NCJ Number
56502
Journal
Terrorism Volume: 2 Issue: 182 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1979) Pages: 55-137
Editor(s)
T ALEXANDER,
S M FINGER
Date Published
1979
Length
83 pages
Annotation
THE EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF A 1-DAY CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM AND THE MEDIA, HELD IN NOVEMBER 1977 AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE CONFERENCE WAS SPONSORED BY THE UNIVERSITY'S RALPH BUNCHE INSTITUTE ON THE UNITED NATIONS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK'S INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, TWO NEWSPAPERS, AND THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE. THE TRANSCRIPT SUMMARY INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE THREAT POSED BY TERRORISM, CASE ANALYSES OF THREE TERRORIST INCIDENTS (AN AIRLINE HIJACKING BY CROATIAN NATIONALISTS, THE HANAFI SIEGE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND A TRAIN HIJACKING BY MOLUCCANS IN HOLLAND), AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THESE AND OTHER TERRORIST SITUATIONS. SEVERAL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES--JOURNALISTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, HOSTAGES--ARE REPRESENTED. FOCUSING ON THE INTERACTION OF TERRORISM AND THE MEDIA, THE PARTICIPANTS ADDRESS SUCH ISSUES AS WHETHER NEWS REPORTS ACTUALLY CAUSE OR ENCOURAGE TERRORISM, WHETHER THE MEDIA CAN TAKE STEPS TO MINIMIZE TERRORIST EXPLOITATION OF PRESS COVERAGE, WHETHER SELF-CENSORSHIP BY THE MEDIA IS DESIRABLE OR EVEN POSSIBLE, AND WHETHER PRESS COVERAGE OF TERRORIST INCIDENTS SHOULD BE LIMITED. WAYS IN WHICH THE PRESS INFLUENCES TERRRORISTS' STRATEGIES AND BEHAVIOR ARE BROUGHT OUT, WITH REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS IN WHICH JOURNALISTS CHANGED THE COURSE OF EVENTS DURING TERRORIST TAKEOVERS. THE DISCUSSANTS DIFFER IN THEIR VIEWS ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF MEDIA RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING COVERAGE OF TERRORISM. ONE JOURNALIST NOTES THE BASIC DILEMMA FACED BY THE PRESS IN DECIDING HOW TO HANDLE TERRORIST EVENTS: IF THE PRESS SUPPRESSED INFORMATION IT IS ACCUSED OF BEING A PUPPET OF THE GOVERNMENT; IF IT REPORTS AN INCIDENT FULLY, IT IS ACCUSED OF ENCOURAGING TERRORISM. (LKM)