Propaganda Analysis for Dummies

When to conduct propaganda analysis.

  • When you, the listener, agree too quickly or naturally with a communication.

  • When you do not understand how something seems counterintuitive in a communication.

  • When a communication makes you feel happy or angry…

    • …or, worst of all, triumphant or fearful.

“SCAME” is a military acronym for formal propaganda analysis. Try the below analysis on a piece of information with which you agree. Try it again with something that conflicts with your world view.

Source

  • Actor: the apparent speaker

  • Author: the messaging source

  • Authority: the information source (if any)

  • Disseminator: who provided the information

Content

  • Objectives of dissemination (consider timing)

  • Lines of persuasion

  • Morale effects

  • Inadvertent disclosures

  • Biography

  • Economic content

  • Inconsistencies in propaganda

  • Geographic info

  • Telegraphing intent

Audience

  • Apparent: To whom is this overtly targeted?

  • Intermediate: Who is likely to be a follow-on dissemnator to another audience?

  • Unintended: Who may receive dissemination despite not being targeted?

  • Ultimate: Who is the intended end audience?

Media

  • Frequency of dissemination

  • Placement in timing or visual organization of information

  • Place of origin – even relevant online

  • Technical characteristics

  • Method of dissemination (also found in “Disseminator” above)

Effect

  • Measures of performance such as frequency of repetition by intermediate audience

  • Measures of effect such as change in opinion, delay of action, isolation of target, etc.