Media, Terrorism, Journalists - research

[sr1341]

I am currently in a class and have been given the task of presenting over "Preventing Terrorism." It is being split between me and five other people. My specific task is focusing on the media's influence on terrorism. That said there is not a direct question I have to answer. We have to come up with our own and answer it. There are a few ideas that I am playing with below - I just have no clue on where to start.

Should or shouldnt the media report certain things? What should/shouldnt they? Is the media ever the subject of an attack? What would happen if media (BBC, NBC, etc) became targets? Would this affect how they reported? Where do they draw the line? etc etc

If anybody has expertise in this subject or can refer me to some good articles, books, etc I would be very grateful. I will be working on it for the next three or four days.

 

[Pogo]

A random first thought...

Considering that the goal of terrorism is political coercion, the media have a heavy responsibility to get the story right in a neutral way, so as not to either (a) further the terrorists' agenda, or (b) create an illusion of terrorism where no such motive is apparent (as in Boston) for the sake of snaring audience.

(B) is a big issue with commercially driven media since their bottom line is profit, not objectivity. There was a time in TV news where profit was not the goal and the evening newscasts were subsidized by the prime time sitcoms so that the network or station could point to their news coverage. Sadly news-as-profit has become commonplace and the objective is no longer finding the truth but finding an audience. That puts the truth in peril.

 

[Moonglow]

I am currently in a class and have been given the task of presenting over "Preventing Terrorism." It is being split between me and five other people. My specific task is focusing on the media's influence on terrorism. That said there is not a direct question I have to answer. We have to come up with our own and answer it. There are a few ideas that I am playing with below - I just have no clue on where to start.

Should or shouldnt the media report certain things? What should/shouldnt they? Is the media ever the subject of an attack? What would happen if media (BBC, NBC, etc) became targets? Would this affect how they reported? Where do they draw the line? etc etc

If anybody has expertise in this subject or can refer me to some good articles, books, etc I would be very grateful. I will be working on it for the next three or four days.

Mass Communications major?

 

[waltky]

What a dolt...

Texas governor draws criticism for joke about shooting journalists
May 26 2017 - Texas Governor Greg Abbott joked about shooting journalists while visiting a gun range on Friday to sign a bill lowering the cost of a handgun license, drawing criticism from gun-safety and free-press advocates who called his remarks "dangerous."

Abbott signed the bill at an indoor gun range in Austin, the state capital, then demonstrated his own shooting skills at an upstairs firing gallery before holding up his bullet-pocked target and quipping, "I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters." A photo of the moment, published by the Texas Tribune, showed the grinning first-term Republican governor pointing to the center of the paper target, where three rounds had pierced the bull's eye circle.

His comment drew sharp rebukes from Reporters Without Borders, headquartered in Paris, and the Washington-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Both said the incident was especially troubling as it came amid increasingly hostile rhetoric directed against the news media by Republican President Donald Trump and his supporters. "This joke was dangerous and out of line. Because it's never just a joke to some," Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said in a statement. "Words matter. In a state and country where dangerous people can still so easily buy guns without a background check, leaders of every political stripe should be careful not to green light violence on their behalf."

Texas governor Greg Abbott speaks during an interview on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange​

The two groups also cited the misdemeanor assault charge filed on Wednesday against Republican Congressman-elect Greg Gianforte of Montana, accused of body-slamming a reporter who asked him about healthcare on the eve of his election. "Politicians must condemn this dangerous rhetoric against reporters as it can quickly escalate to physical violence like we saw in Montana," Reporters Without Borders said in a Tweet.

The group's latest annual World Press Freedom Index of 180 countries ranks the United States at No. 43, one rung below the tiny West African nation of Burkino Faso. "We're really seeing just how much America deserves that ranking right now," said Margaux Ewen, the organization's U.S. advocacy director. Abbott's office did not respond to requests by Reuters for comment.

The bill he signed will cut fees for a first-time license to carry a handgun from $140 to $40, and lower the renewal fee from $70 to $40, starting in September. It also waives the fees for peace officers and members of the military. "No law-abiding Texan should be priced out of the ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights," Abbott said in signing the measure.

Texas governor draws criticism for joke about shooting journalists