NCJ Number
62734
Date Published
1977
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN HELPING TO PUBLICIZE AS WELL AS PREVENT TERRORISM IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
BY ITS VERY NATURE, A TERRORIST ACT IS MEANT TO BE IMPRESSIVE AND ATTENION-GETTING. THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE THE MEDIA AND GAIN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION HAS NOT ONLY CHANGED TACTICS OF TERRORISTS BUT ALSO THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF ROLE AND POTENTIAL. WITH THE ADVENT OF TELEVISION IN PARTICULAR, TERRORISM HAS UNFORTUNATELY BECOME A FORM OF MASS ENTERTAINMENT. THE MEDIA PLAYS AN INFLUENTIAL PART IN THE FORMATION OF PUBLIC OPINION THROUGH ANALYSIS AND COMMENT ON NEWS AND OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST. THE TENDENCY OF MEDIA TO PROPAGANDIZE TERRORISM RATHER THAN REPORT IT AND TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF SOCIAL COMMENTATOR RATHER THAN ANALYST IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN. AN ADDITIONAL ISSUE IS HOW FAR THE MEDIA CAN GO IN SEARCH OF THE STORY-BEHIND-THE-STORY IN THE REPORTING OF EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. THE CRUCIAL ISSUE IN MEDIA COVERAGE OF TERRORISM SEEMS TO BE A TRUE SENSE OF IDENTITY ON THE PART OF MEDIA PROFESSIONALS; THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A TASK FOR GOVERNMENT IN A COUNTRY WHERE INTERFERENCE WITH FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS SOCIALLY AND POLITICALLY UNACCEPTABLE. IF THE MEDIA VIEWS ITSELF AS PART OF THE PROBLEM, IT CAN BECOME AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOLUTION. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)