---
title: "U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) | Intro PR"
description: "U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) was the World War II agency that used propaganda, media, and morale messaging, shaping modern public relations."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/introduction-public-relations/key-terms/us-office-of-war-information-owi"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Intro to Public Relations"
unit: "Unit 2"
---

# U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) | Intro PR

## Definition

The U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) was the World War II government agency that coordinated wartime messaging, propaganda, and morale campaigns through media. In Intro to Public Relations, it is a major example of how strategic communication can shape public opinion.

## What It Is

The U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) was the federal agency responsible for managing wartime information and public messaging during World War II. In Intro to Public Relations, you study it as an early model of large-scale strategic communication, where the government tried to shape opinion, behavior, and morale at the same time.

Created in 1942 and led by Elmer Davis, the OWI pulled together communication work that had been spread across different government offices. That mattered because wartime messaging was not just about sending facts. It was about making sure the public understood why the war mattered, stayed supportive, and acted in ways that helped the war effort.

The OWI used radio broadcasts, posters, films, newspapers, and publications to reach different audiences. Its messages encouraged Americans to buy war bonds, conserve resources, accept rationing, and trust the larger national effort. That is why it shows up in PR history, it is a clear example of audience targeting, message control, and media selection all happening under pressure.

The OWI also raises a big PR question that still comes up today, how do you persuade without crossing into manipulation? The agency wanted to present accurate information, but it also shaped stories to keep morale high and reduce panic. That tension between transparency and persuasion is one of the reasons the OWI is such a useful case in public relations history.

A lot of students confuse the OWI with simple wartime propaganda, but the PR angle is broader than that. It is not just about posters or slogans. It is about coordination, message consistency, channel choice, and crafting a public narrative that supports a specific goal. After the war, the OWI was dissolved in 1945, but its communication tactics influenced government messaging and modern PR practice.

## Why It Matters

The OWI matters because it shows how public relations can work on a national scale, not just for companies or brands. In Intro to Public Relations, it gives you a historical example of message strategy, stakeholder management, and media use all tied to a high-stakes public crisis.

It also helps you spot the difference between informing and persuading. The OWI shared information, but it did so with a clear agenda, building morale and encouraging wartime behavior like rationing and buying war bonds. That makes it a strong case for discussing ethics in PR, especially when an organization wants public trust but also wants to shape public action.

The OWI also connects to how PR channels are chosen. Radio, print, film, and posters each reached people differently, so the agency had to think about audience and message fit. That is the same basic logic you use when analyzing a modern campaign, whether it is a government announcement, a nonprofit appeal, or a brand crisis response.

## Connections

### Propaganda

The OWI used propaganda techniques, but not every message it released was pure falsehood. In PR, this term helps you think about persuasion that is designed to influence belief or behavior, especially during wartime. The OWI is a good example because it blended information, morale-building, and selective framing to support the war effort.

### Public Relations

The OWI sits inside PR history as a major example of strategic communication. It shows how a communicator can coordinate messages across media, shape public perception, and respond to a national issue. When you study PR as a profession, the OWI is one of the early cases that shows why planning and consistency matter.

### War Bonds

War bond campaigns were one of the clearest behavior goals tied to OWI messaging. The agency did not only want people to feel patriotic, it wanted them to spend money in a way that supported the war. That makes war bonds a useful example of how PR can push a specific public action, not just a general attitude.

### [U.S. Committee on Public Information (CPI)](/introduction-public-relations/key-terms/us-committee-on-public-information-cpi)

The CPI was the World War I predecessor that helped set the stage for later government messaging. The OWI built on similar ideas, but in a more organized World War II setting. Comparing the two helps you see how wartime communication became more coordinated and more closely tied to PR strategy over time.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz question might ask you to identify the OWI from a description of wartime media campaigns, or to explain how it used radio, posters, and film to shape public opinion. In an essay or short response, you may need to connect the OWI to propaganda, audience targeting, or ethics in public relations. If you are given a campaign example, look for the goal behind the message, not just the channel. Asking who the audience was, what behavior was encouraged, and how the message built morale is usually the right move.

## U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) vs U.S. Committee on Public Information (CPI)

The CPI and OWI are both U.S. wartime messaging agencies, but they belong to different world wars. The CPI was tied to World War I, while the OWI was created for World War II. If a question mentions Elmer Davis, radio, or World War II propaganda, that points to the OWI.

## Key Takeaways

- The U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) was the World War II agency that managed government messaging and public morale campaigns.
- In Intro to Public Relations, the OWI is a major historical example of strategic communication, audience targeting, and message coordination.
- Its campaigns used radio, film, print, and posters to encourage support for the war effort, including rationing and buying war bonds.
- The OWI also shows the tension between persuasion and free speech, which is a common ethics topic in PR.
- If you can explain what the OWI tried to make people think and do, you are already using the term the right way.

## FAQs

### What is U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) in Intro to Public Relations?

The OWI was the World War II government agency that coordinated wartime information and morale messaging. In PR history, it matters because it shows how a communicator can use media strategy to shape public opinion and behavior. It is one of the clearest early examples of government public relations in action.

### Is the OWI propaganda or public relations?

It is connected to both. The OWI used propaganda techniques, but in a public relations course you usually study it as a PR example because it involved planned messaging, audience targeting, and media coordination. The tricky part is that it also raises ethical questions about persuasion and truth.

### How did the OWI communicate with the public?

It used radio broadcasts, posters, films, newspapers, and publications. That mix helped the agency reach different audiences and repeat the same wartime message across channels. In PR terms, it is a strong example of choosing media to fit the audience.

### Why do PR classes study the OWI?

Because it shows how communication can be used to build support during a crisis. The OWI helps you see how strategy, message framing, and media choice work together. It also gives you a real case for talking about ethics, since wartime persuasion can blur the line between information and influence.

## Related Study Guides

- [2.2 Major Historical Events Shaping PR](/introduction-public-relations/unit-2/major-historical-events-shaping-pr/study-guide/S4IZRvU5KKB6RSQF)

## About This Document

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