Analysis of the Media Coverage of the 9/11 Attack - Case Study Example

Analysis of the Visual/Media Coverage of the 9/11 Attack

Introduction

Visual communication is a form of communication that entails the use of visual aids. In visual communication, the main tool is vision. Meaning, one has to involve the use of eyes. The use of visual aids can enable the recipient to read or see the message. Visual communication involves the use of drawings, color, illustrations, graphic designs, paintings, and electronic sources. For visual communication to serve its right purpose, it must be utilized properly. That can happen through the application of appropriate theoretical frameworks, approaches, and strategies. Media is one of the entities that use visual communication to deliver a message. Visual communication has become popular because it creates a visual appeal to the audience. The 9/11 Attack is one of the events that attracted huge media coverage both from within and out of the country. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the media coverage of the 9/11 Attack.

About the 9/11 Attack

9/11 Attack is a terrorist incident that took place in the USA on September 11, 2001. During this incident, something terrible happened in the USA. The Al Qaeda-linked terrorists hijacked a plane and used it to bomb the World Trade Center. The attack remains in the memory of many Americans because of many reasons. One, it was an incident that no one could ever think about. For a very long time, the USA had been so vigilant to the extent that people thought it could not face such terrorist attacks. Two, the incident brought a massive loss to the country. Many people lost lives, got wounds, and lost property. Official figures demonstrate that there were 25,000 injuries as well as 2,977 deaths. The other reason why the incident remains popular is because of media coverage. Although this was a disaster that came abruptly, the media covered it a lot. The coverage was significant because it disseminated information to the public and also documented the attack for future reference.

Media Coverage

The USA is a country that has strong media. The government and the private sector have invested in mass media. Because of this, the country now has many media houses that deal with print, broadcast, and electronic media. The broadcast media comprises of the television (TV) and radio. TV and radio have become so popular with many people. Each day, millions of Americans watch TV and listen to the radio. That happens because these media platforms broadcast content rich in the news, information, education, entertainment. Whenever any incident occurs in the country, these media platforms broadcast it.

Media played a fundamental role during the 9/11 Attack. There is enough evidence to prove that the media helped capture the events that took place during the entire period of the attack. Since the attack was a global event, it attracted the attention of the local and international media houses. Each of the media houses tried its level best to capture the incident in the best way possible. Media personnel is always aggressive. The aggression arises because each media house aspires to spread the news to the largest number of potential audiences. That is the same thing that happened during this incident. When the news of the event broke, many media houses had to send their crew to the scene to cover it and get first-hand information on exactly what had befallen the country. The incident was covered not only by journalists from the media houses but also by individuals and freelance journalists. Each of these stakeholders had important contributions to make towards the coverage of the attack.

Some of the big media houses that covered the incident are the Cable Network News (CNN), American Broadcasting News (ABN), Fox News, Good Day New York, CBS, MTV, VH1, ESPN2, and ESPN. The media houses covered the incident in different ways. The first way through which coverage happened is that the crew used live feeds from the scene. Through this, the audience got to enjoy the events in the scene in real-time as they occurred. That was quite fulfilling because the public got to acquire first-hand information on what was happening at the scene. Apart from this, some media houses did not broadcast live, but edited versions of the coverage. Through this, the audience got to view what had happened, but from the news and video editors' perspective. All these efforts were commendable because they helped in informing the members of the public. So, even if not everyone was present at the scene, they got an opportunity to acclimatize themselves with whatever transpired.

The media coverage was of great significance. There are many benefits that it brought to the Americans. First, people got to acquire reliable information on what happened before, during, and after the attack. Information is a powerful tool that the media takes seriously. An informed society is a healthy society. Therefore, by using their resources to cover the incident, the media helped the people know the ordeal that had befallen the nation. The other benefit of the media coverage is that it helped in the investigation of the incident. Terrorism is an act of crime. Whenever it happens, it causes massive destruction and losses. Therefore, as the powerful organ in the land, the government needs to serve justice to the victims. That can only happen if the perpetrators and organizers are brought to book. For this to happen, enough evidence is necessary. That is exactly what the media helped to do. Last but not least, media coverage was essential because it helped in the documentation of the incident. Documentation is good because it can be reserved for usage for many years to come.

The use of Visual Communication in the Coverage of the 9/11 Attack

There is enough evidence that the 9/11 Attack got a wide coverage from the media. The incident got the attention of the local media houses and the international broadcasts that did not send their crews to the scene but relied on the feeds from others. Apart from the use of audio communication, media houses made proper use of visual communication aids. That was necessary because most media houses rely on visual and audio-visual communication techniques. Hence, to achieve this, the journalists resorted to the use of photographs and videos.

