Terrorism and the Media-The Right to Know and the Challenges of Extortion

This paper explores the relationship between media, government, and terrorism. It investigates what terrorists want from the media, what governments seek from the media when covering terrorism, and what the media aims to achieve in its coverage of terrorism. The paper discusses coverage versus boycott, extortion and exploitation, ethical considerations, the war on terrorism and public diplomacy, current trends in terrorist operations, and attacks on journalists and media institutions, the Media in the West, and the Middle East dealings with terrorism. The purpose of the study is to investigate the complex relationship of three parties (terrorists, media, and government) with different objectives and agendas. The problem of media and terrorism lies in the conflicting interests and goals of these three different entities. The author used several case studies related to the problem of this study to highlight the conflictual approach to terrorism and how each entity looks at it, making the equation of terrorism, government, and media complex, challenging, and extremely sensitive that must be managed with caution. Both media and political institutions must consider several factors such as national security, public interest, economic, political, and ethical considerations. The relationship between terrorism, media and governments are characterized by a set of challenges, such as the public right to know and the potential for extortion and exploitation by terrorist groups, and the attempts from the governments to set the agendas. How can the media serve the truth without falling into the trap of extortion, exploitation, without succumbing to the pursuit of journalistic scoops, and sensationalism and without falling into the pressure of control and pressures from the governments?