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Terrorism and the Media

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Terrorism and the Media
Terrorism and the News Media What is the meaning of terrorism and the mass media? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online, the meaning of terrorism is the systematic use of terror as means of coercion. Terrorism has spawned heated debate. Instead of agreeing on the definition of terrorism, social scientists, policy makers, lawyers, and security specialists often argue about the meaning of the term (White 4). We can agree what that terrorism is a problem, but we cannot agree on what terrorism is (White 4). According to Alex Schmid (1992), terrorism is not a physical entity that has dimensions to be measured, weighted and analyzed. It is a social construct; that is, terrorism is defined by different people within vacillating social and political realities (White 4). The definition of any social construct changes with the social reality can be nebulous, or it can be threatening when one group imposes its version of reality on another (White 4). One of the primary reasons terrorism is difficult to define is that the meaning changes within social and historical contexts (White 6). Changes in the meaning occur because terrorism is not a solid entity (White 6-7). News media refers to television, radio, and print journalism. It also refers to newer sources on the internet, including news, reporting services, the blogosphere, website pages, and propaganda broadcasts (White 104). Terrorism requires interdisciplinary research techniques because it involves so many aspects of the human experience, and its relationship with media have not been fully explored (White 104). Jeff Ian Ross, according to our text book, first off, believes meanings are socially created and Ross demonstrates that reporting is a part of the social construction of terrorism. Second, terrorists are aware of the power of the media and seek to manipulate their message through it. Third, while the media enhances the power of terrorism, it does not cause it. Finally, terrorists will


Cited: Gadarian, Shana Kushner. “The Politics Of Threat: How Terrorism News Shapes Foreign Policy Attitudes.” Journal Of Politics 72.2 (2010): 469-483. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. Gunter, Barrie. “The Public And Media Coverage Of The War On Iraq.” Globalizations 6.1 (2009): 41-60. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Definition of Terrorism. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. www.merriam-webster.com White, Jonathan. Terrorism and Homeland Security. California: Wadsworth, 2012. Print.
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