The Relationship between Media and Terrorism - Term Paper Example

Is media glorifying terror and terrorists by giving them preferential coverage? There is no denying fact that different media forms are used for different purposes as no particular medium can accomplish all the objectives. And for this a well-planned strategy is very important because it gives the effective and efficient way to deal the subject. My topic for research is very much related to all forms of media: Is media glorifying terror and terrorists by giving both preferential coverage? Media is truly called the fourth estate of democracy and is a bridge connecting common people with the government or policy makers. Terrorism always exists in the world from the day of its creation. Only the faces of terrorism keep changing with the passing of days. The relationship between media and terrorism has not being clearly identified as terrorists often manipulate media to meet their need. Terrorism is a particular type of violence and certainly not politically motivated. It has some distinguishing features: to create a climate of extreme fear; to target wider target then the immediate victims; to influence the political behavior of governments, communities or specific social groups. (Schmid and Jongman, 1988, pp. 1-32.) Relationship between Media and Terrorism Terrorists attempt to spread terror among a wider target and so they chose different media forms to transmit their information. There are many historical examples that clearly show the use of media modern mass media to spread terrorism. On the other hand mass media organizations cover prolonged terrorism acts such as hijackings, hostage situations and so on to provide an endless source of sensational and visually compelling news stories that boosts the audience/readership rates. Media reporting of these events caused the terrorism. Modern media technology, communications satellites and the rapid spread television have boosted the publicity of terrorism. In other words by covering such acts media actually glorifies the terrorism. (Schmid and Graaf, 1982.) This establishes a symbiotic relationship between terrorism and media. It is true that free media does not represent terrorist values as they tend to reflect the underlying values of the democratic society. But at the same time growing competition in the business media in an open society are struggling to gain more audiences, readership. They are under constant pressure to be first with the news and to provide more information, excitement and entertainment before their rivals. This makes them to respond to terrorist propaganda. (Schimd & Graaf 1982.) For terrorist media is entirely cynical and opportunistic as they view the media's expressed concern for the protecting human life as mere hypocrisy and sentimentality. Terrorists always propagate absolute justice or righteousness of their cause based on either secular ideology or religious faith. (Tugwell, 1981 pp. 13-40) This clearly states the symbiotic nature of the relationship between terrorist and media. It is evident from the recent history of terrorism in many democratic nations that terrorists thrive on the oxygen of publicity. It does not establish that democratic media share the values of the terrorists. It is well-known fact that media in free society are vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. (Schmid , 1989, pp.549) Repetition of terrorist acts glorifies terrorism After the attack on World Trade Centre media, radio, print and TV, from all over the world repeated the horror of twin towers collapse and the videotape of Osama Bin Laden. This kind of coverage always glorifies terrorism. According to analysts’ terrorism is 10 percent bang while the 90 percent is an echo effect composed of media hysteria. The repetition of the WTC attack made the American more afraid of jihadists than ever before. Repetitive playing of terrorist act invokes emotional mayhem of the people who were trying to cope amidst overwhelming horror, disbelief, and fear. In pursuit of better rating the media showed little sensitivity. However, these kinds of report do not pay much attention to the victims. (Goldman, 1977, pp.25) It is a feature of democracy that every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and information. Media censorship is not the answer to this problem as the censor of news of violence fuels the climate of fear. But the media can restraint the aftershock news as this would cut the publicity of terrorism. The over coverage of terrorist acts only grant terrorist a warrior status. (Simon Jenkins, The Guardian, September 8, 2006) Pakistan government recently warned media not to glorify terrorists as heroes. The government announced to take stern action under anti-terrorism laws if the media field to do so. Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid states that the terrorists want to live by the media by exploiting and manipulating it. According to Rashid warning media does not mean to curb the freedom of press. (Daily Times, 2004.) Farah Mendlesohn in her book, Glorifying Terrorism, explained that the constant repetition of any terrorist act different viewpoint or attitudes came formed within the stories, which has no importance but it forced the reader or audience to think more, to imagine more, to empathize, and this would bring more questions rather than what has happened. (Farah, 2006, pp.2687) Social effects of glorifying terrorism The act of terrorism is often tied to social interests, outer determining causes or similar entities. In developed country like America most of the consumers use multiple forms of media at a time. According to the Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM), conducted by BIG research in 2003, new technologies boost the multiple