Group wins new public relations contract in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A public relations company known for its role 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 such as talking points or speeches for U.S. forces in Iraq, officials said Tuesday.

“Lincoln Group is proud to be trusted to assist the multi-national forces in Iraq with communicating news about their vital work,” Lincoln Group spokesman Bill Dixon said in a statement.

Details about the contract were also confirmed by a 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, according to Johnson.

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.

The list of media outlets to be watched includes the New York Times, Fox Television and the satellite channel Al-Arabiyah.

The Lincoln Group was mired in controversy last year when it became known the company had been part of a U.S. military operation to pay Iraqi newspapers to run positive stories about coalition activities. According to the company’s Web site, it was created in 2003 to do public relations and communications work in challenging environments such as Iraq.