The study presented here focuses on the treatment accorded to Northern Ireland by the British press since 1969. It argues that the press has failed to provide the public with an impartial or meaningful account of the conflict in the North, and explores some of the factors that have contributed to this failure. Chapter One outlines the primary functions that have been ascribed to journalists and the press in democratic society, and provides a standard against which press performance may be judged. Chapter Two evaluates a range of commentaries on the British media's reporting of Northern Ireland from Partition to the present day. The study moves on to examine the debate over the media's representation of "terrorism" and assesses the consequences of this debate for the British media's reporting of Northern Ireland. Chapter Four provides an account of the research methods employed in the study and reflects on some of the practical problems encountered during the course of the fieldwork. Chapter Five presents the findings of a content analysis of the coverage accorded to civilian assassinations by seven British and two Northern Irish newspapers during a five week period in 1972. Chapter Six outlines the development of the information services operated by the army and the police, and describes how these forces have used their strategic position as a news source to gain the edge in the propaganda war. Picking up on some of the themes and issues raised in previous chapters, Chapter Seven focuses on those involved in the production of news and presents the findings of a series of interviews undertaken with journalists in Belfast and London. The final chapter summarises the principal findings of the study and reflects on the prospects of a reversal in the present approach to the reporting of Northern Ireland by the British press.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 62 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-62).

In 1985, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared publicity to be the ‘oxygen’ of terrorism. Speaking from within a climate of domestic terrorism, such a statement draws into question the nature of contemporary media coverage. The British Broadcasting Corporation, existing as a public sector broadcaster, occupies a unique position in the context of 20th and 21st century mass media. The BBC is central to the creation and direction of national and international news agendas, in the formation of worldwide public opinion, and the brand name and reputation hold connotations of honesty, accuracy and impartiality. It can therefore be positioned as a ‘a microcosm of some larger system or a whole society' (Gomm et al., 2000, p.99). Yet, the historical visual output of the organisation in relation to domestic terrorism emanating from the environment of the Troubles — a significant period in social, cultural, political, and media history — has never been subject to rigorous academic scrutiny. Grounded in the field of media and cultural studies, and drawing upon extensive archival research, this thesis investigates the representation of domestic terror by the BBC in news and documentary format over the three-decade period of 1968-1998 through two interpretive modes of textual analysis: content analysis and semiotics. Throughout, the representation of events is contextualised in relation to media theory, with the words and pictures broadcast by the BBC analysed. The framing of acts of terror as image events is considered, as well as the visual aesthetic, codes, and values, of news reports. Ultimately, this work argues that BBC coverage of the Troubles has clear and identifiable patterns and symbols. Initial outbreaks of violence, where no corresponding representational referents existed, trended towards the vivid and graphic. Gradually, however, there was an overt movement away from this form; with the notable exception of moments where a method of perception created a disjuncture to established means, coverage was dominated by generic media templates, the rhetoric of euphemism, a concerted lack of contextualisation, and empty symbolism of the absent image.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Mary Stuckey, committee chair; Greg Lisby, David Cheshier, committee members. Electronic text (112 p. : col. ill.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Jan. 31, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-87).

The aim of the Master's thesis is to analyze the phenomenon of international terrorism as a process of communication which exploits the pattern of contemporary mass media. The thesis will result in a practical application of findings of this analysis on chosen recent terrorist attacks. It will mainly focus on evaluating whether the patterns of terrorism as striving for publicity are still present and if/how they have changed with the arrival of web-based communication. First chapter of the thesis is dedicated to defining and framing terrorism. It also gives a brief insight to historical roots of a terrorist's need for attention. Second chapter introduces mass media as a theoretical concept and as a tool in the communication strategy of a terrorist. The final chapter examines chosen attacks in years 2010 and 2011 through the prism of media-centered strategy. It shows almost no changes in the strategy, however, there is a solid evidence for a terrorists' ability to take advantage of the Internet as a mean to enhance the effect of their activity, e.g. recruitment of adherents, resource of information, and spreading messages.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed 9 May 2007). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Education and Social Work. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-52).