forms of media consumption in a big way. This increases the quest for mindshare and influence to become as important as the quest for audience mass and brand awareness. (Resse, 1990 pp. 394) While covering an act of terrorism media do not expressed its own view as detached observers. Media has all the right to present a truthful account of what's out there. The media are free to make moral judgments. (Resse, 1990 pp. 394) Media always accused of being the terrorist's best friend. Media's coverage of terrorist events creates a climate of public support, apathy or anger. In the past few years media's role in bringing out terrorist events was problematic and irresponsible and thus evoking criticism and antagonizing the authorities. (Rubin and Friedland, 1986, pp.4) The media are expected not to report the words of terrorists instead it should exercise some judgment and scrutinize the terrorist's messages. There is a wide difference between covering news and providing platform to the terrorists to declare their agenda. (Goldman, 1977) The very recent broadcast of the videotape of Virginia Tech killer aroused fear and insecurity in the campus. The killer’s video clearly established the fact that the deranged person wanted attention and so he made such video before going for shooting spree in the campus. This is no only a publicity stunt but a serious threat that needs to be answer immediately. Showing such video on TV only glorifies the killers but the media should focus on the victims and the public policy issues that came out of the events. Unlike other media CBC handle the whole issue differently. There are debates going around about media’s responsibility to know when it is in the public interest not to disclose information. It is obvious that public doesn’t need or want the level of coverage of disturbing events that media provide in order to exploit public curiosity. Media’s decision to show the act of terrorism can have clear and immediate impacts on the public. Role and responsibility of media regarding its coverage of terrorist acts The globalization of media and communication has made the sector a powerful agent which can transform the social, cultural and political structures of any nation. The commercialization of media has increased its capacity to participate in the political process and the integrity of the public sphere. The main role that media must play in a free society is to respect democracy, human rights and economics, social and cultural needs. (Schmid & Graaf, 1982) Media is definitely influence the society through its approach towards terrorism. Glorifying the acts of terrorism only serves to motivate others to repeat patterns. Media are now taking steps to motivate everyone to look things with a different perspective that might be useful for society. The presentation of the events should be done for creating awareness or for educational purposes. It is high time for media to turn things around and focus on the needs of society. (Farah, 2006) Presentation of any terrorist act on different media generates distinct impact. Broadcast medium offers highly scripted version of the news in a very limited time, while print medium also go under tight script and deadline. Both the medium has editorial judgment to play an important role. Here the universal satisfaction is hardly possible as it is difficult to distill the news of the world each day into a brief report at the time keeping the interest of the all the people. It is clear that there is a thin line between editorial judgment and censorship. (Tugwell, 1981, pp.13-40) On the other hand the web media is free from the deadlines and distill everything into a brief sound bites but rather able to provide the foot-notes and appendices to the "news". By giving all the details of the victims as well as the terrorists the media is doing its job. Certainly media makes no decision of its own regarding the act on the contrary it gives all the details and let the people to decide. The media is supposed to be the eyes and ears of the people and protect them from the misuse of the power by the governments. At present the integrity of the media is influenced by the power of advertisers, the ideology of owners, the attitudes of editors, and the personal bent of reporters. There is no place for objectivity and high idealism in media. (Schmid, 1989) There are some media that maintain a balanced and unbiased perspective. The recent coverage of Virginia Tech incident by NBC is a good example of that. Temptation to make a scoop to boost ratings and advertising revenues kept aside social responsibility and integrity of the media. And if it continues then media will soon become the public relation office for terrorists, corrupt government and egoist in the society. The media is rightly called the watchdog of democracy but it now heading towards an entertainer of society. If this continues then our society would suffer. Virginia Tech story was a local tragedy not an international event but media from all over the world blows the story out of proportion. McLuhan theory As per McLuhan, the influential thinker on the influence of new media on society, the medium is the message. He states that the way general public think is determined by he proportionate relationship of the senses. He says all media technologies were the extensions of our senses and central nervous system. Modern society directly influenced by the printing press which favors the visual sense. (McLuhan 1964/1965, p. 86.) According to McLuhan when we receive information through sound and images of radio and television, it forces us to be compassionate abut things that happen to people in faraway countries. McLuhan says with electronic media the world has become a global village and a better place where everybody cares