The UK Department of International Trade has created a new chief media officer position, which will be responsible for handling the press and addressing what it believes to be false information about the country's post-Brexit trade policy
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2020) The UK Department of International Trade has created a new chief media officer position, which will be responsible for handling the press and addressing what it believes to be false information about the country's post-Brexit trade policy.
The position was created less than six months ahead of the UK's exit from the European Union's single market and custom's union, set for December 31, as the government is seeking to improve its relations with the media.
"As the Chief Media Officer - Trade Policy & Rebuttal, you will lead on media handling around the UK's future trade policy, devising proactive handling plans, dealing with lobby journalists on a daily basis, managing rapid rebuttal and combating fake news online," the advertisement on the Civil Service Jobs website said.
In particular, the new chief media officer is set to "brief and handle lobby journalists on high-profile reactive and proactive stories, and develop a programme of media briefings to shape stories," as well as give recommendations to ministers regarding reactive media handling, rebuttal and combating false information on social media.
Apart from the chief media officer, the department is also searching for a new director general for trade relations and implementation who will act as "an ambassador for UK trade policy at the highest levels" and be responsible for the department's multilateral trade agenda, including proposing candidates for future free trade agreements, according to The Economist jobs website.
The UK pulled out of the European Union on January 31, completing a process triggered by the Brexit referendum in June 2016. The country has until December 31 to renegotiate a range of agreements both with the bloc and other partners to ensure beneficial trade and cooperation after the transition period ends.
