NCJ Number
86147
Date Published
1982
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The media should be able to cover terrorism without even the suggestion of censorship or voluntary suppression, but prior planning should include communication between police and media representatives so each will understand the responsibilities and constraints of the other.
Abstract
Censorship and the suppression of information are both far greater evils than terrorism, so media coverage of terrorist incidents should be more rather than less extensive, because the public is better served. Greater media coverage will mean police officials will have to be more cooperative with the press in providing information. The press in turn should be careful to act responsibly and be more diligent in its pursuit of stories which, though not as provocative, may be equally as important. News organizations must balance stories and place them in perspective, realizing that the plights of the victims and the authorities are as important as that of the terrorist. Followup stories should not be neglected. Despite pronouncements by the press that terrorism should be treated on a case-by-case basis, some advance preparation is in order. General standards, whether written or not, are often communicated to front-line editors and reporters. As part of advance planning, there should be periodic informal sessions between police and reporters. Certainly there should be conversation after a local incident and possibly even after an incident in another jurisdiction. Ten footnotes are listed. (Author summary modified)