The journalists extensively used photographs during the coverage of this event. Photography has been one of the most popular tools in media. The pictures helped in the capturing of still images from the scene. Still, image is a picture or a snap of what happens at a particular time. The image is not in motion. Many photos were taken on September 11 and after that. Journalists took some of these pictures. Others were taken by non-journalists and other freelancers who were present at the scene. Some of the most popular photographs are the Impending Death, the Falling Man, the Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, and Dust Lady. Since these pictures were shot at different times, each of them contains different information. However, all these pictures remain useful because they show what happened at the scene. The benefit of these pictures is that they create a visual appeal. The eyes can view them so well. At the same time, they carry meaning because most of them tend to be self-explanatory.

Videography is the other visual aid that played a prominent role in the capturing of the incident. The journalists and other witnesses took various video clips during the entire period. Video differ from photography because it captures pictures in motion. The video clips show the events that preceded the attack, the events that occurred during the actual attack, and what transpired. Some of the leading video clips for the incident include the ones for Officer Glenn Pettit, Czech tourists, German artists, French filmmakers (Gedeon Naudet and Jules), Mark LaGanga, and Caroline Dries. Each of these photographers took the visual images of the incident as it occurred, and soon after that. The video clips were so essential because they helped in filming the event as it unfolded. The video clips act as first-hand evidence for the attack. The viewers could use them to know whatever happened to the building immediately before, during, and after the attack. The videos give the images of the planes, falling walls, escaping individuals, the injured, and the dead. The visual images from these video clips are appealing to the audiences.

The Applications of the Theories of Visual Communication in the Interpretation of the Visualizations

Visual communication is a strategy that helps in the communication process. Apart from verbal and non-verbal communication, people can use visual aids to communicate with one another. Different theories can help in understanding the concept of visual communication. Two of the leading theories are sensual theories and perceptual theories. Each of these theories is useful because it can enable the audience to have a deeper understanding of the visual aid. For example, for people to have a proper understanding of artwork, they have to apply appropriate theories. Otherwise, it might be easy to misinterpret and lose the right meaning. Although Pablo was not concerned about these theories, they still play a significant role in comprehending his artwork.

The use of Sensual Theories

According to sensual theories, visual communication entails what the eye can see. The message is visualized because it is the eye that sees it. Here, the mind has no role to play in the determination or interpretation of the meaning. Once the eye does that, it can create a meaning depending on what it sees. Sensual theories of visual communication have been in use for so many years. The theories are mainly two-constructivism and Gestalt.

It is Max Wertheimer, who originated the gestalt theory. According to Max, the comprehension of visual messages depends on the eye. The eye acts as a sensory organ that detects a change in visual stimuli. After identifying the visual stimuli, the eyes then transmit the message to the brain, which is part of the Central Nervous System (CNS). The brain then develops a perception that finally becomes the meaning. Perception is not the individual sensual element s, but the overall combination of all the available sensations. That means that Gestalt operates by grouping the individual elements, not viewing them as distinct parts of a whole. The grouping process occurs due to the influences of continuation, proximity, simplicity, ground, closure, common fate, and similarity. The way the sensual theories operate can make them effective in understanding the meaning of a visual message.

The sensual theories can be effective in the analysis of the meaning of all the videos and photographs. When the creators created the visual aids, they had a particular message to pass to his audience. However, just like any other artist, these people had no time to explain the visuals' meaning. So, it is upon the audience to view the visuals and deduce a meaning for themselves. Visualization is one of the strategies that can help achieve this as it allows viewers to concentrate on whatever they see. Through visualization, one gets to acquire the right impression of what the painting is all about. A thorough view of the visuals shows that they have a wide range of components. There are many objects which they had incorporated in them all. Each of these objects has a physical outlook and impression, which suggests what the creators intended to communicate.

Visual theories can be instrumental in the delivery of the message of suffering. The theme of suffering is evident in all the visual images, including the Impending Death, the Falling Man, the Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, and Dust Lady. In each of these visuals, there are images of suffering people. For example, there is a photograph of a man falling from the top of the house in the Falling Man. From the physical outlook, there is no doubt that this man died. In the Dust Lady, there is an image of a woman who is trapped inside the debris. The woman is crying because of suffering. The presence of the grieving people shows that there was some form of suffering in visual aids. The injured, dead, and wailing people is a clear justification that people were unhappy about what had been happening to them. People do not wail if they are not angered or suffering in away. So, by seeing such images, there is no doubt that something terrible had happened. It appears that someone might have attacked the people and caused massive destruction. All these are enough to show that the people had been mourning the death of their loved ones. All these interpretations are on the visual images in the visuals.

All these meanings arise from the visual aid as a result of viewing the visuals that creators had incorporated in it. It means that the viewers do not unnecessarily have to use their minds to analyze the painting. Instead, they can deduce the meaning by simply looking at each of the visual aids' images. That is possible because of the relation of the images to the viewers' understanding and experiences. The viewer simply needs to concentrate on the visual elements of the visual aid. It is the visualizations that help in the creation of meaning in the brain. That implies that the brain does not work in isolation but has to rely on the visual sensors' impulses.

