NCJ Number
82298
Date Published
1981
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Media coverage of acts of terrorism is examined in view of assertions that the media exaggerate the problem of terrorism, spread alarm and provoke overreaction, glorify and legitimize the terrorists, and inspire others to become terrorists.
Abstract
Even though far more people are involved in forms of violence other than terrorism, terrorist incidents receive media coverage because of their inherent drama. The media focus on the events rather than on the terrorists' goals, and thus provide little help to terrorists in terms of promoting their causes. Nevertheless, the publicity creates alarm which goes far beyond any actual destruction caused. The media exaggerate the strength of the terrorists and give the impression that terrorists exist everywhere. The resulting alarm has diverted resources into private security measures. In addition, the media's tendency to report hijackings and kidnappings rather than bombings produces distorted public perceptions regarding governments' competence in combating terrorism. The resulting widespread belief that governments are ineffective in combating terrorism poses the danger of public reactions supporting repressive measures that will endanger democracy. Research also indicates that media coverage of a terrorist incident increases the chance that a similar incident will take place soon afterward. Media coverage may also provide potential extremists with a general model for behavior. However, media coverage produces a hardening of public attitudes over time because terrorism becomes commonplace. Thus, the media coverage of terrorism satisfies no one. It has also produced conflicting demands from terrorists and the government regarding what the media should and should not print. It is recommended that the media experiment with the coverage of terrorism so as to report the news while remaining sensitive to the consequences of the reporting. Eleven references are listed.