Role of Media has become very important in modern times and affects people in a number of ways but another aspect is that sometimes media creates unnecessary hypes to gain television ratings. Numerous incidents suggest that Media, in course of covering critical incidents kike terrorism, crosses its limits and causes more harm than helping the country. Publicizing plans to fight terrorism by media is harmful and such coverage helps terrorists in making or changing their plans.
Media, instead of disclosing important strategy, should report such incidents in a manner that any further damage could be prevented. Media should alert people and help law making authorities by gathering information about terrorists instead of disclosing government strategies to combat terrorism (Janda et al., 2013).
Violence, depicted by media in critical incidents related to terrorism, should be censored in order to prevent any uncalled situation in the society. Portrayal of violence may create panic among people and anti social elements may try to get benefits of these unfortunate incidents by spreading rumors and by doing other misdemeanors in society (Uscinski, 2009). Utmost precaution should be taken by media during these sensitive incidents so that no anti social element can take benefit out of it.
Media usually provides a fair depiction of terrorism but sometimes in order to create more sensation; it also presents the story with a certain perspective. The stories and accounts should be presented in a way that it helps the society and law making authorities (Covert and Wasburn, September 2007). Incidents related to Terrorism are intended to harm the society in and media also should fight this war by their coverage and behavior without bothering much about television ratings.
References
K. Janda, J. Berry, J. Goldman and D. Schildkraut. (2013). The Challenge of Democracy, 12th ed. USA: Cengage Learning.
T. J. Adkins Covert and P. C. Wasburn. (September 2007). Measuring Media Bias: A Content Analysis of Time and Newsweek Coverage of Domestic Social Issues, 1975–2000. Social Science Quarterly, 88(3) , 690–706.
Uscinski, J. (2009). When does the public's issue agenda affect the media's issue agenda (and vice versa)? Developing a framework for media-public influence. Social Science Quarterly, 90(4) , 796–815.
