The Media and Terrorism

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how mass media has a unique role in American society in that it dictates how people perceive events of a national and global scale. In particular, this paper looks at how the war on terror itself is a prime example of where the limits and extent of U.S. media's responsibilities are unclear. The paper also contends that the effectiveness of terrorism (and conversely, the government propaganda campaign to maintain public support against it) is heavily dependent on media portrayal, intentionally reporting false or misleading information ends up having negative consequences for Americans and empowering terrorist groups looking for attention.

From the Paper:

"The truth means different things to different news aggregators, but for the most part responsibility is the same. While a Republican network might be for the Iraq war and a Democratic network might be against it, so long as they're both clear about where they stand and report what they see as they see it, they're being responsible, even if they come to opposite conclusions. Another major part of responsibility comes from knowing what to report and when to report it. The world in 2009 sees conventional warfare as dated. Technology has presented humanity with the means to destroy itself many times over in such quantity that it is unlikely for any two major world powers to go to war with one another on the scale of WWI or WWII ever again. Instead, political minorities and religious extremists in Third World countries have turned to terrorism as a means of achieving their aims and garnering public attention. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• The Media and Terrorism: A Reassessment Paul Wilkinsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Wilkinson_(professor). Terrorism and Political Violence, Vol.9, No.2 (Summer 1997), pp.51-64 Published by Frank Cass, London.
• William Gibson's blog, October 31, 2004, retrieved May 4, 2009.
• Kuypers, Jim A. Bush's War: Media Bias and Justifications for War in a Terrorist Age. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-7425-3653-X.
• Lustick, Ian S. Trapped in the War on Terror. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0-8122-3983-0.
• Cooper, Stephen D. Watching the Watchdog: Bloggers As the Fifth Estate. Marquette Books. ISBN 0-9229-9347-5.

More papers on The Media and Terrorism:

• Term Paper # 95603 : "The Media and Terrorism"
• Research Paper # 29740 : "The Effects of the Media on Terrorism"
• Persuasive Essay # 1232 : "The Dangerous Impact of the Media on Terrorism"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: