Discovering the interplay between the news media and acts of terrorism

The September 11^th attacks on the World Trade Center are often credited for ending the American public’s sense of security and beginning an era of apparent vulnerability. Before 2001, America had a very limited history with domestic terrorism. Stories of terrorist activities rarely made headline news. The general public was never worried that they might be subjected to a biological attack or find anthrax in their mailbox. September 11^th changed that perception. More precisely, the way the American news media handled the event and adjusted their coverage of terrorism changed that perception. After examining news coverage of 9/11 from American, European and Chinese sources, the most striking difference in American coverage when compared to foreign coverage is that the framing and language used by American news media seemingly indicated that all Americans were in danger and that the country had just entered a state of war. Read more

Framing and the September 11th Attacks

On September 11th, 2001, American suffered an attack on a unprecedented scale.   Hijackers flew planes into two World Trade Center buildings, and into the Pentagon. Another plane crashed due to struggles over control while in the air.  By the end, almost 3000 people had lost their lives in the incident1.   The news spread quickly – less than two minutes after the first plane impacts, the attack was reported on television2, and by the next day, news media throughout the world had coverage of the event. Read more

In the wake of the events of September 11, news organizations worldwide immediately began covering one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in the past decade. Coverage of the attacks was far-reaching and diverse. Domestic news organizations framed the events in such a way that articulated the necessary unification of a nation amidst a crisis. “When citizens are threatened by actual terrorists or the fear of future attacks, calls to consolidate around a national identity are quite common” (Barnett and Reynolds 117). Although domestic media outlets were quick to extend support and offer solace to American viewers, Read more