re: Trump has lost my support for 2018 & 2020 - Lack of Transparency in Govt

Key Communicators. Key communicators are also a kind of target audience. They are individuals to whom members of a target audience turn for information, opinion, or interpretation of information.

Key communicator influence factors include credibility, appeal, and power and control. Credibility is the willingness of the target audience to accept what the communicator says as truth. Appeal is the combination of attractiveness (pleasing to the senses) and prestige (prominence) based upon success, renown, or wealth. Power and control is influence (ability to persuade) and access (ease and degree of contact.)

The relative importance of these influence factors will vary, but all of them must be present. Note that a prestigious person is not always a key communicator. He may occupy a position of authority and responsibility but uses someone else or others to communicate for him.

The two-step model of communication attempts to influence the key communicator. By properly targeting the key communicator (step 1), the PSYOP planner enlists the key communicator’s support, which enhances communication with the ultimate target audience (step 2). The initial targets of the PSYOP planner may be key communicators or opinion formers who have the potential and capability to persuade the ultimate target audience.