NCJ Number
62337
Journal
COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 47-50
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
TERRORISM AND MEDIA COVERAGE EXIST IN A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WHERE TELEVISION NO LONGER MERELY RESPONDS TO A TERRORIST EVENT BUT BECOMES AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT.
Abstract
TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF THE MEDIA-WATCHING PUBLIC, TERRORISTS TEND TO STAGE EVENTS IN IDEOLOGICALLY SATISFACTORY LOCALES SUCH AS MUNICH. THEY OFFER THE REALITY OR PROSPECT OF VIOLENCE, AND ALLOW THE CAMERAS TO FOLLOW THE ACTORS FROM ONE SITE TO THE NEXT. ONCE A TERRORIST-EVENT IS BEFORE THE CAMERA, THE DRAMA SUCCEEDS EVEN THOUGH THOSE INVOLVED MAY BE CAPTURED OR KILLED. A RAND SURVEY OF 63 MAJOR HOSTAGE SITUATIONS BETWEEN 1968 AND 1974 FOUND THAT 79 PERCENT OF TERRORIST TEAM MEMBERS ESCAPED PUNISHMENT OR DEATH, AND THAT THEY ACHIEVED NEARLY 100 PERCENT PROBABILITY OF GAINING MAJOR PUBLICITY, WHENEVER THAT WAS ONE OF THEIR GOALS. TERRORISTS ALSO SUCCEEDED IN DRAWING ATTENTION TO THEIR PARTICULAR CAUSE, WHETHER THAT OF PALESTINE, SOUTH MOLUCCA, OR CROATIA. THEY PUBLICIZED THEIR CONCEPTS OF THE NEED FOR JUSTICE; AND FOUND A PURPOSE FOR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. THE MEDIA HAVE ADOPTED NO DEFINITIVE RULES FOR COVERAGE OF TERRORIST EVENTS. ALTHOUGH THE BRITISH D-NOTICES PROHIBIT COVERAGE OF EVENTS RELATED TO NATIONAL SECURITY. ARGUMENTS FOR COVERAGE OF TERRORIST EVENTS INCLUDE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO BE INFORMED, THE POSSIBILITY THAT A MEDIA BAN MIGHT ESCALATE TERRORISM, AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AN OPEN SOCIETY. WESTERN SOCIETIES SHOULD ACCOMMODATE LEGITIMATE DISSENT AND REPRESS ATROCITY LAWFULLY; OTHERWISE, THEIR FREEDOM IS UNDESERVED. (AOP)