Discussion: Terrorism and the Media, Part 2
Terrorism in the modern era is media terrorism. According to Hoffman, (2006) the media
has become a useful tool for terrorists to "intimidate strategically". Extreme terrorist activities
draw the media's attention not just because it is their responsibility to report on every important
occurrence, but also because the screenwriting of terrorism attracts widespread interest.
Terrorists nowadays have caught up on this dynamic and are acting not just to inflict pain on
their victims, but also to get worldwide attention. Terrorists have become "media proficient" by
understanding and employing media attention-getting concepts in the majority of their actions.
With the advent of three major technical breakthroughs in the 1990s, terrorists were able to
acquire a foothold in the mainstream media: the internet, inexpensive video production and
duplicating techniques, and privately held television stations. Terrorists were able to
communicate in new ways, propagate their message, and increase recruitment as a result of these
developments. According to Hoffman (2006), terrorists utilize the internet for a variety of
purposes, including disseminating propaganda. They use audio and video files, viral messaging,
seminars, and periodicals to do this.
The media does have a role in counter-terrorism by reporting on the government's
measures to block repeat attacks. Again, if the media behaves honestly by seeking confirmation
from appropriate authorities on different facts surrounding a terror occurrence and is sensitive to
the victims of terrorism, they play a beneficial role in the battle against terrorism. The
unwillingness of the media to widely cover terrorist violent actions shortens the perpetrators'
expectations and prevents them from accomplishing their major goal of instilling fear in the
population. The way the media depicts information about terrorists and terror acts can have an
impact since it reduces the terrorists' ability to exploit the media for their own gain. It is the
obligation of the media to report on terrorist occurrences, which provides the terrorists with the
spotlight they deserve.
In a variety of ways, the media should participate in the fight against terrorism. To begin,
journalists should be aware that speech and the framing of media stories can have an influence
on anxiety levels, the radicalization process, and the threat of imitation. Again, terrorism
reporting must be proportional. This is critical as overemphasizing the threat of terrorism
exacerbates its negative consequences and may unintentionally assist terrorist goals. To reduce
the harmful effects of reporting on terrorism, media personnel need self-imposed ethical codes of
practice and responsible reporting rules. Many news organizations have developed ethical
reporting rules for a variety of situations, including violent crime and suicide, but many have not
been properly adapted for reporting on terrorism. The media should also make sure that the
content it disseminates does not contribute to greater radicalization and violent extremism.