[ES] La presente investigación aborda la noción de terrorismo en relación con sus formas de representación. Así, partimos del supuesto de que, en cuanto a terrorismo se refiere, lenguaje e imagen, realidad y representación, no funcionan como esferas separadas, sino como terrenos sólo aparentemente fronterizos que se solapan, interaccionan y se condicionan entre sí. Aquí nos servimos del 11-S como acontecimiento singular a través del cual desentrañar el relato que circunda la idea de terrorismo; un relato que ha hecho de la imagen su principal herramienta discursiva y de la ficción su estrategia propagandística más eficaz. En otras palabras, podríamos decir que la narración post-11-S del terrorismo se ha basado en la explotación sin paliativos de su representación simplificada, atribuyendo a sus imágenes unos significados previamente estipulados e imponiendo un modelo explicativo que abandona por completo el empirismo y el estudio racional de los hechos. Si tradicionalmente el concepto de terrorismo se había definido, tanto histórica como jurídicamente, a través de una pretendida ambigüedad, tras el 11-S se extremó su indeterminación, ampliándolo sustancialmente e incidiendo en su característica carga emotiva. Por todo ello, en esta tesis doctoral ofrecemos tres aproximaciones diferentes al concepto de terrorismo, enunciadas desde el intrincado nexo que su violencia establece con las técnicas de representación. En la primera parte, mediante un análisis comparativo del 11-S, definimos el terrorismo como una estrategia de violencia política con intenciones comunicativas y simbólicas. En la segunda parte, reflexionamos en torno a la confluencia de distintos estilos de relato, creados todos ellos con afán de desactivación del contrarrelato que la acción terrorista introduce, describiendo el terrorismo como constructo mediático y como concepto narrativo. Finalmente, en la tercera parte, tratamos la noción de terrorismo como un relato de exterioridad, generado para expulsar la violencia inherente al propio Estado fuera del orden político. Cabe mencionar que, aunque tomemos el 11-S como punto de partida y caso de estudio, esta investigación no se circunscribe exclusivamente a este acontecimiento, sino que aborda la especificidad de la violencia terrorista a través del análisis de sus formas de representación con vistas a la extracción de unas conclusiones generales. La metodología de esta investigación es, por lo tanto, inductiva y su perspectiva es de carácter transdisciplinar, combinando la investigación teórico-práctica en artes, con la indagación filosófica o jurídica. De ello se deriva que las conclusiones extraídas a lo largo de esta tesis doctoral vengan determinadas tanto por la reflexión teórica como por la propia práctica artística. / [CA] La present investigació adreça la noció de terrorisme en relació amb les seues formes de representació. Així, partim del suposat que, pel que fa a terrorisme, llenguatge i imatge, realitat i representació, no funcionen com esferes separades, sinó com terrenys sols aparentment fronterers que no deixen de superposar-se, interaccionar o condicionar-se entre si. Ací ens fem servir de l'11-S com esdeveniment singular a través del qual desentranyar el relat que circumda la idea de terrorisme; un relat que ha fet de la imatge la seua principal ferramenta discursiva i de la ficció la seua estratègia propagandística més eficaç. En altres paraules, podríem dir que la narració post-11-S del terrorisme s'ha basat en l'explotació sense pal·liatius de la seua representació simplificada, atribuint a les seues imatges uns significats prèviament estipulats i imposant un model explicatiu que abandona per complet l'empirisme i l'estudi racional dels fets. Si tradicionalment el concepte de terrorisme s'havia definit, tant històrica com jurídicament, a través d'una pretesa ambigüitat, després de l'11-S es va extremar la seua indeterminació, ampliant-lo substancialment i incidint en la seua característica càrrega emotiva. Per tot això, en aquesta tesi doctoral oferim tres aproximacions diferents del concepte de terrorisme, enunciades des de l'intrincat nexe que la seua violència estableix amb les tècniques de representació. En la primera part, mitjançant una anàlisi comparativa de l'11-S, definim el terrorisme com una estratègia de violència política amb intencions comunicatives i simbòliques. En la segona part, reflexionem al voltant de la confluència de diferents estils de relat, creats tots ells amb l'afany de desactivació del contrarrelat que l'acció terrorista introdueix, descrivint el terrorisme com constructe mediàtic i com concepte narratiu. Finalment, en la tercera part, tractem la noció de terrorisme