Terrorism and the Media

1. Terrorism and the Media Chapter 4

2. Learning Objectives: Chapter 4 • Discuss the role of the media in constructing social reality. • Explain the tension between security forces and the media. • Describe how the media can be viewed as a weapon. • Explain how news frames are used present a story. • Describe the special relationship between terrorism and television.

3. Learning Objectives: Chapter 4 • Explain how the Internet has impacted terrorism. • Summarize various positions about bias in the news media. • Define the contagion effect. • Debate the issues of freedom of the press and censorship.

4. Media Misconceptions • Media’s presentation of terrorism is dominated by several simplified stories, presented on 24 hour cable news networks • Media exaggerates the threat of WMD • Media uses simple catchphrases to popularize a point • “Broken borders” • “War on terrorism”

5. Media and Security Forces • Media social constructions often run counter to governmental objectives and policies • Police and military perceive themselves to be the forceful extension of democracy • They think reporters are only trying to gather sensationalistic stories • Embedded reporters • Pentagon invited journalists to join combat units • The results were partially realized

6. Media as a Weapon • Terrorists recognize the power of the media as a weapon • Ayman al Zawahiri • Jihadists are keenly aware of the media’s ability to influence the social construction of reality • They seek legitimacy for their movement • They want to spread their message and increase sympathy for their militant interpretation of religion • Their opponents are targeted for intimidation

7. News Frames • Reporting patterns are packaged in segments called news frames • Purpose is to assemble words and pictures to create a pattern surrounding an event • Creates a narrative for a deadly drama • Characters are introduced, heroes and villains are defined, and victims become the suffering innocents

8. News Frames • News frames help “mediatize” the presentation of terrorism • Media shapes the way an event is communicated • News frame is one of the least understood aspects of broadcast journalism because its complexity goes unnoticed

9. Types of Frames • Reportage frame • Community service frame • Collective interest frame • Cultural recognition frames • Mythic tales frames • Reporting frame • Dominant frame • Conflict frame • Contention frame • Investigative frame • Mythic frame • Campaigning frame

10. Beating the War Drum • American television presented only one news frame after 9/11 • Patterning the attack as a clash of civilizations • Suggesting that only a military response would stop future attacks • Television called in a variety of terrorism experts who reflected the single view • Radio was even worse, engaging in sensationalistic propaganda

11. Olympic Park Bombing Media Leaks • http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/ParkB Discussion Question: • The video addresses First Amendment rights in regard to rights of the media. Do you agree or disagree the media should have free reign over broadcasting information leaked to them on an ongoing investigation. • Consider what could be considered as “trial by media” in regard to Richard Jewell – hero – suspect – innocent.

12. Beating the Wrong Drum • Focus is improperly centered on military and law enforcement action overseas • Media has virtually ignored domestic security issues • Nacos’s study • American news media did not believe there was a need to focus on domestic security • Televisions’ preference for sensational events

13. Infotainment Telesector • Barber calls the twenty-four-hour news networks the infotainment telesector • Media flourishes on one overriding factor: entertainment • The infotainment telesector is not geared for depth; it is designed to create revenue • Negative effect on homeland security

14. Television Drama • Control of the drama pattern was held in a Western monopoly until recently • Al Manar television presented a sympathetic view of the al Asqa uprising • Television makes the viewing audience participants in a terrorist attack • Television seeks drama, and terrorism provides an unfolding dramatic event

15. Gender Stereotypes • Television tends to portray women as minor figures in the male-dominated occupation • Nacos presents several images created by television news frames: • Physical appearance frame • Family connection frame • Terrorist for the sake of love • Women's lib frame • Women as bored, frustrated housewives

16. Media Ownership • Edward Herman (1999) focuses on the social construction of reality and political bias • American media is part of a vast propaganda machine promoting values and goals of corporations • David Baron (2004) takes a different approach, suggesting that bias appears on two levels • Individual discretion of the reporter • Public’s desire for the most captivating story

17. Munich (Movie Trailer) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7-WvfWXn7U&list=LPO8kMfXOdUFU&index=5&feature=plcp • Discussion: • In the video it is noted that the media was broadcasting everything that was going on in real time – allowing the terrorists to watch police movements. • What are your thoughts in regard to this? • Does it surprise you that media was active in covering a terrorist attack in 1972? • Should the games have continued?

18. Stereotypes • Large groups of people are portrayed without depth in American television • Media is spreading incorrect information about terrorists • Richard Miniter (2005) identifies 22 misconceptions about terrorism accepted as truth by most newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters

19. Internet and Terrorism • Steganography • Embedding hidden information in a picture, message, or another piece of information • Message can be encrypted, placed in plain text in a hidden file, or sent on a covert channel • Recruiting and training • Salafi-jihadists using Web sites and e-mail to make training manuals available

20. As Sahaab versus al Hurra • Al Qaeda’s underground video network, known as As Sahaab, wages an effective propaganda campaign using the Internet • In response, the US launched al Hurra, an Arabic-language 24 hour satellite station • Results have been disappointing • United States has yet to capitalize on the Internet for spreading propaganda

21. Media Ownership • Tim Groseclose and Jeffrey Milyo (2005) stated that the American media has a liberal bias • Fouzi Slisli (2000) says that the American media is full of oversimplifications and stereotypes

22. Miniter’s Media Myths • Miniter believes that all media serve as a source of disinformation • The primary reasons are sloppy reporting, editors who fail to check facts, and rumors that are accepted as truth • Many of these media-based “truths” cannot stand the test of investigation

23. The Contagion Effect • Some analysts wonder if media coverage inspires more terrorism • Many researcher believe that the fear generated by media reporting is contagious • Anthrax attack • Madrid commuter train bombing

24. Censorship • Paul Wilkinson (1997) believes that governments face three choices when it comes to maintaining freedom of the press and combating terrorism: • Laissez-faire attitude • Censorship • Media self regulation

25. Censorship Debate • Democracy is threatened when the government openly censors information • Censorship could do more to damage freedom than the terrorist attacks themselves • Others believe that in times of emergency, information must be controlled to ensure the survival of the state • America was fighting a new type of war and some form of censorship was required

26. Chapter Take Aways • Television and other media shape the way we view terrorism. • This creates quite a bit of controversy about the role of the media in reporting terrorism, and it frequently pits reporters against security forces. • All sides try to manipulate the media because of its extensive power.

27. Chapter Take Aways • This means that there is extensive competition for presenting a point of view and a news frame, and it leads to charges of biases from all sides. • This is especially true in television because terrorism is a made-for-television drama. • Some scholars have called for limited censorship because the media is so powerful.