2000) attributes this to the lack of understanding among the general public of what our World War II veterans went through. He calls these veterans the "last of the real men" ( 11). He also suggests that people should talk to these veterans before they're gone and hear their stories. "The tales are fascinating and the reward of wisdom will outweigh the loss of our ever-so-valuable time" ( 10). Duke (2002) talks about the reluctance of veterans to talk about their heroism. He says, "They were the sons of democracy, and they saved democracy. We owe them a debt we can never repay" (2002, p. 22). According to the 2001 statistical abstract of the United States, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates there were 5,940,000 World War II veterans living in 1999. Each month, 3,200 World War II veterans die (Bentz, 2000).

In a May 2002 study of 2,017 teenagers from 12-19 conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited, only 93 out of 890 males wanted to join the Marine Corps, which was the highest chosen branch of service. In a 2001 survey of 158 seniors at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School in Hawaii, only 33 said they wanted to join the military upon graduation. That's 20.9 percent (http://arch.k12.hi.us/pdf/seps/2001/SEPS263.pdf, page 1).

Another form of proof of the lack of connectivity of the public to the military is the high numbers of Americans admitting they will dodge a draft should one be necessary in the months or years to come. In a survey conducted by The Luntz Research Companies and posted on the website of Americans for Victory Over Terrorism conducted May 2-12, 2002, of 634 college students, 37 percent said they would evade a military draft, 21 percent would be willing to serve, but only stateside, and 35 percent said they would be willing to fight anywhere in the world (http://www.avot.org/stories/storyReader$72, 3).

Recruiters in high schools are being frowned upon and looked at as though they are bearers of bad news. Sanchez (2002) says that there are too many recruiters at the inner city high school of Roosevelt High in Los Angeles, where there are five recruiters to the one college counselor. "The recruiters prey on students who feel they have no other options: immigrant students trying to get citizenship, seniors lacking credits to graduate, and anyone who they can persuade that the army will train them for the real world" ( 4). The counselors and teachers teach the students that enlisting in the military is a last resort, right next to applying for a non-living wage job. The students at Roosevelt High School have even recently begun a campaign against the military recruiters' presence at the school called Students Not Soldiers. "We hope to rid our school of military recruiters and create a non-military zone. We want funds for college and job training programs, more counselors, and courses in ethnic, women's, and queer studies... And we want to create opportunities for young people to grow, to reach their potential, as critical thinkers - not as gun-toting soldiers who take orders and promote violence" (Sanchez, 2002, 14, 15).

Reach vs. Effective Reach
Hometown news products reach millions of people each year with holiday greetings alone reaching 41-million viewers in 2001 and print news reached 200 million, according to Hometown News figures (http://hn.afnews.af.mil/Webpages/PressKit.pdf). These figures measure reach, the total number of people with a chance to see a hometown news message. For the objective of public awareness of military activities, reach is crucial. "Reach is needed more than frequency when awareness is the goal" (Pavlick, 1987, p. 73). Hometown News messages also have an advantage over typical ads when featured in a news program. "News items have a higher level of believability than do sponsored messages" (Pavlick, 1987, p. 73).

But, reach does not necessarily mean the core objectives of the program are being met. Effective reach is based on the concept that it may take more than one exposure for a message to have an effect. Although effective reach doctrine is based on psychological research, there is disagreement among scholars as to how many exposures are needed. In the case of a familiar campaign, only one exposure may be needed (Jones, 1995). The Hometown News program uses familiar campaigns year after year, which could lead to effectiveness with less repetition.

According to Quera (1977), the only way to make sure the core objectives are being met is with research. Ad agencies use this concept to find out if their ads are working. Research can also help an organization create more effective products.
For Hometown News research could lead to evidence of effectiveness and possibly increased funding. It is safe to say that Hometown News does in fact have reach, but whether or not the reach is effective is another question all together. Finally it is unknown on whether or not Hometown News products have a positive effect on the morale and reinforce pride in the servicemen and women that Hometown News covers.

The most important thing to consider in this research is the scope of the possible research required for Hometown News. With limited manpower and a global mission, in addition to the fact they interview and receive information on tens of thousands of service-people each year, it is unreasonable to think that they may be able to conduct such time consuming research. However, a limited research scope which included small samples from both internal and external audiences may better answer the questions we will pose in this research study.

