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2002-09-16

TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SPETEMEBR 11, 2001
HOW THE MEDIA SHAPED OUR MEANING OF IT








Prepared for

Dr. Robert W. Heath, Professor



COMM-300 Communication Theory

SECT: 6981

TERM: SUMMER 2002

University of Maryland University College

Submitted By:

Levon West

July 10, 2002

















TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11
HOW THE MEDIA SHAPED OUR MEANING OF IT


INTRODUCTION

September 11, 2001 a day and year that will live in infamy. The last time the United States had heard such a profound statement on the state of America was on that now infamous date of December 7, 1941. The United States of America had come under surprise attack by the empire of Japan. The Imperial Japanese Navy had launched a devastating attack on USA soil at the naval base situated at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. History now tells us that the so called surprise attack that caused tremendous destruction to property and took the lives of many people may not have been such a surprise as the media at that time played it out to be. History further tells us that the success of the attacks was attributed to failed USA intelligence and communication among the USA military forces patrolling and monitoring the homeland.

The media is a vehicle utilized as a means of communication to a vast amount of people. How people interpret the messages from the media is largely due to how the media presents it views on the messages it is sending out. The modes of media are transmitted through sources that include television, satellite TV, newspapers, magazines, radio and now the Internet. The media to a large extent also play a role in the making of history. What is reported on to include the TV broadcast, radio, video, pictures and sound recordings of the history making events will help to form the memories of those events as well. This paper will present an objective review of the events that took place on that date as I experienced them and the reporting by the media on those events.
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

The paper will further provide an objective analogy utilizing theories from Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media: The extensions of Man and Maxwell McCombs & Donald Shaw's - Agenda Setting Theory/Framing and media news articles on how the media help to shape our meaning of the events of September 11.

September 11, 2001
On that now unforgettable day of September 11, 2001, I can still remember the events that unfolded just before 9:00 am in the morning. I was sitting at my desk having coffee and having a discussion on the telephone with a friend. I was also reading the paper, listening to the radio, and on my desktop computer scanning the Internet for the latest news headlines of the day. This was my morning ritual before I started my day at 9:00Am. Suddenly, the radio personality yelled as the music had stopped playing. He said "oh my god" a large commercial airline has just flew by the studio window and that there must be some kind of problem". He further went on to say "the jetliner was heading in the direct path of the WTC buildings. Then he yelled again, but this time he was very emotional, in shock, in disbelief and said, "ladies and gentlemen the jetliner has just slammed to what looks like the North tower of the WTC buildings". My friend who was on the phone had a view of the New York skyline that included the WTC buildings said that he too could also see the explosion from his office window.


Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

Since I was already on the Internet, I did a search and found live coverage on CNN, MSNBC and ABC. No sooner then I had locked on to live video of the WTC buildings a view of another jetliner also in the path of the WTC buildings appeared. I stilled had the radio on and the radio announcer was yelling "we are under attack, ladies and gentlemen America is under attack by terrorist". Then it happened again. I actually saw the live video footage of the second jetliner slamming into the South tower. At this time, because of the emotional outcry by the radio announcer and having seen the live video coverage of the second jetliner slamming into the WTC, I immediately felt grief and sorrow for the victims of this horrific tragedy. I then became very concerned about the safety and whereabouts of family and friends that worked in New York City. Then again, but this time there is further reporting now by Peter Jennings of ABC on the Internet that there is a third jetliner that has just slammed into the Pentagon and a fourth is being pursued by military F15 fighter jets. Now, I am angered because I have just learned from Peter Jennings of ABC a well respected and trusted journalist has just told me that the might of the American strength and military power has just been eclipsed by terrorist. Up until this time all of the communication that I have received regarding the September event was through the media. Was the media telling the whole story, or was September 11 an event and example of USA history repeating itself like the events of Pearl Harbor that were learned later.


Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

What caused the terror attacks of 9/11?
Just like the tragedy of Pearl Harbor, there had to be some reasons that led up to the destruction of these American icons. The WTC buildings represented some of the symbols of the American culture and what America stood for. It was not until after this tragedy that the American public learned of some of the key issues that were contributing factors to the worst horrific tragedy on American soil since Pearl harbor:
 USA support of Israel- The backlash and discontent by Middle Eastern countries of the USA support of Israel was not reported on to any degree of significance by mass media in the USA.
 Critical lapsed in USA intelligence- This is another significant failure that had been reported to the U.S. Congress, but went underreported by mass media.
 Critical lax in USA airport security checks- This is another significant failure that had been reported to the U.S. Congress, but went underreported by mass media.
 Critical lax in USA border patrols- Another significant failure that had been reported to the U.S. Congress, but went underreported by mass media.
 USA Department of Immigration, policy & enforcement- This may be the biggest blunder of them all. The failures of this Federal department also had been reported to the U.S Congress, but it too went underreported by mass media.
All of the issues listed above are all significant factors of September 11, 2001, but the media had not reported any degree of significance on theses stories, if any, until after the tragedy took place. All of the issues listed were also pre-9/11 and known by the
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

media as well. Now that the tragedy has taken place, the media has found a way to include theses stories in their agenda for sub-headlines to 9/11. These are all headlines that will help fuel the media in transmitting its messages and to sell its product to its audience. The listed issues are also similar situations that reflect Maxwell McComb?s & Donald Shaw?s, Agenda-Setting and Framing Theory. Whereby the media selectively chose what news topics and the time frame to publish and to transmit the messages it wanted the public to receive.

The Media Effect
Marshall McLuhan's Theories on the media focused on how the media extends our senses and our perception of reality. His theories further suggest that the media help to shape what we remember by what the media report and by what we see. In my analogy of some of the events before and after September 11, It is my intent to present some of the effects the media had on some key politicians, terrorist, American Icons, ordinary people and the now infamous American Taliban.

 Rudolf Juliani, Mayor of New York City
Before September 11, There was a growing consensus by the general public as reported by the media polltakers that the people of New York City were getting tired of Juliani politics. As a result of the September 11, tragedy the media was primarily instrumental in rebounding Mayor Juliani's popularity. Every television news channel you turned on,
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

every newspaper you picked up to read there was Mayor Juliani's face. The media had arbitrarily decided that they wanted a hero and chose Mayor Juliani. Juliani's popularity had risen so high that he had surpassed the President of the United States and made Time Magazine's cover for Man of the Year.
 George Herbert Walker Bush, President of the United States of America
President Bush had only been on the job for less than a year. The nation was divided by one of the closes, heated and confrontational presidential elections in the history of the United States. Before September 11, the media had not totally decided on their views and images of President Bush. Some media outlets were depicting him as a rich kid, college slacker who was selected as president, not elected. Post September 11, the media decided what their view of President Bush would be. Like Mayor Juliani, President Bush popularity rose as well. This change was largely attributed to the changed view of President Bush by the media. On September 12, 2001 the course of President Bush presidency had began to change. President Bush went on nation-wide television to face the nation and to report on the state of America. All the media outlets, to include the Internet covered this television broadcast. President Bush gave a heartfelt and very passionate address to the American people assuring them that he and America will respond to such horrific acts of evil. This address was the beginning of his transformation.


Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

Then he showed up at ground zero and gave another American pride speech to the rescue workers that led to the chanting of USA, USA again and again by the workers at the site. And just like that, the view of him by many Americans who had not voted for him had changed.
 The Terrorist
Before September 11, 2001 not to many people knew of or even heard of Osama bin Laden. But on the day of September 11, 2001 Osama bin Laden became a name to be known widely throughout the world. And, there are many other terrorist just like him looking to make a name for themselves. These terrorists understand the media and their modes of transmitting messages to the public. Terrorist also knows how to utilize the media in an effort to get their messages out to the public. The media in some cases help to create and shape the images of terrorist in the minds of the general public. When they report on the rhetoric that terrorist preach to their followers and when they show pictures and videos of how they despise the American culture, the media help the terrorist to form and shape our views of them.

