Media Coverage and Political Terrorists: A Quantitative Analysis

This book studies what has generally been regarded as intangible: the relationship between news media coverage and terrorist success. Utilizing his four-year database of barricade-and-hostage and hijacking atrocities by international terrorists and the coverage afforded those events by newspapers from three Western nations (Germany, Great Britain, and the United States), Richard W. Schaffert observes the effect of media coverage (newspaper column space provided, articles and photographs published) on whether concessions were made to terrorist demands, and establishes a strong positive relationship between coverage and terrorist success. In Chapter 1, Schaffert establishes a definition of political terrorism by identifying the basic elements that distinguish it from other forms of political violence, then rigorously applies this definition throughout his analysis. The functions of political terrorism are reviewed, with special consideration given to the use of terrorism as an instrument of politics. Schaffert evaluates state experiences with political terrorism in terms of the nature of the threat, countermeasures employed, the media's role, and the relationship between public, press, and government. Finally, the question of the responsibility of a democratic society's media in the reporting of terrorism is considered. Schaffert's extensive database, which is included as an appendix, will prove invaluable for further research in the area.

Table of Contents:
Introduction In Pursuit of a Definition of Political Terrorism Terrorism and Politics The Sources of Political Terrorism The Functioning of Political Terrorism The Transmission of Terror and Its Translation into Political Power The Media's Influence on the Public's Perception of Terrorism and the Question of Media Responsibility Recent Analyses and Current Limitations on the Quantitative Examination of Political Terrorism A Quantitative Analysis of the Relationship Between the Media and Terrorism A Comparison of National Experiences with Political Terrorism and the Media The Threat of Terrorism to Americans and the Adversarial Media Conclusions Appendixes Selected Bibliography Index

About the Author :
RICHARD W. SCHAFFERT lives in Vienna, Austria, where he conducts private research and consultation on Eastern European politics and international terrorism. His interest in political terrorism stems from his participation in the development of counter terror policies while serving as a Liaison Officer at the American Embassy in Manila in 1980-81. From 1981-83, he served as Director of Policy Studies at NATO military headquarters in Belgium. Dr. Schaffert is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska.