Terrorism and the Media: a Symbiotic Relationship

Abstract

This exploratory study seeks to investigate via the agency of the concept of symbiosis how mutually beneficial the relationship between terrorism (however defined) and the media (as broadly defined) is. The study concludes that while the symbiosis concept may largely explain the mutuality of the terrorism media relationship, it simultaneously determines that in the changed environment of new media technologies, terrorism and terrorist groups are now increasingly owning and operating their very own media - which closely mirror the ordinary media and interface with them. This injects complexity in the terrorism-media relationship as symbiotic. The media may be a victim of terrorism. Accordingly, policymakers (to whom this project is addressed) have to do a delicate balancing act in coming up with a practical, workable and acceptable policy concerning the media coverage of terrorist acts and the terrorists' access to the media without unduly compromising liberal ideas in a democratic setting.