Media and International Terrorism

In: International affairs: a Russian journal of world politics, diplomacy and international relations, Band 55, Heft 3, S. 126-135

Abstract

Identifies some threats posed by mass media coverage of terrorism: (1) the "immunization effect," ie, making society immune to -- & increasingly able to accept -- violence, forcing terrorist groups to escalate their level of violence in order to receive media attention; & (2) the "contagion effect," ie, when the media (inadvertently) promotes the spread of terrorism. Strategies for restricting media representations of terrorism are evaluated, including self-imposed restrictions ("press codes"), censorship, offering terrorists free media access, "contextual coverage," & "diffusing attention" -- all are deemed ultimately ineffective. Operational & organizational dimensions of restraint in media coverage of terrorist acts are discussed & some more viable solutions for self-censorship are proposed. K. Hyatt Stewart