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| Terrorism
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Contents
1. Broadcast visuals
2. Print media
3. Differences between broadcast and print
4. Bibliography
Broadcast visuals
Basically, it is hardly possible to find any broadcaster that
remained indifferent to the terror attack on the Palestine
Hotel in Iraq, on October 24, 2005. At the same time the representation
of the terror attack by different broadcaster naturally vary,
though the event described is actually the same.
On analyzing the broadcasting of the terror attack, it should
be said that such companies as CBS and Fox paid a lot of attention
to the terror attack on the Palestine Hotel. Both CBS and
Fox attempted to widely highlight the tragedy that occurred
in Iraq. Both broadcasters provided ample information about
the details of the terror attacks, including information about
the number of explosions, victims, etc.
However, it is worthy of mention that basically, they use
the basic footage that are used by other broadcaster. In such
a way, they probably attempt to objectively represent the
event on analyzing the same visuals that other companies have
broadcasted. For instance, Fox uses an APTN footage, where
the “explosive truck blew a hole in a 12-foot concrete
wall that separates the hotel from the square” (Fox).
Similarly, CBS uses AP footage. At the same time, it should
be said that CBS amply used the report of its correspondents
from the place of terror attacks and provided detailed description
of how and where the terror attack took place.
Furthermore, it is necessary to underline that CBS attempts
to link this terror attack to other terror attacks that recently
has occurred in Iraq. In such a way, the Palestine Hotel terror
attack is well contextualized. On the other hand, Fox is more
focused on the coverage of the terror attack since the piece
has been showing several times for a few days, though it is
possible to say that Fox coverage is not so diverse as that
of CBS which analyzes the situation a bit wider than Fox attempting
to view it in the context of the general trends in Iraq.
However, Fox closely analyzed the video distributed by terrorists
(2), which revealed the fact that the terror attack was carefully
planned and that it was developed professionally and hypocritically
without paying attention to the significance of human life.
It proves beyond a doubt that this video could produce a profound
impact on the audience since it shows the terror attack and
its planning from within. At the same time, this video can
contribute to the understanding of the essence of terrorism
and terrorist, their way of thinking, beliefs, etc.
Even though, CBS also paid a lot of attention to the coverage
of the terror attack but it was not so concentrated on it
as Fox and the piece was less frequently shown on CBS. In
this respect, it is possible to point out that this is not
probably just the unwilling of CBS to give more time to the
coverage of the terror attack, but it also may be motivated
by the intention of the broadcaster to avoid producing a traumatic
effect on the audience, while Fox is more likely to produce
such an effect on psychology of viewers. Nevertheless, both
Fox and CBS emphasized the importance and significance of
the tragedy and at first it was the news number one.
At the same time, the different length the piece was shown
by CBS and Fox may be explained by the fact that the cable
broadcaster, i.e. Fox was more interested in the attraction
of possibly larger audience and could pay less attention to
the general effect the wide coverage of the terror attack
can produce on society and individuals’ psychology.
Anyway, potentially, the audience of CBS could be larger than
that of Fox so the risk to cause a kind of psychological trauma
was probably lower, according to the view of the company.
As for CBS, even though it is also concerned about the number
of its audience, the higher profit is not the ultimate goal
of this traditional broadcaster since its image as a moderate
company which did not fall in extremes is well-known, while
Fox could use terror attack to increase the size of its audience
and, thus, its short-time profits.
Furthermore, it should be said that, as Fox was more focused
on the coverage of the terror attack, it also provided a more
profound analysis of the event. It is worthy of mention that
CBS basically refers to the official commentaries of the terror
attack basically, they represent the official position of
the US authorities and their comments on the situation but
also it uses the reports of its own correspondents from the
pace of terror attacks. As for Fox, it attempts to represent
a wider range of opinions and includes the opinion of the
local authorities.
This is why, on comparing the narrative framework of both
broadcasters, it is possible to say that the narrative framework
of Fox is broader and more profound, though it is worthy of
mention that CBS attempts to analyze the similar attacks and
the background of the terror assault. At the same time, it
seems that Fox representation of the events is more emotional
or focused on provoking strong emotions of the audience that
is probably motivated by the desire to attract the larger
audience.
Print media
Naturally, print media could not stay aside from the coverage
of the terror attack on the Palestine Hotel in Iraq on October
24, 2005. In this respect, it is worthy to dwell upon four
print media: “Washington Post”, “Time”,
“Seattle Times”, and “The USA Today”,
which actually vary from internationally recognized media,
such as “Time” to local ones, such as “Seattle
Times”.
Basically, it should be said that all four media immediately
reacted on the terror attack on the Palestine Hotel in Iraq
and discussed this event. However, it should be pointed out
that the attention different print media paid to the terror
attack vary. In general, it is possible to range the attention
the print media mentioned above paid to the terror attack
from the profound focus on the event and in depth analysis
of the problem and its causes to the general information about
the terror attack or simple use of a variety of sources as
the basis for the coverage of the event.