for each other. (McLuhan 1964/1965) McLuhan's theory states that the influence of media is total, immediate, all-encompassing and irreversible, which means human beings are absolved from responsibility for their actions. McLuhan's theory states that all media operations are in effect de-socialized; they are simply physical events in an abstract sensorium. (McLuhan 1964/1965, pp. 127) As per McLuhan theory technological creativity in media allow the terrorists to handle and execute their acts even in broader way to make the impact felt by one and all. In other words the advancement in media makes it easy for the terrorists to exploit all the opportunity to make their act legitimate. (McLuhan 1964/1965) Latour’s literary theory The literary theory of Latour advocates the linguistic model to differentiate form and substance. According to Latour the substance cannot have any significance without linguistic forms. His theory states that substance has to take on form of expression and of content to establish significance. This theory is very much true as far as the media is concern. Media covering terrorist acts are paying more attention to the form of expression and of content so that a powerful substance could be created. This eventually affects the society and makes the whole event an act of heroism. (Latour, 1999) The story of Daniel Pearl abduction and murder, covering of Chechen rebels, and the recent broadcast of LTTE’s bombing in Sri Lanka with sophisticated weapons are some of the fine examples of glorification of the act of terrorism through the use of new technology. As per Latour’s theory media’s role is of social agents, which analyzes and interpret their social context regarding the coverage of some terrorist act. Media negotiate between different contexts of the terrorist acts and try to build isotopes connecting them in order to define the meaning and development of the incidents. (Latour, 1999) Conclusion As we know that media is a powerful platform to communicate the whole world at a time. The different forms of media make it more easy and cheap to communicate and spread the message. Since terrorists' own organ of propaganda has very limited circulation they largely depend on mass media's coverage of their attacks, which made them a kind of hero. Mass media's coverage of terrorism in broad way actually serves the need of terrorists to communicate their ideology among members and sympathetic groups. Through mass media they communicate a threat to the wider society. (Schmid & Jongman, 1988 pp.1-32) To influence the mass media and reach a wider public the terrorist organizations frequently used the technique of creation of terrorist events and armed propaganda. This gives terrorists huge publicity and portrays them as a powerful force difficult to resist. To stop the glorification of terrorism media should cultivate a sound and effective public opinion against such acts. Besides there are other ways for media in a democracy serve to frustrate the aims of terrorists. It is obvious that the glorification of terrorism present the terrorists as noble Robin Hoods. Instead media should show the savage cruelty of terrorists' violence and the way in which they violate the rights of the innocent. Accurate reporting of terrorist incidents can create public awareness like suspicious persons, behavior, or unattended packets. Media also provide an indispensable forum for debate concerning social and political implications of terrorism. Latour's theory states that the media is best mediator because the mass media help the people to know about the world. Media should be accountable for the consequences of their coverage and they should not jeopardize human life and should cooperate with the government when human lives are at stake by glorifying any act of terror. Media should refrain from using sensational headlines, inflammatory words, repletion of photos from bloody scenes and the like. There should no be any speculations from media about terrorists' plans, government response, hostages' messages and other concerns. It should refrain from broadcasting live terrorist incidents and editor should scrutinize the coverage before going on air. (Schmid & Jongman, 1988 pp.1-32) The above discussion reveals that media are highly vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by terrorists but at the same time media also contribute invaluable help to the defeat of terrorism. But media need some kind of self regulation for the sake of society. Work Cited Alex P. Schmid, 1989, Terrorism and the Media: The Ethnics of Publicity, pp.539-565. Latour, Bruno, 1999, Pandora's Hope, Boston and London: Harvard University Press. McLuhan, M.,1964/1965, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, McGraw-Hill Paperback Edition,Torono: McGraw Hill. Jeffer Z. Rubin and Nehemian Friedland, 1986, Theatre of Terror, Psychology Today, March 1986, pp.4. Stephen D. Resse, 1990, The News Paradigm and the Ideology of Objectivity: A Socialist at the Wall Street Journal, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Vol.7 pp.394. Mendlesohn, Farah, 2006, Glorifying Terrorism, pp.2687. Pakistan, Daily Times, 2004. Simon Jenkins, The Guardian, September 8, 2006. Peter Goldman et al, 1977, The delicate art of handling terrorists, Newsweek, March 21, p.25. Maurice Tugwell, 1981, Politics and Propaganda of the Provisional IRA, British Perspectives on Terrorism, London: George Alien and Unwin, pp. 13-40. Alex Schmid and Janny de Graaf, 1982, Communication: Insurgent Terrorism and the Western News Media, Bevelry Hill, CA: Sage. Alex P. Schmid and Albert J. Jongman, 1988, Political Terrorism: A New Guide to Actors, Authros, Concepts, Data Bases, Theories and Literature, Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing, pp. 1-32. Read More

