Controlling Terrorism - Part II

Depriving Terrorism Of Media Attention

Once terrorism is acceptably defined, we must find a way to deprive terrorist organizations of their most valuable ally - publicity. Terrorist stage events to shock and anger the world, to intimate a country or government by national or world opinion.

Terrorist must be deprived of the world stage offered by a fawning news media and its reporters. This stage also serves as a recruiting forum, free of charge and sponsored by the rest of us. Publicity is the oil that lubricates the terrorist actions.

As we have seen from the reporting of past terrorist events, the reporters may as well be working for the terrorists. While it may be true that the media’s attention may affect the terrorists actions and may even temporarily save lives, this media stage also encourages all terrorist organization to do similar actions and to make each action more deadly than the last. Is saving a few lives today worth placing many more people in the same position tomorrow? Perhaps to the relatives of the first group of hostages but not necessarily to the relatives of the next hostages.

While freedom of the press is important, it is just as important to limit the misuse of the media by those seeking exposure of their terrorist activities. If we can hold governments accountable for aiding and abetting terrorist, why shouldn’t the same rules of conduct apply to reporters, journalists, and their various media organizations? Reporting the news is well and good but to allow the news of staged events to be manipulated by the terrorists is participating in the terrorist act. Constant reporting isn’t necessary, sensationalizing the news isn’t either.

Limiting the number or reporters may be one method. With only one or two reporters having access to the terrorists, it might prevent reporters from trying to scoop all the others with the most shocking details and images.

Another way may be to only allow delayed news feeds so as to reduce the "spontaneity of the terrorists".

If we keep rewarding someone for their actions, why should they stop?

Controlling Terrorism: Part I Part II Part III

Author: Don Miller
Posted: Jan. 2004

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