Modern Terrorism. Strategies and the Role of the Media

Abstract or Introduction

This paper explores the question of how media should cover terrorist incidents. For this purpose, the modern terrorism strategy will be discussed first. Subsequently, the importance of the (mass-)media in this new terrorism strategy will be described. In the main part, the problems associated with the coverage of terrorism are discussed. In this context, recommendations are made on how the media can improve their coverage of terrorist attacks. Finally, some conclusions are drawn in relation to the research question.

Terrorism has changed in recent years. It is no longer just a local problem that the governments concerned have to deal with. Rather, it has become a global menace that threatens world peace. Terrorism as a global phenomenon has become one of the major topics in media coverage, both at the national and at the global level. And while media coverage about terrorism varies across countries and regions, it has one thing in common: media coverage can have a significant impact on perceptions of terror. This is shown, among other sources, by a study of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), using the example of the attacks on the Israeli sports team at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. The stance here is, that the media played a major role in the perception of the event. On the other hand, media coverage can also serve as a platform for terrorists to spread fear and terror and pressure decision makers to give in to terrorists' demands.