Media Oriented Terrorism
LG122: Core Skills and Methods for International Relations
Title: Media Oriented Terrorism: The Role of Media in Influencing Terrorist Attacks and the Shaping of Public Opinion
Word Count 3,098
This essay will discuss the topic of media oriented terrorism with reference to the role of media in influencing terrorist attacks and the shaping of public opinion. The main argument of the essay will be that terrorist organizations use social media as means of conveying their ideological preferences with maximum exposure, while influencing public opinion. This issue is important as both provide the necessary resources enabling terror events to take place. Terrorist organizations provide the action for the terror event and the media relay this message …show more content…
As the multi-national cell organization aiming to dispose Western Imperialism from the Middle East uses media to cover the single terror attacks such as suicide-bombings and airline hijackings. (Awan 2007, p.408) As terrorists are primarily interested in the audience, not the victims, it emphasizes how the audience reaction is as important as the act itself. (Seib and Dana 2011, p.76) To this end, terrorists carefully select the places which they carry out their attacks in order to provide the best media coverage. To illustrate this, Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of al-Qaeda, argues that ‘[al-Qaeda is] in a battle, and more than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media. [Al-Qaeda is] in a media battle for the hearts and minds’ (Seib and Dana 2011, …show more content…
1998. ‘Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement’, DC: Woodrow Wilson Centre Press, 11(2) pp. 161-191.
Conway, M. 2006 ‘Terrorism and the Internet: New Media – New Threat’, Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 59(2), pp. 283-298.
Delli, C. Williams,. A. 1987. ‘Television and terrorism’: Patterns of presentation and occurrence, 1969 to 1980. Western Political Quarterly, 40(1), pp. 45–64.
Keinan, G. Sadeh, A. 2003. ‘Attitudes and reactions to media coverage of terrorist acts’, Journal of Community Psychology, 31(1), pp. 149–165
Ross, J. 2007. ‘The deconstructing of terrorism news media relationship’, Journal of Crime, Media and Culture, 3(2), pp.215-225.
Shpiro, S. 2002, ‘Conflict Media Strategies and the Politics of Counter-terrorism’, Politics, 22(2), pp. 76-85.
Torres. M. 2008. ‘Terrorism and the Mass Media after Al Qaeda’ Athena Intelligence Journal 3(1), pp. 1-20.
Internet Sources:
Bruce, Hoffman. 2006. Terrorism and Security database. [Online]. Available from: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/2005/P6627.pdf [Accessed 2May, 2013].
Transnational Terrorism 2006. Media and its consequences. [Online]. Available from: http://www.transnationalterrorism.eu/tekst/publications/WP4%20Del%206.pdf {Accessed 5 May,
Title: Media Oriented Terrorism: The Role of Media in Influencing Terrorist Attacks and the Shaping of Public Opinion
Word Count 3,098
This essay will discuss the topic of media oriented terrorism with reference to the role of media in influencing terrorist attacks and the shaping of public opinion. The main argument of the essay will be that terrorist organizations use social media as means of conveying their ideological preferences with maximum exposure, while influencing public opinion. This issue is important as both provide the necessary resources enabling terror events to take place. Terrorist organizations provide the action for the terror event and the media relay this message …show more content…
As the multi-national cell organization aiming to dispose Western Imperialism from the Middle East uses media to cover the single terror attacks such as suicide-bombings and airline hijackings. (Awan 2007, p.408) As terrorists are primarily interested in the audience, not the victims, it emphasizes how the audience reaction is as important as the act itself. (Seib and Dana 2011, p.76) To this end, terrorists carefully select the places which they carry out their attacks in order to provide the best media coverage. To illustrate this, Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of al-Qaeda, argues that ‘[al-Qaeda is] in a battle, and more than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media. [Al-Qaeda is] in a media battle for the hearts and minds’ (Seib and Dana 2011, …show more content…
1998. ‘Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement’, DC: Woodrow Wilson Centre Press, 11(2) pp. 161-191.
Conway, M. 2006 ‘Terrorism and the Internet: New Media – New Threat’, Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 59(2), pp. 283-298.
Delli, C. Williams,. A. 1987. ‘Television and terrorism’: Patterns of presentation and occurrence, 1969 to 1980. Western Political Quarterly, 40(1), pp. 45–64.
Keinan, G. Sadeh, A. 2003. ‘Attitudes and reactions to media coverage of terrorist acts’, Journal of Community Psychology, 31(1), pp. 149–165
Ross, J. 2007. ‘The deconstructing of terrorism news media relationship’, Journal of Crime, Media and Culture, 3(2), pp.215-225.
Shpiro, S. 2002, ‘Conflict Media Strategies and the Politics of Counter-terrorism’, Politics, 22(2), pp. 76-85.
Torres. M. 2008. ‘Terrorism and the Mass Media after Al Qaeda’ Athena Intelligence Journal 3(1), pp. 1-20.
Internet Sources:
Bruce, Hoffman. 2006. Terrorism and Security database. [Online]. Available from: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/2005/P6627.pdf [Accessed 2May, 2013].
Transnational Terrorism 2006. Media and its consequences. [Online]. Available from: http://www.transnationalterrorism.eu/tekst/publications/WP4%20Del%206.pdf {Accessed 5 May,