The Information Battleground - Role of the Media

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapter 11 in Martin (2016). To check your understanding of the material required for this discussion, you may wish to access the quizzes and flash card activities on the companion website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the Martin (2016) text.

As Martin (2016) discusses, there are two perspectives when examining the media. In the case of terrorism there is the perspective of the terrorist group and their message, and then there is the government perspective. Many times these messages are in direct conflict. In a democracy such as the United States, freedom of the press is a central tenant.

We have come to rely on the media to report the news in an unbiased manner. However, it is important to remember there are two sides to every story. This discussion becomes even more complex when you take into account the culture, history, social justice, and systematic widespread political foundations of the populations involved.

The bottom line is both the terrorist organization and the government want to get their message out, and they want to ensure it is crafted to support their point of view. The media is in the middle and can be used as a weapon. "The British Broadcasting Corporation operates under a detailed set of rules." Martin points out in a quote from David Paletz and Laura Tawney that: "Consensus exists that ethical standards should be observed when reporting terrorist incidents. These include the following:

• [Do Not] serve as a spokesman/accomplice of the terrorist...

• [Do not] portray terror as attractive, romantic, or heroic; [instead, employ an] honest portrayal of motives of terrorist...

• Hold back news where there is clear and immediate danger to life and limb...

• Avoid . . . unchallenged terrorist propaganda . . .

• Never try to solve a situation"

(Paletz, D. and Tawney, L. as quoted in Martin, 2016, p. 321)

Select a specific terrorist event, program, or attack and explain the role the media played in the event from the terrorist perspective:

What role did the media play in publicizing the terrorist organization's message?

What forms of media did the terrorist organization use to transmit their message?

Were the uses of media ethical (for instance how were the ISIS/ISIL beheadings addressed)?

Who were the intended recipients of the message?

Are there other tools the terrorist organization could use to garner additional media attention to their cause?