The Impact of Media on Terrorism and Extremism

The Impact of Media on Terrorism and Extremism
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The Impact of Media on Terrorism and Extremism
Introduction
Undeniably, the revolution in the information technology sector has significantly influenced almost all facets of life. This, coupled with globalization, has enhanced openness in the society by making the information spreading process easier and faster. It is now easier than ever for one to access information anytime and from anywhere thanks to technology and its impact on the mass-media sector. While information availability is a good thing, criticism has arisen due to an apparent lack of control in sectors where sensitivity is key. For instance, there have been claims that the easy and quick spread of information harbors terrorism, a major vice affecting the society today. Terrorists have been known to rely on the media to make their intent known to the world and also spread fear (Jetter, 2017). On the other hand, media houses have on several occasions used terrorist attack coverages to enhance their viewership. As is evident, the two have what can be termed as a symbiotic relationship as each seems to benefit from the act of the other.
Several questions have been raised regarding whether or not the media should control what they report on terrorism. While some feel that it is the right thing to do, others feel that doing so would be the beginning of a slippery road where the process of reporting events will be censored to feed people only what they want and not necessarily the truth. Others feel that this will be an infringement on their right to information as well as their freedom of expression, all under the guise of protecting them (Doward, 2015). To address this gap, the logical process would be to first address the question on whether or not the daily broadcasting of terrorist attacks has an influence on future extremism. The hypothesis is that minimizing the air-time given to extremist groups by media houses can eliminate any credit they feel they deserve.
The Media and Politics
The issue of the media and its role in historical as well as current conflicting situations has been gaining extensive attention in recent times. Various studies have been conducted to determine the impact of the media on political outcomes. There is damning evidence indicating that media influence has a significant impact on political consequences. For instance, research has shown that the voting for extreme nationalist parties in Croatia was largely driven by nationwide radio propaganda in Serbia (Jetter, 2017). Additionally, radio programming that encouraged violence against the Tutsi people in Rwanda could have been responsible for roughly 10 percent of the violence experienced during the Rwanda genocide.
As is evident, the media has time and again been used for political influences. It has proven to be a powerful tool not only to influence voting but also any other political development (Jetter, 2017). For instance, the western media, especially in the United States, has for a long time now shown an open bias towards Muslim nations. This factor has been used by political candidates to woe their supporters or bad mouth their opponents. For instance, the current president of the US, Dona...