Defense Media Activities Will Hire Fewer Maryland Workers Than Expected

The head of Defense Media Activities (DMA) said the agency will likely hire half as many Maryland workers as originally expected when he addressed local business leaders at Kaufmann’s Tavern Tuesday morning.

The monthly breakfast held by the West County Chamber of Commerce had a larger attendance than usual thanks to the presence of guest speaker Roger King, executive director of the DMA. Businessmen and women listened as King outlined what he called, “a boutique outfit,” due to its relatively small size in comparison to other additions to Fort Meade.

The DMA is a communications agency within the Department of Defense, King said.

“We package ideas, news and communication for the Department of Defense and its leaders to the soldiers,” he said.

The DMA oversees eight television channels, 12 radio stations and about 650 websites, all related to the military’s efforts of connecting with soldiers and keeping the public informed. It employs about 2,500 people.

Five years ago, the DMA, which was previously based in Texas, planned to use Maryland workers to fill around 40 percent of its necessary positions as it moved to Fort Meade, King said. At the time, expectations were that many Texas workers would not relocate to Maryland.

However, the negative downturn in the job market changed the minds of many in DMA's Texas workforce, with many relocating to Maryland to keep their jobs. Now only about 20 to 25 percent of the positions will be filled by local hires, King said.

On Aug. 1, the DMA plans to launch the Pentagon Channel, a public channel that covers military news.

The agency is also broadcasts more light-hearted programming, ranging from the NFL to Dancing with the Stars. King said the goal is to give soldiers “a touch of home.” Anytime a viewer sees a “Hi Mom,” during a major televised event, the DMA is involved, he said.

After discussing the agency’s goals and methods of operation, business leaders were quick to ask questions about advertising through the colossal media platform. However, due to the fact that everything the DMA does is government funded, advertising slots for television shows, news and sports look quite different than what most are used to seeing on regular TV.

Commercials are replaced with military news, tips and other information that can benefit soldiers and their families. King said announcements like tax completion tips and other practical messages are sent during traditional breaks in shows or news.

The business leaders inquired about sponsorship ideas, outsourcing certain needs of the agency and much more, but King left earlier than usual due to more employee arrivals at Fort Meade.

King concluded by saying he was pleased with the interest of local business.

“You’re a lot more engaged with me than the new employees are,” he said.