How Media Effects Terror, Essay Example

Introduction

There are two main thrusts towards how the public is affected by media coverage of terrorist attacks nationwide. The first relates to how the media coverage of an event may seek to serve the interests of the terrorists and the second is how the public react towards the media coverage of the event.

Media Coverage of a Terrorist Event

Terrorists rely upon the media to portray the maximum horror inflicted by a terrorist event. For example a bomb explosion in bus. The portrayal of the dead and wounded together with sheer scale of destruction facilitates the seriousness of their intent to fulfil their mission. In addition question the security forces inability to protect the people thereby widening their vulnerability to terrorist attacks. It is important to recognize that the terrorists rely upon the media to get their message across to both the public, governments and their own terrorist cells. After 9/11 most New Yorkers suffered from degree of post-traumatic stress syndrome. This has however changed American opinion on terrorism forever. The recognition that it is not purely a domestic issue but an international threat that reach American shores. (Leonie Huddy, 2002).

Reaction of Public to Media Coverage of an Event

Oddly enough people are addicted to media coverage of such events. There are a variety of reasons for this but in any event it exposes you to stressful events. After the 9/11 events people were exposed to over a week of extensive media coverage of the event. The media provides a much needed services in the wake of a disaster. Reporting should be done in a responsible manner so as not to create too much sensation of the event and thereby creating too much stress to the viewers. Particular care should be considered by the media on the young children viewing the story. (Slone, 2000)

References

Leonie Huddy, N. K. (2002). Trends: Reactions to the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 418-450.

Slone, M. (2000). Responses to Media Coverage of Terrorism. Journal of conflict resolution Vol 44 (4), 508-522 .