Media Influence

This activity will address module outcomes 1 and 2. Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to:

· Module Outcome 1: Differentiate between the media reporting accurate news and propaganda. (CO4)

· Module Outcome 2: Analyze the role media plays in balancing the public's right to information, interference of government mitigation strategies, and escalation of terrorist activity. (CO3)

Drawing on and using this course’s readings, viewings, terrorism research, and media sites available to you (as listed on Module 1 and 4’s L&A page), you will conduct an investigation into the causes and consequences of media reporting on terrorism. For example, there are arguments that hold media coverage to be an accelerator of terrorist recruitment and violent activity, while others view accuracy in media coverage of slights and injuries to aggrieved nationalist/group sensitivities as reducing the call for terror tactics responses by disempowered, or “victimized” groups.  In this assignment you are to Select 3 news resources’ coverage of terrorist incidents to evaluate, with at least one that is wholly unfamiliar to you.

Address the following questions in your paper:

1. Briefly, what role, if any, did media coverage of the terror group or incident play in the incident itself in each of your three cases – that is did the violent act originate in any way due to the media’s role in or coverage of the incident? If so, how?

2. Among your three cases, compare the reporting of terrorism violence by the referenced media services. What patterns or themes did you notice?

3. To what extent, if any, are the media services biased, or objective in their reporting on terrorism? How might this affect counterterrorism efforts in your view?

4. If applicable, in what ways do you find right-wing terrorism covered compared with left-wing terrorism?

The paper must meet the following formatting guidelines:

· Length: At least 5 pages in length (at least 1250 words) double-spaced.  The cover/title page, references, and appendices are not included in the length requirement.

· Margins: One inch margins (Top, Bottom, Left, and Right)

· Font: Arial 11-point or 12-point Times New Roman

· Style: Paper headings, organization, citation, and references must adhere to The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) style.

· References: Must be formatted to according to APA.

Compose your work in a .doc or .docx file type using a word processor (such as Microsoft Word, etc.) and save it frequently to your computer.  For those assignments that are not written essays and require uploading images or PowerPoint slides, please follow uploading guidelines provided by your instructor.

Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to submit your work, click “Upload Submission.” Enter the submission title and then click on “Select a file to upload.” Browse your computer, and select your file. Click “Open” and verify the correct file name has appeared next to Submission File. Click on “Continue.” Confirm submission is correct and then click on “Accept Submission & Save.”

Turnitin®

This course has Turnitin® fully integrated into the course dropbox. This means that you should only submit your assignments to the dropbox below. Please do not submit your assignment directly to Turnitin.com.

Once submitted, your assignment will be evaluated by Turnitin® automatically. You will be able to view an Originality Report within minutes of your first submission that will show how much of your work has been identified as similar to other sources such as websites, textbooks, or other student papers. Use your Originality Report as a learning tool to identify areas of your assignment that you may not have cited appropriately. You may resubmit your assignment through this dropbox as many times as you need to check to see if you have made improvements, until the due date of the assignment. However, once you have made your first submission, you will need to wait 24 hours after each subsequent submission to receive a new Originality Report. Plan accordingly as you draft your assignment. Once the due date has passed, your assignment submission will be considered final.

Evaluation

This assignment will be graded using the Terrorism and the Media Paper Rubric. Please review this rubric prior to beginning your work. You can also access the rubric on the Course Rubrics page within the Start Here module. This assignment is worth 35% of your final course grade.