The Rendon Group Responds to Inaccurate Reports

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- This statement is to correct the
misleading or inaccurate information reported in some major media and in some
blogs.

Inaccuracy: The Rendon Group was responsible for "selling the Iraq War."

The Rendon Group did not shape or do any PR leading up to the Iraq War. As
accurately reported by a number of news outlets (Associated Press) The Rendon
Group had no role in shaping US public opinion leading up to the Iraq war.
The Rendon Group had no relationship with the Iraqi National Congress or Ahmad
Chalabi in the several years immediately prior to the start of the Iraq War. A
DoD Inspector General investigation of our work product and contracts with the
US government (Summary, Full Report) found no evidence to support claims made
by the Rolling Stone article. Both the premise and the information in that
story were false.

Inaccuracy: The Rendon Group was involved with "an effort to have Iraqi
publications print articles written by military personnel."

TheRendon Group was never involved with this effort. That issue related to The
Lincoln Group (ABC,NYT, LAT). It has again been inaccurately ascribed to us in
recent reporting about Afghanistan.

Inaccuracy: The Rendon Group rated journalists for the US Department of
Defense.

The Rendon Group has not screened, made decisions or recommendations with
regard to who the military did or did not permit to conduct interviews or
allow to embed. We assumed any reporters we were asked to research would be
interviewing or embedding with the US Military. Apparently, as the USA Today
pointed out, of the 143 requests to the 101st Airborne Division, only two were
denied. Reportedly, the denials by the US Military were for inaccuracy and
release of classified information, and both of those media outlets were later
accepted. There is no evidence to support a charge that we directly or
indirectly screened or contributed to the creation of a blacklist.

Background information of the sort we provided is both appropriate and routine
for any sophisticated subject of media coverage, and particularly where the
mission includes earning and retaining the hearts and minds of the local
populace and maintaining the support of the international community, failing
to measure the effectiveness of one's past efforts and statements undermines
the mission.

USFOR-A Contract Facts

The same content analysis, measuring coverage of specific topics as reflected
in news reporting, was done on any and all statements made in the Afghan and
international media and we provided the same research and analysis on US
Military officials (pie charts, trend lines) as a way to measure the
effectiveness of their communications against the same mission objectives in
the journalist research that was cited. For example, we used the color red to
describe statements about Taliban actions. We used the color green to describe
the military talking about a weapons seizure. We did not single out
reporters in any way. They were but one of more than 41 filters by which the
data could be visualized. Our recommendations and strategic analysis in
support of strategic communications were based on statistical analysis of more
than 553,000 cited statements.

Background briefings on content generated by journalists comprised roughly 10%
of the work requested from us by the client. The vast majority of our work was
focused on wider analysis of the impact of operations on national, regional
and global media coverage against mission objectives as a function of content
analysis. This was used to provide critical feedback on measures of
effectiveness, attitudes and sentiments as reflected in the media (not
directed towards the reporter) and to track and measure perceptions of violent
extremist elements as reflected in the media (again not directed at the
reporter).

The Rendon Group competed for and won this work and was selected on the basis
of our experience and past performance. We were advised that the Government
cancelled this contract out of "convenience," not because we failed at any
time to provide them the critical services they requested of us on a 24/7
basis. The Rendon Group provided to the client what the client requested and
did so with distinction and accuracy and remains honored to have done so.

Contact
Bryan Rich
202-745-4900

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SOURCE The Rendon Group

Bryan Rich for The Rendon Group, +1-202-745-4900