Media Reporting on Terror Under Scrutiny

In a debate on whether the media can help combat terrorism and other security threats in Central Asia, NBCentralAsia observers say sensationalist reporting plays into the hands of radical groups, and journalists need to be taught how to be report objectively.



The issues were raised at a forum on “the role of the media role in counteracting the challenges and threats of the 21st century”, held in Bishkek on May 22. The event was organised by the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, CSTO, the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terror Centre for Central Asia and the International Anti-Terror Media Forum.



CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha said at the meeting that it was important for the former Soviet security grouping he heads to work with the media, and this could play an important role in countering terrorism and other threats.



NBCentralAsia observers say the the only way the media can combat terror is through balanced coverage of events, without sensationalising the threat or giving radical groups free publicity.



Alexander Nixdorf, deputy editor of Narodnaya Gazeta newspaper, says that journalists often fail to realise that the point of terrorism is to intimidate the public, so it is important not to overstate the dangers.



“The more colourful and extensive the media coverage given to terrorist groups activity, the better it is for them. They often launch terrorist attacks with the specific aim of getting media publicity,” said Nixdorf.



Observers suggest that journalism schools could offer special courses on how to cover terrorism, extremism and similar threats.



“There have been cases when the immediate coverage given to terrorist attacks was to the terrorists’ advantage,” said Dmitry Orlov, a correspondent for the Argumenty i Fakty v Kyrgyzstane newspaper. “Journalists have to make choices about when, how much and how terrorism-related topics should be covered. A journalist should not try to hype up the situation.”



Orlov also believes regional security organisations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the CSTO and the CIS Anti-Terror Committee should be more open and accessible to the media.



Rustam Rahmanaliev, a professor at the Russian Academy for Security Issues, the media does not need to be reined in or told how to cover stories of this kind, and the open debate they engender is a good thing in itself.



Radical groups recruit new members by indoctrination and psychological pressure, and some experts believe the media has a role in helping people recognise when this is happening to them.



“Terrorist organisations recruit people who do not fully understand their activities. So education work by the media can play a big role in limiting the scale of recruitment into terrorist networks,” said NBCentralAsia analyst Mars Sariev.



But political scientist Turat Akimov, does not think it is the media’s job to be combating terrorism, extremism or other threats – their role is simply to cover events accurately and impartially.



(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)