http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3798912,00.htmlKUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AP) - The U.S. military will launch its own news service in Iraq and Afghanistan to send military video, text and photos directly to the Internet or news outlets.
The $6.3 million project, expected to begin operating in April, is one of the largest military public affairs projects in recent memory, and is intended to allow small media outlets in the United States and elsewhere to bypass what the Pentagon views as an increasingly combative press corps.
U.S. officials have complained that Iraq-based media focuses on catastrophic events such as car bombs and soldiers' deaths, while giving short shrift to U.S. rebuilding efforts.
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The project, called Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System or DVIDS, will also give the Pentagon more control of the coverage when calamities do happen.
Army camera teams will be able to use their access to battle zones or military bases to film the aftermath of rebel attacks on U.S. troops - or U.S. raids on insurgent targets - and then offer free pictures to news outlets within two hours.
At times civilian media are kept away from such events.
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