Nowadays, the issue isn’t with why the media covers terrorism or problem-related issues; it is with how the media covers it.
The media, given the circumstance of this digital age and publications by bloggers, on a whole, covers terrorist activities or problem-related issues by exaggerating anecdotes, especially about who is to blame, repeating the same images over and over, not minding people’s mental health— impacting new disasters, and inventing new disorders.
It is high time the media professionals know that traumatizing readers or audience is very bad, though the media is a key player in shedding light on dark places or downplaying the government strength against terrorism or disorderliness, so as to do more in securing lives and property.
Troubling issues must, without a doubt, be reported. The way the incidents are framed and the extent of coverage, on the other hand, is crucial. As a result, it is critical for the media to rethink and adapt rhetoric when covering trouble-related news and stories.
The media needs to be less sensational to some extent, and provide evidence-based content or well researched and on-field information; this would surely compel the government and security personnel to make more reasonable decisions in the fight against troubling times and in dealing with public discontent.
Media, in its role in troubling times, should be aware of its obligations to the public. When reporting a story, objectivity and impartiality should be the guiding principle. The media should present both sides of a subject to the public fairly and accurately, without bias, so that people can form their own opinions on the content produced without being influenced by the media. This will also help analysts and policymakers.
And more importantly, to increase the credibility of the media personnel and public order in the aftermath of any troubling issues, media coverage of success stories should be matched with coverage of failure stories without dramatisation.
In fact, it saddens nowadays that some of the media personnel are no longer practising traditional journalism; too cowardly or lazy to be on the field, and get the sources right, which will certainly lead to producing cooked content. It is high time media engage agile reporters for first-hand information and for on-field works. The media just needs to be more responsible, more conscious, and more objective in its role in troubling times.