The Role of Mass Media in Aiding International Terrorism: the Case of Kenyan Media and Al-shabaab

Abstract

Never before has terrorism been so rife and evident than in the last few years, and especially after the 9/11 attacks in the US. Transnational terrorism and crimes have gained prominence with the advent of new media and international media broadcasting round the clock. States are not only being challenged on their own territories, but their stature in the international arena is equally coming under attack from new actors like terrorist organizations. And even more so by the power of media to not only set the agenda, but to now influence public and foreign policy of states.This study examined the role of media as enablers of international terrorism by failing to gatekeep and inevitably set an agenda for the terrorists who have marked media as one of their critical tools in meting violence on the people. The study examined this relationship, a „fatal attraction‟ as described by Lumbaca and Gray, between Kenyan mainstream media and the terrorist group al-Shabaab. This study interviewed media and international conflict scholars, media practitioners and graduate students of communication from the University of Nairobi. The study found that mainstream media has largely aided in pushing and propagating the al-Shabaab‟s agenda in Kenya through skewed coverage as compared to counter-terrorism initiatives by the government and other state actors. The study further recommends striking a balance between reporting objectively – media freedom - and deviance amplification and promotion of international terrorism. Proper training of journalists reporting on terrorism issues is, too, recommended.