Media's Perception Of Terrorism

Americans have given up some of their freedoms to be protected by the United States, so they have a right to be informed. In the majority of the all the discussion boards, the classmates agreed that the media creates problems. By giving stories more attention than others, the media creates problems. The media tends to focus more on seriously violent crimes more than missing, or kidnapping cases. According to Champion, in the portrayal of both offenders and victims of crimes in the media there is a "significant focus on high profile crimes as well as societal ills related to crime and victimization" (Champion 2007). In addition, the media reports stories that can make money, and to draw viewership. These are important to the media because without the funding the media wont be able to report from different places across the U.S., and without the support of the public looking them, the media will lose its only audience. The media plays a significant role in public safety by keeping the public aware of crime increase, violence, and fugitives. This allows the community to take action to promote their safety. Americans put a lot of trust into the media in hopes that everything they report is honest and fair.

After September 11, 2001, U.S. citizens were shocked that over 2,900 people were dead because of Islamic extremists (Kean, et al. "National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States"). More deaths occurred in the Paris and San Bernardino attacks. Tensions between the U.S. and Islamic extremists have not yet subsided. Americans receive information regarding Islamic extremists through the media, from which they form opinions on what the U.S.’s foreign policy with the Middle East should be, which affects military spending. To what extent has the media’s portrayal of Islamic extremists affected U.S. military spending and relations with the Middle East?

The media controls the way the public views a controversial event. It can create the illusion that everything is perfect by leaving out important information, or can reveal the deplorable truth as the media did during the Civil Rights Movement. It was not always that way though, during the Colonial Era the media glossed over the brutality African Americans

The media does have a role which should be the role of objective observer. When facts arrive they should do their best to present them accurately and fairly without bias. As illustrated in our course the media has a large influence on how the public views law enforcement action. They should be mindful of their responsibility to weigh their options before immediately jumping to any conclusion and

The mass media affects the spread of propaganda and just encourages group and individual terrorist acts. In a way the media is an ally to terrorists. The media use terrorists to get stories and terrorists use the media to spread fear and panic. The media legitimizes terrorism and their causes because by publicizing their acts, even if not completely true, it will be believed. People say don’t believe everything you hear and read, but once its put out there, the propaganda is already set in our heads.

First of all, the media will alter our perception using our own fear. The media will bring up things that doesn’t happen very often, and make us think that

Stereotypes exist everywhere. From styles of clothing to dishes of food, stereotypes exist because there is some truth in it. By social classifications and categorizations, people take small truths and instances from a small amount of people and generalize it into the broader population. The example given here shows that anyone that is Muslim or has a traditional Arab garb on can be considered a terrorist. This stereotype is taken from the event of 9/11. Since then, people have been calling anyone following the Muslim faith publically terrorists. In the video, one of the Jalal brothers throws a bag at people and they automatically assume it is a bomb. This presumption comes from the stereotype that all Muslims are terrorists. This creates a fear that would control one’s actions.

We need to know more about the hatred that has been born into some civilizations, and they need to stop sugarcoating the details that arise in front of them. Hatred is alive, and hatred is very strong in specific parts of the Middle East. The Middle East is very undeveloped and they would be considered the underdog in this situations, and there needs to be a time where we accept that the underdog is winning by terrorizing countries. The media needs to help spread the message that there are hate groups out there, and the more knowledge that is broadcasted means that more people will begin to wake up. Some events can be predicted, and they can be stopped! The media should have to report on things that are relevant and truthful, even if it is stepping out of the specific network’s

I believe the media allows too much information about our military actions to other countries. In addition; I consider then to be the blame for the out pour of violence that is happening across our nation that includes the killing of police officer's. The United States has its own war going on in our homeland, and I do not see the President coming up with a plan of action. The media does not have all of the facts before they report a crime. I watch Shepard Smith on Fox News Channel more than I watch my local news. He seems to be the most honest reporter on television. He does admit when he makes a mistake, but he investigates situations to gather facts before he reports. I often hear him ridicule other media, because they exaggerate

How media is biased on what they cover What is the main fear of society ? How does media coverage of terrorism relate back to this main fear ? When has society been given peace of mind by media and just how quickly is it taken why taken away?

Terrorism acts today are not the same as they were 20 or 30 years ago. Even though the act is still the same but because of today’s media and technology it is different. For example, in 2015 the ISIS claims attack in Paris, France that killed more the 128 people was world news within minutes because of technology and the media broadcasting it even without all of the information. There are pros and cons with the media sharing terrorism acts. The pros and if it a lengthily attack the media can possible warn others that may be in the area or to warn others not to go to specific areas. The cons are when the media just makes reports without conducting research and doing their due diligence and insuring what they are reporting is correct.

A big question, which comes about when we discuss terrorism, has been “have we been successful in the fight against terrorism?” I believe the question is really “have we contributed to the success of terrorism on American soil and against Americans?” Another question would be, “have we contributed to the strengthening of states which harbor terrorism?” The biggest question in this quest of seeking answer would be, “did we create a new way of terrorism which we can not fight against?” The last question refers to the rise of ISIL and the world’s new creation of a terrorist state which poses a huge threat to the well being of the United States of America. ( This is not an abstract)

     The media provides the public political issues, which sets the agenda for political discussion. In theory the media tries to attune themselves to the interest of the public, but “in most instances the media severs as conduits for agenda-setting efforts by competing groups and forces” (Ginsberg, Lowi & Weir, 1999, p. 298). To gain public support, groups and forces need media coverage to promote their ideas. However, the media has great control over which issues they televise. The issues must have media appeal or be considered newsworthy.

“If the media were not there to report terrorist acts and to explain their political and social significance...terrorism as such would cease to exist” said John O'Sullivan, an editor of the Times of London.1 This is also the way many other people feel about the recent increase in terrorist activity; they feel that the media is causing it. The media is doing this by fulfilling the terrorists' need for publicity.2 Terrorists need media publicity in order to get their views spread to the public.3 Because of this need for publicity, terrorists are committing their acts of terrorism in areas where a lot of publicity will be gained; the United States and Western Europe are the most recent targets. The bombings of the federal building in

(by Brian Ross, Rhonda Schwartz, James Gordon Meek and Josh Margolin, ABC News) – The State Department said on Monday that “obviously things went wrong” in the visa background check for one of the San Bernardino shooters — comments that came in the wake of an ABC News report that said officials by policy generally do not check social media postings of applicants due to civil liberties concerns and therefore would not have seen purported evidence of Islamic terrorist Tashfeen Malik’s radicalization online.