Other terrorist that have been linked to the September 11, attacks include the religious fanatic group the al-Qaeda network, the religious Islamic fundamentalists group the Taliban and U.S. intelligence agencies are also trying to establish a link to Saddam Hussein as well. For the most part, people have heard of Saddam Hussein from the Gulf war. The media helped to shape our minds and view of him as well. On September 11,
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

2001 and the days to follow, the media showed video coverage of middle Eastern people such as the Palestinians, Pakistanis, and other religious groups of Islamic decent celebrating in the streets for the destruction, terror, injury and death inflicted upon the American people. What they did not report on to any significant degree was the actions taken by the governments of those demonstrators for those despicable demonstrations of joy. Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat said, "the actions were only isolated incidents by the ignorant few". Chairman Arafat went on to further condemn the attacks, but the media kept criticizing him and implying that he did not do enough to satisfy their view of what they wanted him to say publicly. Pakistan President General, Pervez Musharraf following in the responses to the media suggesting that Pakistan supported and provided protective havens for terrorist announced publicly that Pakistan will enact laws that will ban the teachings of extreme Islamic views. He further went on to say " that Pakistan does not support or provide protective havens for terrorist and that the Country of Pakistan will fully cooperate and participate in the war against terrorist along with the United States.
These leaders were disputing the messages and the images that the media was trying to imbed in the minds of its listener, viewers and readers.

Two more last thoughts on the terrorist. The first is all of the September 11, hijacker/terrorist must have truly had a death wish or they were truly blinded by religious fanatic beliefs. In any event, the media saw to it that we became to know all of them. The last thought is that there is now reporting by the media that Osama bin Laden is still alive.
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

The media does not know this for sure, but they will report it anyway just to keep America on its toes with its guard up. The end thought I think is a responsible thing to do.
 American Icons
The terrorist knew that if they wanted to penetrate and inflict fear into the minds of the American people they had to strike hard at the very symbols of the American culture and society. The world trade center complex represented financial wealth, economic superiority and capitalism. This is the fabric of the American culture and what America stands for. The U.S. Pentagon represents the mighty strength and super power of the world. But on September 11, 2001 the world witnessed just how vulnerable and lax the leader of the free world was of its guard for protecting the homeland. The media made for sure that the world saw, read and heard plenty of the accounts over and over again of the horrific events that happen and the events that unfolded on the days to follow. The media selectively chose the pictures, the recordings and the videos that would become the images and the sounds that were imbedded in our minds and in the history books for years to come. Many years later, these will be the accounts of that tragic day in history. In an effort to further my demonstration of the media, I have posted some newspaper headlines from across the USA that ran on September 12, 2001. They can be found in the attached file entitled Terror Pictures. Proceed with caution. The pictures and the headlines will have some kind of effect on your emotions:


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 Ordinary People
On September 11, the unthinkable happened, but the tragedy also transformed
ordinary people into hero's, survivors and some villains. The media has a way of arbitrarily selecting ordinary people and thrusting them into the public eye with their images and view of this person. There are countless hero's of this event to include all of the fire, police and emergency healthcare personnel. But, the media chose its hero and made him the single most hero for the American people. They chose an individual name Todd Beamer who was a passenger on United Airlines Flight #93 which was one of the jetliners that was hijacked. Because of Todd Beamer and the other brave passengers that formulated a plan to over take the hijackers and foiled their attempt to crash into the nations capital Washington D.C and possibly the White House. Todd Beamer went down in history with his now famous quote " let's role" which was said and heard by way of his cellular telephone.
Then there are the survivors who by the grace of god live today. All of us probably know someone who has a story to tell about how they survived or how someone they know survived the attacks. And for those that don't know anyone, the media introduced all of us to countless number of survivors daily over and over again. America was also introduced to the man who the media had decided to blame for some of these despicable acts of terror. America met John Walker, who was portrayed and named by the media as the American Taliban. I want to point out that the U.S. had not formerly charged John Walker of any crimes at the time the media was plastering his face in our minds.
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