The use of Perceptual Theories

Perceptual theories differ from the sensual theories because they tend to focus on the brain. According to the perceptual theories, the meaning of visual aid is not in its physical appearance but the brain's understanding. Two of the leading perceptual theories of communication are cognitive and semiotic theories. The theories state that a visual aid has a meaning that can only be comprehended by the brain. The human brain is a powerful organ that plays a significant role in the body. The brain has got organs and cells which control virtually everything that people do.

The theories can be effective in the understanding of the meaning of the visuals. That is because the theory creates room for analysis and synthesis of the visuals. The photograph is an artwork that does not have a direct and superficial meaning. Like any other artwork, painting has a hidden meaning that might be quite challenging to interpret and understand accurately. The visuals are open to interpretation because it does not have a particular meaning. So, the best way to understand the photos and video clips is by interpreting them. An accurate interpretation can provide the right insight into the exact meaning. Although the creators produced the visuals for a purpose, they did not only have one particular meaning. The best way the visuals can get a sense is by allowing the audience to interpret it in their way. For this to happen, the audience has to use their critical minds. Meaning they must synthesize, analyze, and critically think about it as much as possible.

The perceptual theories are appropriate because they can help create the meaning of visual aids for the event. The benefit of this theory is that it allows the audience to take part in the interpretation of visual aids. The communicators do produce visuals aids but not necessarily give them meaning. The deeper meaning of a visual aid can come from the viewers. That is why picture and video is an emotional creation that requires individual comprehension and interpretation. For that to happen, one needs to apply the principles of perceptual theories. The theories can be effective because they create room for individual interpretation. However, for this to happen, one needs to study the symbols and accurately link them to the cultural setting for the visuals. That is the same approach that should apply when handling all the visual communication aids.

Conclusion

Visual communication is a form of communication that serves an important purpose. The use of visual aids appeals to the eyes of the viewers. Therefore, the meaning of visual aids can be determined by the eyes and the brain as well. The eye can interpret the meaning by associating it with what is already known. That is what the sensual theorists argue about. The eye can be right because it can accurately interpret the meaning of the artwork. The superficial meaning of any artwork is in its physical appearance. The other way visual communication can get a meaning is through the use of perceptual theories. According to these theories, the meaning of an artwork is open to individual interpretation. That means that the audience also has an opportunity to give meaning to the visual aids for the 9/11 Attack. As a visual communication aid, the video clips and photographs have two sets of meanings because the proponents of the sensual and perceptual theories view it differently.

Some of the big media houses that covered the incident are the Cable Network News (CNN), American Broadcasting News (ABN), Fox News, Good Day New York, CBS, MTV, VH1, ESPN2, and ESPN. The media houses covered the incident in different ways. The first way through which coverage happened is that the crew used live feeds from the scene. Through this, the audience got to enjoy the events in the scene in real-time as they occurred. That was quite fulfilling because the public got to acquire first-hand information on what was happening at the scene. Apart from this, some media houses did not broadcast live, but edited versions of the coverage. Through this, the audience got to view what had happened, but from the news and video editors' perspective. All these efforts were commendable because they helped in informing the members of the public. So, even if not everyone was present at the scene, they got an opportunity to acclimatize themselves with whatever transpired.

The media coverage was of great significance. There are many benefits that it brought to the Americans. First, people got to acquire reliable information on what happened before, during, and after the attack. Information is a powerful tool that the media takes seriously. An informed society is a healthy society. Therefore, by using their resources to cover the incident, the media helped the people know the ordeal that had befallen the nation. The other benefit of the media coverage is that it helped in the investigation of the incident. Terrorism is an act of crime. Whenever it happens, it causes massive destruction and losses. Therefore, as the powerful organ in the land, the government needs to serve justice to the victims. That can only happen if the perpetrators and organizers are brought to book. For this to happen, enough evidence is necessary. That is exactly what the media helped to do. Last but not least, media coverage was essential because it helped in the documentation of the incident. Documentation is good because it can be reserved for usage for many years to come.

The use of Visual Communication in the Coverage of the 9/11 Attack

There is enough evidence that the 9/11 Attack got a wide coverage from the media. The incident got the attention of the local media houses and the international broadcasts that did not send their crews to the scene but relied on the feeds from others. Apart from the use of audio communication, media houses made proper use of visual communication aids. That was necessary because most media houses rely on visual and audio-visual communication techniques. Hence, to achieve this, the journalists resorted to the use of photographs and videos.

The journalists extensively used photographs during the coverage of this event. Photography has been one of the most popular tools in media. The pictures helped in the capturing of still images from the scene. Still, image is a picture or a snap of what happens at a particular time. The image is not in motion. Many photos were taken on September 11 and after that. Journalists took some of these pictures. Others were taken by non-journalists and other freelancers who were present at the scene. Some of the most popular photographs are the Impending Death, the Falling Man, the Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, and Dust Lady. Since these pictures were shot at different times, each of them contains different information. Read More