CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
One
of the major functions of the mass media is the provision of adequate
information about on goings or current events in the society as a way of
serving the public what they need to know.
The
news media in particular serve this basic human needs by providing information
on WHO? , WHAT? , WHY? , WHERE? And HOW?, Relaying to the public. It is
possible to argue that there is no particular time the public is more in need
of information from the media than when the safety or even the survival of the
public is threatened. In other words, the public is in greater need of more
extensive information during a current danger in order to reduce uncertainty
about the danger(Schlesinger, et al 1983:14) No wonder that the news media,
particularly the broadcast media, become a relaying point of the public when
terrorists strike.
Nevertheless,
reporting on terrorism presents a number of “dilemma” and “paradoxes” to
journalists whose responsibility is to inform the public “Objectively”; fairly”
and “Accurately.
It
is however, a dilemma to them because one of the main objectives of terrorist
act is to maximize publicity in order to create a “psychological” effect on the
public. This leads to some questions concerning the role of the media in
reporting terrorism. For example, is the MEDIA acting as an accomplice to the
aims of the terrorists by craving cheap publicity for them? Is the media not
magnifying the threat and fear in the way they report terrorism instead of
allaying the fear? Is the media reports of terrorism encouraging more of such
acts as terrorists may be more emboldened by the massive publicity they gain for
their terror and intensify the acts of terrorism? Are the media really
objective and accurate in the way they report terrorism in their narrative and
framing of the terrorist? How best should the media report incidents of
terrorist violence? These are the complex questions that this article tries to
put into perspective with the aim of providing a personal view point on how the
media has been reporting terrorism. The aim of this article is not to provide
absolute answers to the questions because I think there are no perfect answers
or consensus on the complex issue of how the media reporter should report on
terrorism. Rather, it simply argues that any form of political violence that
goes unreported or not reported sensationally; it also argues that the
simplification of terrorist acts without recourse to historical details and
motives of the terrorist by the media has not been helpful in reducing acts of
terrorism. If the media go beyond the rhetoric of the official perspective and
stop labeling terrorists and defining their acts as evil against good and
instead provide a deeper analysis of what motives such acts carry, the media
would have gone a long way to resolve the “MENACE” that has deeply taken root
in the fabric of our national and international relationship.
It
should be noted that the history of terrorism is as old as man dealing with
humans willingness to use violence to affect politics. However, global
terrorism became a prominent issue in the late 1960’s when hijacking became a
favored tactic.
As
the basis of my argument in this study, I first attempt to illuminate the
“interdependent” nature of relationship between the media and terrorist which
should help expose or explain the convention and narratives which have led to
terrorism and how the people of the world have been able to benefit from the
information of the media. As I discuss these issues, I will draw on pertinent
theories of mass communication ranging from those that explain various effects
of mass media.
1.1
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The
following are the Objectives of this study:
·
To enlighten the public
and see how the media has influence the attacks of terrorist.
·
To see if the media
have a positive or negative influence on the people.
·
To see if the media are
publicizing the terrorist for their own interest, that is getting the attention
of more viewers.
·
To examine the cause
and effect of global terrorism on the people, government and the economy.
·
To see how the media
has also assisted the government in fighting global terrorism.
1.2
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
For
the purpose of this study, the following research questions will be considered
·
Is the media not
magnifying the threat and fear of the people in the way they report terrorism?
·
What are the effects of
media crusade against terrorism?
·
What roles should the
media play in fighting against global terrorism?
·
To what extent do media
report terrorism?
1.3
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The significance of this study is to inform the
people on how to help the media in fighting terrorism by giving information to
the police and other organizations that fight against terrorism.
This study also explains how the media had
contributed in the fight against terrorism.
It also proffers solutions and advice to the media
on how to improve in their reportage of terrorism.
1.4
SCOPE
OF STUDY
This research work will be based on questionnaire that
will be distributed among students.
This research has succeeded in asking 100 students
about the ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN THE CRUSADE AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM.
Kwara State Polytechnic is our case of study and the
responses of the students will be gathered after the first semester examination
of the 2012/2013 academic session.
1.5
OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION OF TERMS
·
MEDIA: This also can be
referred to as a medium or a channel in which information is being passed to
the audience, usually in mass communication.
·
TERRORIST: A group of
people or persons that causes terror, violence, fear, nuisance, intimidation
etc in a particular place.
·
NEWS: this can be referred
to as fresh information a recent happening that is worth reporting.
·
VIOLENCE : this is
causing unrest in the society or any where, using great force to attack people,
causing chaos etc