159. Letter From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Marks) to All United States Information Agency Public Affairs Officers1
I want to discuss with you two issues that concern me deeply—the need for change in USIA programs, when circumstances so require; and the need to address ourselves to fundamental problems.
Most of us, in varying degrees, resist change. All of us like the familiar and at times face the untried with trepidation. We find it more comfortable to continue in established patterns than to question them. From conversations and previous PAO letters, you know my concern that USIA can become too comfortable in familiar routines that may have outlived their usefulness. Media products and activities tend to become ends in themselves rather than means toward ends.
The second issue, closely related, is the need to analyze the fundamental problems that face the United States country by country—not simply the superficial manifestations of these problems. We then must [Page 485] judge how USIA, using the tools of modern communications, can contribute toward their solution. Since many of these problems are long-range in nature, so our programs must be geared to long-term needs. Progress may require years, not weeks or months; yet we must set our sights clearly and realistically, shaping programs so that each day’s efforts contribute toward our goals. And as circumstances change, our programs must change with them.
In all frankness, I do not believe that today all programs measure up to these standards. We often attack the superficial symptoms, not the fundamental illness. We frequently apply band-aids where the requirement is for penicillin. And at times we continue with old remedies that may no longer be effective.
I can think of no profession where such constant re-examination and questioning is more necessary than in USIA.
To shape meaningful goals and realistic programs, I am sure you will agree, we need a sound understanding of the psychology of the peoples with whom we communicate—their hopes and frustrations, their basic motivations, outlook and attitudes. Each post should cull the best from writings and studies that cast light on these questions, adding to them the expert first-hand knowledge of local employees and American staff. The resulting analysis should serve as a basis for the country program in shaping objectives and in guiding the approaches for media products and activities.
I call to your attention the attached analysis of the psychology of Arab peoples, “Arabia Decepta: A People Self-Deluded,” in the July 14 issue of Time.2 I know that you as PAO’s are capable of producing such expert analyses of your own target audiences. I would like to challenge each PAO who has not written such a document to do so within the next two months.
In the Middle East, we now face the question, “Where do we go from here?” In several countries, we must start afresh. We are forced to re-think the circumstances under which we shall operate, the fundamental problems we face, what our objectives should be and how we can best achieve them.
We need not, however, await an unfortunate debacle such as that in the Middle East in order to take the same searching view of our programs elsewhere. We should take a fresh look, in terms of current circumstances and the foreseeable future, with no necessity to perpetuate operations in their old forms. Where these serve we should continue them; where they do not, we should find new formulas.
[Page 486]I am aware that much fine analytical work has gone into the preparation of the CPPM’s; we must build on this but move still further. I have accordingly asked the Area Assistant Directors to review CPPM’s and Country Plans to see whether they contain, in the opening “Situation” section, an analysis along the lines mentioned above; whether objectives are responsible to the fundamental problems as outlined; and whether programs are imaginatively framed to accomplish objectives. I have also asked each to give me an analytical paper dealing with the psychological situation, objectives and programs on an area basis.
As a result of this review, some of you will be asked by your Area Assistant Directors to re-think certain aspects of your program before preparing your new CPPM or Country Plan later this year. But for all PAOs, re-examination and revision are continuing processes. I hope that each of you will be challenged by these concepts and will give your best thought to putting them into practice.