New organization changes how to get info, entertainment

Department of Defense U.S. Air Force Releases

9/26/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Oct. 1 establishment of the Defense Media Activity will change the way Defense Department members get news, entertainment and information to servicemembers and their families.

Servicemembers will not immediately notice a change: the Armed Forces Network will still broadcast football games and the Joint Combat Camera Center will continue to provide still and video images.

Changes that will occur later are positive ones, said Bob Hastings, the principal deputy assistant Defense secretary for public affairs.

"I think DMA is one of the most exciting things to happen to public affairs in a long time," Mr. Hastings said. "It's our opportunity to change the way we deliver news and information to our internal audience."

The new activity will allow the department to be more efficient and effective in delivering news, he said. In the future, servicemembers will be able to choose what media they use to get their information and entertainment.

"Not unimportant, and what the Base Realignment and Closure Commission was thinking about, was to do it more cost-effectively," Mr. Hastings said. "There's two sides of the coin: We can do a better job of it, and we can probably realize some synergies from it."

Mr. Hastings used his recent experiences in Afghanistan as the model for that synergy. There, he...