TERRORISM AND THE MASS MEDIA IN THE UNITED STATES (FROM TERRORISM - INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES, 1977, BY YONAH ALEXANDER AND SEYMOUR-MAXWELL FINGER - SEE NCJ-44307)

• NCJ Number: 62735
• Author(s): B JOHNPOLL
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: John Jay Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

MEDIA COVERAGE OF VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM IS DISCUSSED, AND THE CONTENTION THAT PUBLICITY ENCOURAGES TERRORISM IS NOT SUPPORTED.

Abstract

ACTS OF TERRORISM CANNOT BE IGNORED AND ARE NEWSWORTHY BECAUSE THEY DEVIATE FROM THE NORM, THEY AFFECT A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, AND THEY HAVE CONSIDERABLE VALUE AS ADVENTUROUS ENTERTAINMENT. IN REPORTING TERRORISM, THE MEDIA MUST CONSIDER FIVE KEY INGREDIENTS OF NEWS: (1) NEWS MUST BE TIMELY; (2) AN EVENT MUST BE UNIQUE; (3) AN ADVENTURE MUST BE NEWSWORTHY; (4) A NEWS EVENT MUST HAVE SOME ENTERTAINMENT VALUE; AND (5) NEWS MAY REQUIRE THAT AN EVENT SOMEHOW AFFECT THE LIVES OF THOSE BEING INFORMED. BY THEIR NATURE, TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ARE NEWSWORTHY; EVERYONE IS A POTENTIAL VICTIM. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE A FEW INSTANCES OF THE USE OF TERROR BY THE PRESS, IT IS RARE FOR THE MASS MEDIA TO BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN MOB VIOLENCE OR TERRORISM. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PRESS HAS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE TERRORIST MOVEMENT BECAUSE IT ACTS AS A DISSEMINATOR OF INFORMATION. PUBLICITY IS A MAJOR ELEMENT OF TERRORISM, ALTHOUGH LITTLE OR NO EVIDENCE EXISTS TO INCICATE THAT PUBLICITY SPAWNS TERRORISM. MEDIA COVERAGE OF CERTAIN TERRORIST GROUPS IS CONSIDERED, AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)