Rationale and Hypothesis
To establish rationale and research questions it is important to first look at the specific objectives of the Hometown News Program. From these objectives we can develop questions to grasp how Hometown News can conduct research to determine the affect of their products and both internal and external audiences.
Hometown News Objectives
The external objectives for military Hometown News Program are to increase awareness and understanding of all Americans concerning military capabilities, activities, and threats. According to Air Force Public Affairs Document 35-1, it also further fosters acceptance and support of the military (p.4). Internally the Hometown News Program attempts to reinforce individual pride and morale although, U.S. Navy regulations state this is "incidental to the intent of the program" (SECNAVISNT 5724.3)
The need for good troop morale is vital to the military's mission. The need to inform Americans and foster a feeling of closeness stems from studies that have shown a gap between America's military and it's citizens following the elimination of conscription. Ending conscription, according to Morris Janowitz (1980) "has not produced a military establishment effectively articulated with civilian society" (p. 16).
Hometown News aims to increase troop morale, by traveling to the troops' location, often an overseas remote site, where service-members could easily feel detached from home after a period of time, and writing or producing a story featuring an individual soldier, sailor, airman, or marine. The morale benefits are realized immediately as the service-member, who has voluntarily joined the program, is interviewed for a story that will hopefully run in their hometown. A second effect occurs when the service-member receives feedback from home about the story, whether in the form of a newspaper clipping, videotape, or even a telephone conversation with family or friends about the story.
Hometown News stories provide information about the military service as well as the hometown troop. This is important in accomplishing the goal of informing Americans about the contributions their sons and daughters are making to national security. Many Americans see the military only as it is portrayed in the movies, TV dramas, or national news coverage. Hometown news stories are written from the perspective and with the comments of the individual soldier, sailor, airman or marine, giving viewers a different perspective of what the military is doing.
Hometown News stories show military service from the viewpoint of someone from the same hometown as the viewer. The viewer and the featured service-member share a common background. Viewers may feel more emotionally involved with service-member, than someone they know nothing about. They may even know the family of the military man or woman featured in the story, creating an even stronger bond. This contributes to the goal of developing a bond or feeling of closeness between Americans and service men and women.
Research Question #1: Does Hometown News reinforce individual pride and promote morale among troops?
Research Question #2: Does Hometown News have effective reach?
Research Question #3: Is the American general public aware and do they understand military activities, capabilities, and threats?

Rationale and Hypothesis
To establish rationale and research questions it is important to first look at the specific objectives of the Hometown News Program. From these objectives we can develop questions to grasp how Hometown News can conduct research to determine the affect of their products and both internal and external audiences.

Hometown News Objectives
The external objectives for military Hometown News Program are to increase awareness and understanding of all Americans concerning military capabilities, activities, and threats. According to Air Force Public Affairs Document 35-1, it also further fosters acceptance and support of the military (p.4). Internally the Hometown News Program attempts to reinforce individual pride and morale although, U.S. Navy regulations state this is "incidental to the intent of the program" (SECNAVISNT 5724.3)

The need for good troop morale is vital to the military's mission. The need to inform Americans and foster a feeling of closeness stems from studies that have shown a gap between America's military and it's citizens following the elimination of conscription. Ending conscription, according to Morris Janowitz (1980) "has not produced a military establishment effectively articulated with civilian society" (p. 16).

Hometown News aims to increase troop morale, by traveling to the troops' location, often an overseas remote site, where service-members could easily feel detached from home after a period of time, and writing or producing a story featuring an individual soldier, sailor, airman, or marine. The morale benefits are realized immediately as the service-member, who has voluntarily joined the program, is interviewed for a story that will hopefully run in their hometown. A second effect occurs when the service-member receives feedback from home about the story, whether in the form of a newspaper clipping, videotape, or even a telephone conversation with family or friends about the story.

Hometown News stories provide information about the military service as well as the hometown troop. This is important in accomplishing the goal of informing Americans about the contributions their sons and daughters are making to national security. Many Americans see the military only as it is portrayed in the movies, TV dramas, or national news coverage. Hometown news stories are written from the perspective and with the comments of the individual soldier, sailor, airman or marine, giving viewers a different perspective of what the military is doing.
Hometown News stories show military service from the viewpoint of someone from the same hometown as the viewer. The viewer and the featured service-member share a common background. Viewers may feel more emotionally involved with service-member, than someone they know nothing about. They may even know the family of the military man or woman featured in the story, creating an even stronger bond. This contributes to the goal of developing a bond or feeling of closeness between Americans and service men and women.

Research Question #1: Does Hometown News reinforce individual pride and promote morale among troops?
Research Question #2: Does Hometown News have effective reach?
Research Question #3: Is the American general public aware and do they understand military activities, capabilities, and threats?

Measuring the effects
Hometown News can measure the effects of its work on the troop morale objective through military troops and commanders. The effects on morale are directly felt and observed. Measuring success of the effects on viewers is more difficult. Hometown News contacts media outlets directly to determine if and when their products are aired or published establishing reach (appendix A). However, simply reaching the audience does not prove the viewers are becoming better informed about the military or are feeling closer to men and women in military service. Agenda-setting theory could be used to predict that military issues by being featured more often because of Hometown News products will become more salient to viewers. But, more research in needed before we can imply a level of effect that will help us determine the overall value of the program.