Discovering the interplay between the news media and acts of terrorism

Humanity is the Price of Vengeance

The beginning of Munich is filmed in quick, jumpy shots.  The rhythm of the shots mimics that of a frightened heartbeat.  It represents the fear and danger of what is about to happen.  It is compelling in all its gruesome glory.  “This is a film that harks back to the great, gritty thrillers of that decade–for many, the heyday of the genre–with its all-pervasive paranoia and palette of steely colors,” (Yomiuri Shimbun). Read more

Bias. The judgements that an individual carries with them that influence his or her outlook on a subject, idea, or issue. Everybody has them, from teachers, to politicians, to the Pope and the President. As a journalist, perhaps the most important skill that comes into play involving bias is when to recognize it. Whether looking at a source or using a quote, journalism instinct tends to look for possible bias. Because movies present the viewpoint or vision of the director and writers, they also contain these same types of bias and they should be viewed with skepticism. Steven Spielberg’s film “Munich”, despite providing an honest historical context in which it is set, pushes the director’s framing of counterterrorism as counterproductive and opens up room for criticism due to it’s “un-patriotic” viewpoints.

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