To put it more precisely, “The Washington Post”
and “The USA Today” paid a lot of attention to
the terror attack and covered the even in depth, though, it
is worthy of note that there is substantial difference between
the representation of the terror attack in both media. In
fact, “The Washington Post” provides a larger
view on the terror attack, its reporters attempt to analyze
the causes of the terror attack and the problem of terrorism
in Iraq at large. They also tend to provide a wide range of
opinion involving not only officials but also ordinary local
people. For instance, to describe the terror attack in details
a local laborer, Saleh Mehdi is interviewed and his words
are used to give more vivid details of the terror attack:
“There was broken glass and shrapnel, and all of the
furniture was turned over… The whole area turned into
a battlefield” (Washington Post). Unlike, “Washington
Post”, “The USA Today” rather tends to provide
ample details of the terror attack but avoids its profound
analysis.
As for “Time” it should be said that this media
also tends to provide the general information about the terror
attack avoiding the analysis of cause and effects of the event.
Nonetheless, the media is really concerned on the terror attack.
However, “Seattle Times” provides probably the
last amount of information from its own correspondents. To
put it more precisely, this media basically uses other resources
as a basis for its report concerning the terror attack in
Iraq.
This is why it is possible to estimate that the coverage of
terror attack in print media varies. In this respect, it is
necessary to underline that national media that are actually
recognized internationally, pay a lot of attention to the
terror attack but they differ in the narrative structure since
on the one hand, some media, notably, “The USA Today”
provides only detailed information of the terror attack, such
as number of victims, destructions, etc., while other media,
notably “Washington Post”, in addition, attempts
to analyze the causes of the terror attack and provide different
viewpoints on the event including not only local or American
authorities but also involving local population.
Difference between broadcast and print
Obviously, the representation of the terror attack on the
Palestine Hotel in Iraq by broadcast and print media is different.
It should be said that, to a significant extent, the difference
is caused by the nature and specificity of media. What is
meant here is the fact that broadcast media naturally tend
to focus on the visualization of the terror attack in order
to show the audience its details and make the viewers feel
as if they are practically present at the place of the terror
attack. This is why they show in details the destructions
and consequences of the terror attack.
In contrast, print media are deprived of an opportunity of
such visualization of the terror attack. As a result, they
attempt to make their representation of the even more vivid
with the help of more detailed narration and interviews of
a wider range of people who are not only authorized or responsible
for the security in the area, for instance, but print media
also interview witnesses of the terror attack or even victims.
Furthermore, it should be said that print media are deprived
of an opportunity to repeatedly discuss the terror attack
throughout a day, like broadcast media do. Instead, they rather
use their front pages and eye-catchy headings along with photos
to attract the attention of the audience to the tragedy. As
a result, the representation of the terror attack in broadcast
and print media differs substantially in regard to visualization
and analysis of the event.
Also, it is worthy of mention that broadcast media have larger
opportunities to convey their messages to the mass audience.
To put it more precisely, the audience of broadcasting media
is significantly larger than the audience of print media.
Moreover, as a rule, print media limited in its circulation
because there exists only a limited number of newspapers or
magazines printed that are sold for a limited period of time
and if the issue discussed in media draws a lot of public
attention, such as terror attacks discussed, than print media
can hardly supply the sufficient number of newspapers or magazines
to meet an increased demand. In stark contrast, broadcasting
media as a rule have a large network which often overcomes
national borders and may be accessible to millions of people
in different parts of the world. Consequently, a larger number
of people can receive the information via broadcasting media
than via print media.
At the same time, the quality or, it would be better to say,
the representation of the news issues, such as terror attacks,
is also better in broadcasting media than in print ones. In
addition to visualization and a number of other advantages
of visual media mentioned above, it is also necessary to remind
about the opportunity journalists working at broadcasting
media have and which their colleagues from print media are
deprive of. This advantage is the opportunity to show the
terror attack or the place where it occurred. In this respect,
it should be said that even though print media can verbally
describe the terror attacks and provide some pictures of the
place where the terror attacks occurred, print media still
will not be able to show or precisely depict to the audience
the real development of events, while broadcasting media can
have an opportunity to show how the terror attacks occurred,
naturally, on the condition that these attacks were recorded
by some broadcasting media or its journalists, or even by
terrorists themselves.
Bibliography:
1. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,173192,00.html
2. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,176727,00.html
3. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/25/iraq/main971986.shtml?source=search_story
4. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002580651_webiraq.html
5. http://www.time.com/time/todayspick/0,23052,1122213,00.html
6. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-10-25-alqaeda-hotels_x.htm?csp=34
7. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/24/AR2005102400597.html
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