It is an activity initiated for the purpose of the transmission of challenging ideas, the channeling of attitude and the reexamination of values. Later in the course we shall examine the Nazi experience and contribution to propaganda. This tapping, by the propagandist, of an already existing stream of thought will become clearer, as will the potential effect of propaganda. Success is not relevant to a definition of propaganda, nor is unsuccessful propaganda a contradiction in terms. For propaganda is the intentional channeling of public attitude, value and belief to create or change a public opinion desired by the propagandist.
Propaganda is essentially a public affair.
Propaganda is determined white when the recipient is cognizant of the derivation of the propaganda and the content is generally accurate. White propaganda generally seeks to reemphasize the virtues of the ideology of the propaganda's source. For example, the BBC World Service could be considered white propaganda as it perceives itself as not only a news source but the voice of Britain. As we shall discuss later in this course, CNN coverage of the Gulf War quite often moved over into the gray area. Black propaganda often takes the form of disinformation.