Joint Media Operations Team

The Joint Media Operations Team (JMOT) provide a Regular, standing, high readiness, Tri-service, deployable Media Operations capability, which are able to facilitate media visits to operational theatres, as well as gathering stills photos and video in areas where it is not deemed safe to take civilians. The team of 10 comprise a planning cell, Combat Camera Team (CCT), covering both stills photography and broadcast-quality video capability, escort officers, administrative support and drivers. A deployable Press Information Centre (PIC) can be set up and run, where required.

JMOTs provide the means for journalists to get to the heart of a story out on the ground and, where the security situation allows, the CCT will get the images that the journalists cannot. The teams are trained and equipped to high military standards and are supported by a dedicated Logisitcs Support Wing based at Beaconsfield. Working in support of both the UK’s Joint Rapid Reaction Force and Military Aid to Civil Authority tasks, they respond to directives from the MOD and also work to assist other government departments such as the FCO and DfiD.

Deployment - To be able to deploy at short notice, the JMOT maintains elements on high readiness. Typically, a JMOT will deploy either at the start of a new military operation, or at the start of a major new phase to an operation. The JMOT will work in support of British troops on the ground, British government organisations, and foreign organisations that are working as part of a Coalition with the UK.

Operational Experience - The members of the JMOT have built up a range of experience since inception. Several deployments have taken place to Iraq and Afghanistan to deal with the national and international media for major events in both theatres. The Iraqi Referendum and both sets of elections were covered by a JMOT, with the team embedded in both the British and the US Embassies, deploying staff out to locations in Hillah, Fallujah, Mosul and Tal Afar with the US State Department for the duration of the event. JMOTs have deployed to Afghanistan to cover the elections and to support both NATO’s ISAF and HQ BRITFOR in Kabul, as well as the expansion into Helmand province. Elements of the JMOT also deployed on Op BRACKEN in support of the 1 Black Watch BG deployment to Camp Dogwood, Fallujah, and to Srebrenica in support of EUFOR for the 10th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre. An element of a JMOT covered Op MATURIN, the UK’s support to the Pakistan Earthquake relief effort. More recently the focus has been on media support in Southern Afghanistan including a CCT capturing images on Op Panther's Claw.

Non-Operational Experience - When not deployed on operations, JMOTs have supported events where there is a strong media interest within the UK, such as the Royal Navy’s Trafalgar 200 Celebrations and the Commemoration Events to mark the 60th Anniversary of World War 2. At the EU Defence Ministers’ Conference in 2006, the team set up and ran a deployable PIC, accredited all press, provided planning support and utilised the CCT to collate imagery for the national media.

Defence
Media
Operations
Centre

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