He eventually was later charged as an enemy combatant. This was a charge that was made up by the U.S government because they feared they could not try and successfully convict him of treason.
Conclusion
The media to a very large degree played a tremendous role in writing the history of the September 11 tragedy. The theory of the Hypodermic needle has a significant meaning in relation to how the mass media injected their messages into their audience like a magic bullet. The media had an enormous impact on how people of the world viewed the tragic acts of evil on the United States. The general public relied heavily on the media as its source for obtaining information. People wanted to know what was going on and turned to the media to be informed. The media played a significant role in shaping the memories that will be written in the history books and the images that were imbedded in our minds. The pictures that I have posted in the appendix capture newspaper headlines from around the country and video shots that were posted on the Internet. The headlines use words that help to shape the meaning of the pictures. The pictures are images of horrific acts of evil that along with the words leaves a lasting impression on your mind. There are also the pictures and the video shots that show an image of American pride, anger and patriotism. Theses images also represent what people were feeling and their emotions. The pictures and the words are that of the reporters. They reported on and written on what they wanted their audiences to perceive as their message on those acts.
Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

There was so much over and over again coverage of this tragedy that the Gallup Poll Organization conducted a survey taken November 8 through the 11on how the media was covering this tragedy. On November 15, 2001, they remade the results of the poll public on the Internet in CyberAlert. The results of the poll taken indicated that 54 percent of the public disapproved of how the media was covering the war on terrorism compared to 43 percent who approved. After the publication of the poll results some media networks pledge to halt the over coverage. The ABC network was one of the firsts to announce that it was cutting back on the coverage. Rupert Murdock and ABC News Chief David Western issued a formal apology to the public. After ABC other networks such as CBS, Fox News, and NBC soon followed and pledge to also cut back on the terror coverage.
The over coverage of the war on terrorism was effecting almost everyone. I as a parent had to keep the television off because my kids would get upset when they saw the horrific pictures and video coverage of the planes slamming into the WTC buildings. It got to a point where we had to take our kids to the doctor because they were having fear and anxiety attacks. The U.S. economy also was effected by the tragedy. Travel and tourism was hit hard. No one wanted to travel especially fly. I can remember being at a football game at Giant stadium and every time a plane flew by the entire stadium of people looked up. This was a reaction that became the norm because of the images we had imbedded in our minds of how planes can be utilized as weapons of mass destruction.


Terrorist Attacks & Media Effects

Our lives are now forever changed because of the September 11; tragedy and the media on how they covered the events that took place. Because of the media we will forever have memories of horrific acts of evil. Our lives take on new meanings. We now live in a state of constant beware and cautious of our surroundings and environment.
We no longer embrace immigrants and especially people of Middle Eastern decent. This change in the way we live is attributed to the effects of the memories that we now have as a result of the September 11 tragedy and the media coverage of those events.














REFERENCES

McLuan, M. (2001). Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press

Griffin, E., & McComb M., & Shaw D., (2000). Agenda Setting Theory
Butcher, P. & Byers, M., (A First Look At Communication Theory) (p360-371)
New York: McGraw Hill

Aufderheide, P. (no date) Therapeutic Patriotism and Beyond, Retrieved 6/20/02 from, Television Archive http://tvnews3.televisionarchive.org/tvarchive/html/

McCaleb, C. (September 12, 2001). Bush: U.S. Feels ?quiet unyielding anger? retrieved 6/20/02 from CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/whitehouse/

No Author (September 12, 2001) World Trade Center Survivors describe ?holy hell?
Retreived from CNN.com http://cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/new.york.scene/

No Authur (September 13, 2001) Passengers voted to attack hijackers
Retreived from CNN.com http://cnn.com/2001/US/09/12/plane.phone.call/

Allen, J. (June 5, 2002) US May Have Identified Planner of Sept. 11 Attacks
Retrieved 6/5/02 from AT&T Worldnet Service http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news

Grossberg, J. (September 19, 2001) ABC Halts Replay of WTC Attacks
Retreived 6/6/02 from E! Online News http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,8847.html

Bauder, D. (November 05, 2001) Media Companies Apologize Amidst War Sensitivites retrieved 6/6/02 from AP Associated Press http://www.editorandpublisher.com

Cotts, C. (January2, 2002) Midnight Confession: How CNN captured John Walker
Retrieved 6/20/02 from Village Voice Press Clips http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0201/cotts.php

Kelly, J. (June 2002)
U.S. scours Web for al-Qaeda Site, closely monitors talk in chat room
USA Today

No author (June 2002)
Hunt for Saddam shifts U.S. policies
USA Today

No author (June 30, 2002)
Bin Laden Alive as of Late December report
Reuters