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

Yıl 2024, , 15 - 27, 27.06.2024

Mohamed Kirat

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

Öz

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?

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Terörizm ve Medya: Bilgi Edinme Hakkı ve Şantaj Sorunu

Öz

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?

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Kaynakça

• Awni, M. (2003). Terrorism, the right to self-determination, and resistance to occupation: The ambiguous boundaries. Gulf Affairs, 35, 75–91.
• Bilgen, A. (2012). Terrorism and the media: A dangerous symbiosis. E-International Relations. https://www.e-ir.info/2012/7/22/terrorism-and-the-media-a-dangerous-symbiosis/
• Cohen-Almagor, R. (2005). Media coverage of acts of terrorism: Troubling episodes and suggested guidelines. Canadian Journal of Communication, 30(3), 383–409.
• Combs, C. C. (2003). Terrorism in the twenty-first century (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall.
• Domke, D., Graham, E. S., Coe K., Lockett John, S., & Coopman, T. (2006). Going public as political strategy: The bush administration, an echoing press, and passage of the Patriot Act. Political Communication, 23(3), 291–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600600808844
• Farsoun, S. (2002). International terrorism: The United States and the Arab World. Arab Future, Issue 284.48-64.
• Goodman, A., & Goodman, D. (2006) Static: Government liars, media cheerleaders, and the people who fight back. New York: Hachette Books.
• Hawwat, M. A. (2002). Media and terrorism in light of the September 11 events. Media Studies, October-December (109), 12–51.
• Hess, S., & Kalb, M. L. (Eds.). (2003). The media and the war on terrorism (1st ed). Brookings Institution Press.
• Kirat, M. (2011). Media and terrorism: The difficult equation. Arab Radios Journal, 4, 67–74.
• Kirat, M. (2014, May 25). Terrorism and media: A symbiotic relationship. https://thepeninsulaqatar. com/article/25/05/2014/terrorism-and-media-a-symbiotic-relationship
• Nacos, B. L. (1994). Terrorism and the media: From the Iran hostage crisis to the World Trade Center bombing. Columbia University Press.
• Nacos, B. L. (2000). Accomplice or witness? The media’s role in terrorism. Current History, 99(636), 174–178. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2000.99.636.174
• Nacos, B. L. (2007), Mass-mediated terrorism: The central role of the media in terrorism and counterterrorism, (2nd ed.), Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
• Najem, T. (2014). The symbiotic relationship between the media and terrorism. Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition. https://www.imctc.org/en/eLibrary/Articles/Documents/636745 832342321884.pdf
• Noha Ali, A. (2003). Why did international efforts fail in combating terrorism? Gulf Center for Strategic Studies, 35, 17–35.
• O'Sullivan, J. (1984) Terrorism and the media, second conference on international terrorism. Johnattan Institute.
• Schmid, A. P. (1989) Terrorism and the media: The ethics of publicity. Terrorism and Political Violence, 1(4), 539-565
• Zabyelina, Y. (2022). The "Capone Discovery": Extortion as a method of terrorism financing studies. Conflict & Terrorism, 45 (5-6),501-516.