com un relat d'exterioritat, generat per expulsar la violència inherent al mateix Estat fora de l'ordre polític. Cal fer menció que, tot i que prenem l'11-S com un punt de partida i cas d'estudi, aquesta investigació no se circumscriu exclusivament a aquest esdeveniment, sinó que adreça l'especificitat de la violència terrorista a través de l'anàlisi de les seues formes de representació amb vista a l'extracció d'unes conclusions generals. La metodologia d'aquesta investigació és, per tant, inductiva i la seua perspectiva és de caràcter transdisciplinari, combinant la investigació teòric-pràctica en arts, amb la indagació filosòfica i jurídica. D'això es deriva que les conclusions extretes al llarg d'aquesta tesi doctoral vinguen determinades tant per la reflexió teòrica com per la pròpia pràctica artística. / [EN] This research addresses the notion of terrorism in relation to its forms of representation. Thus, we start from the assumption that, as far as terrorism is concerned, language and image, as well as reality and representation do not function as separate spheres, but as only seemingly borderline terrains that overlap, interact, and condition each other. In this thesis we use 9/11 as a singular event through which to unravel the narrative that surrounds the concept of terrorism; a narrative that has transformed image into its main discursive tool and fiction into its most effective propaganda strategy. In other words, one might say that the post 9/11 narrative of terrorism has been based on the unmitigated exploitation of its simplified representation, attributing previously stipulated meanings to its images and imposing an explanatory model that completely abandons empiricism and the rational study of the facts. The concept of terrorism had traditionally already been defined, both historically and legally, through a pretended ambiguity; however, its indeterminacy became even more extreme after 9/11, expanding substantially and stressing its characteristic emotional charge. For all these reasons, in this doctoral thesis I offer three different approaches to the concept of terrorism, articulated on the basis of the intricate nexus that its violence establishes with representation techniques. In the first part, through a comparative analysis of 9/11, I define terrorism as a strategy of political violence with communicative and symbolic intentions. In the second part, I reflect on the confluence of different narrative styles, all created with the aim of deactivating the counter-narrative that terrorist action introduces, describing terrorism as a media construct and a narrative concept. Finally, in the third part, I deal with the notion of terrorism as a narrative of exteriority, generated to dissociate the violence inherent to the State itself from the political order. It is worth noting that, although we take 9/11 as a starting point and case study, this research is not limited exclusively to this event, as it also addresses the specificity of terrorist violence through the analysis of its forms of representation with a view to drawing general conclusions. Thus, the methodology of this research is inductive and its perspective is transdisciplinary in nature, combining theoretical-practical research in the arts with philosophical or even legal investigations. The conclusions drawn throughout this doctoral thesis are consequently determined both by theoretical reflection and by the artistic practice itself. / Rial Zamudio, S. (2022). Terrorismo: relato y contrarrelato. Un estudio teórico-práctico a partir del imaginario surgido tras el 11-S [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/181577

The diploma thesis "Media terrorism via bacteria E.coli" puts the so-called cucumber affair from Summer 2011 into wider context and aims to discover the main attributes of contemporary risks and define the way they are presented in the media. Misguiding media releases and the inability to identify the source of the bloody diarrhea outbreak in Germany caused by E.coli bacteria have collectively had a significant impact on consumer behavior and economic stability on a global level. Most people are dependent on government and expert authorities due to the fact that they cannot recognize what represents a realistic threat and what serves as a basis for media sensation. This is why this thesis studies the social constructionist theory, basic media routines and practices as well as theoretical concepts that support the production of pseudo-events. A content analysis of selected Czech dailies and weeklies was executed in order to enable a comparison of the language that has been common for all "pandemics" in the 21st century.