Terrorism and the Media

Abstract

This research paper focuses on the relationship of media with the terrorism. The paper aims to discover the facts, assumptions, and theories in discussion about how the media impacts the terrorist and why this discussion is important to depict the future consequences that may arise because of the media has been used as tool of awareness by terrorists. The importance of the topic is obvious for the government, journalists, academics, politicians, international organizations, analysts, media workers, and citizens of US, so the study provides relevant facts as well as an analysis of the important findings learnt from their perceptions and observations.

Terrorism and the Media

Introduction

In every democratic society the cornerstone of media is based on its freedom. There are several conflicting issues within the relationship of media and terrorism. These conflicting issues emerge the sequence of questions regarding the reliability of information, influence of the content offered by media to its audience and its influence on the society, the pressure of different terrorist organization on media for their interests, and many other queries. Even before the revolution of the Internet in the 21st Century, the media has been facing great challenges regarding the use of media to spread terrorism (Schmid & de Graaf 1982). This topic has become more interesting after the attack on the Twin Towers of New York, committed on September 11, 2001, marked a before and after in the management and coverage of the terrorist attacks by the mass media, both domestic and foreign. Similarly, it meant a change in the interpretation and perception of ordinary citizens on the scope and implications of terrorism. There is evidence that even in the most complex, improbable and other unforeseen situations, the information must be correct, accurate, transmitted cautiously and allow the viewer to form their own judgment based on the objectivity and its accuracy.

In this regard, on September 11 remarked the assumption that the media must take their responsibility to the fact that information transparency becomes a condition for the survival and strengthening of democratic society and, it is the premise for any kind of meaningful discussion and decision that protects the public. It follows the concept of ethics as a core value of the media is clear, especially when faced with situations of information immediacy. If the information is conceived as a public good which guarantees the democratic life of a society, then the management should be responsible and ethical for others, especially on those occasions when the news hits to real-time society as a whole. The media and journalists have their main spectator and judge citizens. In the case of United States, images of 11 September transmitted by electronic means in real time resulted in both drivers the news and journalists, as well as the viewers themselves, feelings of disbelief, astonishment, and most obviously, inability to explain the strong images (Kellner, 2003).

The reality greatly exceeded the capacity of the media; the speed and achievement of the events did not result in a coherent understanding ...