Terrorism and the Media-The Right to Know and the Challenges of Extortion

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 15 - 27, 27.06.2024

Mohamed Kirat

https://doi.org/10.47951/mediad.1455455

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between media, government, and terrorism. It investigates what terrorists want from the media, what governments seek from the media when covering terrorism, and what the media aims to achieve in its coverage of terrorism. The paper discusses coverage versus boycott, extortion and exploitation, ethical considerations, the war on terrorism and public diplomacy, current trends in terrorist operations, and attacks on journalists and media institutions, the Media in the West, and the Middle East dealings with terrorism. The purpose of the study is to investigate the complex relationship of three parties (terrorists, media, and government) with different objectives and agendas. The problem of media and terrorism lies in the conflicting interests and goals of these three different entities. The author used several case studies related to the problem of this study to highlight the conflictual approach to terrorism and how each entity looks at it, making the equation of terrorism, government, and media complex, challenging, and extremely sensitive that must be managed with caution. Both media and political institutions must consider several factors such as national security, public interest, economic, political, and ethical considerations. The relationship between terrorism, media and governments are characterized by a set of challenges, such as the public right to know and the potential for extortion and exploitation by terrorist groups, and the attempts from the governments to set the agendas. How can the media serve the truth without falling into the trap of extortion, exploitation, without succumbing to the pursuit of journalistic scoops, and sensationalism and without falling into the pressure of control and pressures from the governments?

Keywords

Right to Know, Ethical Considerations, Extortion, Sensationalism, Scoops, Nationalism, Bias

Terörizm ve Medya: Bilgi Edinme Hakkı ve Şantaj Sorunu

Abstract

Bu makale, medya, hükümet ve terörizm arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktadır. Teröristlerin medyadan ne istediklerini, hükümetlerin terörizmle ilgili haberlerde medyadan ne beklediklerini ve medyanın terörizmle ilgili haberlerde neyi amaçladığını incelemektedir. Makale, haber yapma vs. boykot, şantaj ve istismar, etik kaygılar, terörle mücadele ve kamu diplomasisi, terörist operasyonlardaki güncel eğilimler, gazetecilere ve medya kurumlarına yönelik saldırılar, Batı ve Orta Doğu medyasının terörizmle başa çıkma şekilleri gibi konuları ele almaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı, farklı hedef ve gündemlere sahip olan üç tarafın (teröristler, medya ve hükümet) karmaşık ilişkisini incelemektir. Medya ve terörizm sorunu, bu üç farklı varlığın çıkar ve hedeflerinin çatışmasında yatmaktadır. Yazar, bu çalışmanın sorununa ilişkin birkaç vaka çalışması kullanarak, terörizme yönelik çatışmacı yaklaşımı ve her varlığın buna nasıl baktığını vurgulamış, böylece terörizm, hükümet ve medya denklemini karmaşık, zorlayıcı ve son derece hassas bir hale getirmiş, dikkatle yönetilmesi gerektiğini belirtmiştir. Hem medya hem de siyasi kurumlar, ulusal güvenlik, kamu yararı, ekonomik, siyasi ve etik kaygılar gibi birçok faktörü dikkate almak zorundadır. Terörizm, medya ve hükümetler arasındaki ilişki, kamuoyunun bilme hakkı, terörist grupların şantaj ve istismar potansiyeli ve hükümetlerin gündem belirleme çabaları gibi bir dizi zorlukla karakterize edilir. Medya, hem şantaj ve istismar tuzağına düşmeden, hem gazetecilikte skandalların ve sansasyonelliğin peşine düşmeden, hem de hükümetlerin kontrol ve baskılarına boyun eğmeden gerçeğe nasıl hizmet edebilir?

Keywords

Bilgi Edinme Hakkı, Etik Kaygılar, Şantaj, Sansasyonellik, Özel Haberler, Milliyetçilik, Taraflılık

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