Message Discipline
Encyclopedia
Message discipline is the concept that politician
s and other public policy advocates should talk about what is relevant to achieve their aims, and not allow themselves to be sidetracked either by their own thoughts or the questions of press
or audience. The term is finding its way into a business, both in advertising and internal communications.
When a politician repeats the same thing over and over, or uses a question on one subject as a launching point to talk about a different subject, he or she is said to be exercising message discipline. Message discipline is a difficult thing for politicians or other quotable people to achieve, because it may involve a subordination of irrelevant personal opinions, or a subordination of fluctuating desires to say what others want to hear versus maintaining an unwavering devotion to the message as it reaches out to greater numbers of potential audience members.
Message discipline is often practiced around wedge issues
. Going back to talking points (practicing message discipline) around issues such as same-sex marriage, or abortion rights can be a powerful weapon in the politician's arsenal, either clouding a difficult line of questioning from an interviewer, or motivating the candidates' base to vote. Key to defining wedge issues and practicing message discipline are the selection of terms that low-information voters will rally around.
In a business context, Message discipline is the practice of reducing and managing the number of messages going from headquarters and marketing functions to field organizations and front-line employees. This goal-oriented, structured, strategic communication, is believed to drive operational excellence in organizations, as it reduces the clutter and mixed messages that sometimes afflict communications through organizational layers.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s and other public policy advocates should talk about what is relevant to achieve their aims, and not allow themselves to be sidetracked either by their own thoughts or the questions of press
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
or audience. The term is finding its way into a business, both in advertising and internal communications.
When a politician repeats the same thing over and over, or uses a question on one subject as a launching point to talk about a different subject, he or she is said to be exercising message discipline. Message discipline is a difficult thing for politicians or other quotable people to achieve, because it may involve a subordination of irrelevant personal opinions, or a subordination of fluctuating desires to say what others want to hear versus maintaining an unwavering devotion to the message as it reaches out to greater numbers of potential audience members.
Message discipline is often practiced around wedge issues
Wedge issue
A wedge issue is a social or political issue, often of a divisive or otherwise controversial nature, which splits apart or creates a "wedge" in the support base of one political group...
. Going back to talking points (practicing message discipline) around issues such as same-sex marriage, or abortion rights can be a powerful weapon in the politician's arsenal, either clouding a difficult line of questioning from an interviewer, or motivating the candidates' base to vote. Key to defining wedge issues and practicing message discipline are the selection of terms that low-information voters will rally around.
In a business context, Message discipline is the practice of reducing and managing the number of messages going from headquarters and marketing functions to field organizations and front-line employees. This goal-oriented, structured, strategic communication, is believed to drive operational excellence in organizations, as it reduces the clutter and mixed messages that sometimes afflict communications through organizational layers.
See also
- Party line (politics)Party line (politics)In politics, the line or the party line is an idiom for a political party or social movement's canon agenda, as well as specific ideological elements specific to the organization's partisanship. The common phrase toeing the party line describes a person who speaks in a manner that conforms to his...
- Press conferenceNews conferenceA news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
- Hedge (linguistics)Hedge (linguistics)A hedge is a mitigating device used to lessen the impact of an utterance. Typically, they are adjectives or adverbs, but can also consist of clauses...
- Wedge issueWedge issueA wedge issue is a social or political issue, often of a divisive or otherwise controversial nature, which splits apart or creates a "wedge" in the support base of one political group...