Department of Criminal Justice California State University - Bakersfield CRJU 477 Terrorism Dr. Abu-Lughod, Reem Ali Role of the Media

Perspective of the Media: n Objective news n “media spin” n Dramatizing the event? Tabloid, reality shows, etc… n “news triage” when some news are given high priority

Perspective of the Government: n Challenging policymakers n Creating national consensus n Who has more power on swaying public opinion n Tension between all levels of government

Exploring the Role of the Media: n Propaganda. What is it and how is it used n The media caught in the middle of providing news to the public and disseminating T activity/msge n The objectivity of the media?

Publicizing the Cause: n Reaching a broad audience n Media-oriented terrorism n Publicizing events and communicating a msge

The different forms of Media communication PLEASE BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING FORMS OF MEDIA REPORTING n Print Media n Radio n Television n The Internet n WHAT ABOUT THE “NEW MEDIA”

Deciding on HOW to report and in WHAT language n Terrorist or Commando n Terrorists and terrorism subbed with guerillas and extremists n Euphemistic Language Labeling Enemies and Targets n Denouncing secular Arab governments as apostasies n Zionism Self labeling n Martyrs, freedom fighters, soldiers

The Participants: PLEASE BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING n The Terrorist n The Supporter n The Victim n The Target n The Onlooker n The Analyst

Criticisms: n Journalists sometimes cross the line between reporting the news and disseminating terrorist propaganda n Media's behavior sometimes shifts from objectivity to sensational opinion n Media reaching large audiences may impact the political environment

The Impact: n Sending messages to T encouraging them for furthering acts of violence n Encouraging supporters n Victims reacting n International pressure n Understanding from onlookers (may be sympathetic)

INFORMATION IS POWER n Media as a Weapon n Case in point: Hezbollah and the Hijacking of TWA Flight 847 (please be prepared to discuss this in class)

The Contagion Effect n Defined n Examples: taking of Western hostages in Lebanon during the 1980s n Diplomatic and commercial kidnappings for ransom and concessions in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s

Regulating the Free Press Journalistic self-regulation or Media Gatekeeping EXAMPLE: in Great Britain, the Official Secrets Act permitted the prosecution of individuals for the reporting of information that was deemed to endanger the security of the British Government

Concluding Remarks: n The CNN effect n Media at Stake n What the Media chooses to report and How n The impact on perception