E&P/AP: U.S. Firm That Paid Iraq Newspapers for Coverage Gets New Deal

[DeepModem Mom]

Editor&Publisher/AP: U.S. Firm That Paid Iraq Newspapers for Coverage Gets New Deal
Published: September 27, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A public relations company that participated in a controversial U.S. military program that paid Iraqi newspapers for stories favorable to coalition forces has been awarded another multimillion-dollar media contract with American forces in Iraq.

Washington-based Lincoln Group won a two-year contract to monitor a number of English and Arabic media outlets and produce public relations-type products like talking points or speeches for U.S. forces in Iraq, officials said Tuesday.

"Lincoln Group is proud to be trusted to assist the multinational forces in Iraq with communicating news about their vital work," Lincoln Group spokesman Bill Dixon said in a statement. Details about the contract were confirmed by the U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, and were described in documents posted on a federal government Web site outlining contracts awarded.

The contract is worth roughly $6.2 million per year over a two-year period, Johnson said.

The idea is to use the information to "build support" in Iraqi, Arabic, international and U.S. audiences for what the military describes as its goals in Iraq, such as destroying the insurgency and helping Iraqis build a democracy, according to contract documents....

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003187173