Book Review on Media, Terrorism and Theory

My research on this book was very interesting and at first i had my doubts about the book but at the end of the reading I noticed just how much the media is influenced just by the thought of terrrorism alone. This is my summary of how the book was in my opinion.

The media’s coverage on the acts of terrorism in recent years has been very unethical and at times very unprofessional. In the book titled, "Media, Terrorism, and Theory", it shows the myths that the international television news media have shown. CNN, BBC, NBC and other large media enterprises known around the world have changed the rules of how media shows coverage of war and media. Television journalism has shaped the public perception of the war on terrorism and the rules of how media covers it. I noticed while reading this that the media is very deceptive in showing what really goes on during these terrorism acts, which shows the media that there is not much going on within the war but in fact there is more than what the viewer thinks there is. Assumption is a one word to describe the media’s coverage of the war and its perception of how the war should be shown to the world.
The general assumption around the media world is that news media uses "myths" about the war on terrorism. During the post-Cold War, the general tone was moralistic at best and the responsible behavior of the U.S. troops was constantly at watch. Mainstream media could not put as much information as they desired to let the media know as to what was actually going on during the Cold War but people could tell from the soldiers when they came back to the U.S. that it was rather negative than positive. Not only did the Cold War bring its share of myths but also the coverage on the nuclear threat during the post-Soviet era. The argument that Iraq was in possession of nuclear weapons and skepticism from most television programs kept these threats as real. However, this was not true as Charles Duelfer, in his interim report to the U.S. Congress in October 2004, explained that the Iraqi government destroyed its last weapons of mass destruction more than a decade ago and has not even considered building new ones. However, this myth that is being televised around the world is about the U.S. spreading democracy, freedom, and human rights in the world. The "force of freedom" has shifted to the U.S. foreign policies in recent years with the U.S. and Great Britain together to put this into action. At first many countries thought this was a myth as well but in 2005 President George W. Bush stated the expansion of freedom in all the world, and he used the word "freedom" or "free" no more than twenty-seven times.
Another concept that was discovered is the morality of the media world is being overwhelmed with a growing rate of discontentment, which in turn has declined the credibility of the mass media. More people seemed to be more opinionated against military adventures and a major survey released in January 2005 showed that seven out of nine nations doubted the U.S. sincerity in the war on terror. Nearly as many respondents believe America’s ultimate aim is nothing less than world domination. Television journalism has grown throughout the years and the media on war has been one of its major reasons. At the heart of it are a number of "communicative frames" that have been routinely used in news stories. They are there to demonstrate a number of liberal claims and providing information and social surveillance. Recently it has fall short of its main goal but it is still a major part of journalism in general and exhibits more potential which is always enacted.
It also describes the production of mass media content and how it has conceded to the global corporate environment. Recent years have shown that audiences have focused on receiving the message; therefore, the concept of media today should be about letting the people know about what is going on rather than showing the people "a cloud of smoke." It shows an alternate concept, which is called the critical media consciousness. Critical media consciousness expands the critique to media production and regulation, opening up possible alternative forms of organization, and offers a different perspective to the audience. It cannot guarantee more progressive forms of media but it will bring a democratic approach to the situation.
I thought the book was very valuable and showed a lot of facts and information about how the media showed terrorism as something else to the audience’s point of view. The misconception about the war has been debated for decades, and the media’s part could make a huge difference as how people begin to look at why we should look at terrorism more carefully. I would strongly recommend this for the class because it talks about using frames, uses and gratifications, and its uses in mediated reality.