It is evident from the recent history of terrorism in many democratic nations that terrorists thrive on the oxygen of publicity. It does not establish that democratic media share the values of the terrorists. It is well-known fact that media in free society are vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. (Schmid , 1989, pp.549) Repetition of terrorist acts glorifies terrorism After the attack on World Trade Centre media, radio, print and TV, from all over the world repeated the horror of twin towers collapse and the videotape of Osama Bin Laden.

This kind of coverage always glorifies terrorism. According to analysts’ terrorism is 10 percent bang while the 90 percent is an echo effect composed of media hysteria. The repetition of the WTC attack made the American more afraid of jihadists than ever before. Repetitive playing of terrorist act invokes emotional mayhem of the people who were trying to cope amidst overwhelming horror, disbelief, and fear. In pursuit of better rating the media showed little sensitivity. However, these kinds of report do not pay much attention to the victims.

(Goldman, 1977, pp.25) It is a feature of democracy that every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and information. Media censorship is not the answer to this problem as the censor of news of violence fuels the climate of fear. But the media can restraint the aftershock news as this would cut the publicity of terrorism. The over coverage of terrorist acts only grant terrorist a warrior status. (Simon Jenkins, The Guardian, September 8, 2006) Pakistan government recently warned media not to glorify terrorists as heroes.

The government announced to take stern action under anti-terrorism laws if the media field to do so. Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid states that the terrorists want to live by the media by exploiting and manipulating it. According to Rashid warning media does not mean to curb the freedom of press. (Daily Times, 2004.) Farah Mendlesohn in her book, Glorifying Terrorism, explained that the constant repetition of any terrorist act different viewpoint or attitudes came formed within the stories, which has no importance but it forced the reader or audience to think more, to imagine more, to empathize, and this would bring more questions rather than what has happened.

(Farah, 2006, pp.2687) Social effects of glorifying terrorism The act of terrorism is often tied to social interests, outer determining causes or similar entities. In developed country like America most of the consumers use multiple forms of media at a time. According to the Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM), conducted by BIG research in 2003, new technologies boost the multiple forms of media consumption in a big way. This increases the quest for mindshare and influence to become as important as the quest for audience mass and brand awareness.

(Resse, 1990 pp. 394) While covering an act of terrorism media do not expressed its own view as detached observers. Media has all the right to present a truthful account of what's out there. The media are free to make moral judgments. (Resse, 1990 pp. 394) Media always accused of being the terrorist's best friend. Media's coverage of terrorist events creates a climate of public support, apathy or anger. In the past few years media's role in bringing out terrorist events was problematic and irresponsible and thus evoking criticism and antagonizing the authorities.

(Rubin and Friedland, 1986, pp.4) The media are expected not to report the words of terrorists instead it should exercise some judgment and scrutinize the terrorist's messages. There is a wide difference between covering news and providing platform to the terrorists to declare their agenda. (Goldman, 1977) The very recent broadcast of the videotape of Virginia Tech killer aroused fear and insecurity in the campus. The killer’s video clearly established the fact that the deranged person wanted attention and so he made such video before going for shooting spree in the campus.

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