The role of media exposure on terrorism fear and the impacts on tourism
Author: Max Warnecke
2 Commentries
Abstract:
This paper analyses the relation of media exposure on terrorism fear in the 21st century. Furthermore, impacts on the tourism sector were identified and evaluated.
Keywords:
Terrorism, Media, Risks, impacts tourism
ā€˛Without television, terrorism becomes rather like the philosopher's hypothetical tree falling in the forest: no one hears it fall and therefore it has no reason for being. And television, without terrorism, while not deprived of all interesting things in the world, is nonetheless deprived of one of the most interesting."
Koppel (1996)
With the present terrorism, a new risk has entered the life of the people in the western cultural environment. However, the majority of our knowledge regarding regional and international happens is brought to us by the media. According to the Social-Amplification-Model of Kasperson in 1988, the media as well as the communication with others are playing a huge role towards the perception on risks. The characteristics of media have impact on the chosen information given to the public, as well as the risks and threats which are reported on. The past however has shown that depending on the type of media, as well as the extent to which it spreads information concerning destinations, perceived risks can lead to serious declines in the number of tourists (Mansfeld and Pizam 2006).
Terrorism has always been a part of modern history, as the examples of terrorist organizations ETA, IRA or RAF have shown and still sometimes show. However, the attacks of September 11 have brought an unexpected dimension of terrorist activities and brought the perception of a terroristic threat to Europe (Wittmann, 2003). However, although Germany has never been affected by a terror attack itself, terrorism is very present in the minds of the public. The public feels more threatened by a terroristic act than by a deadly car accident. In statistics, terrorism can always be seen in the top of the most perceived dangers of the public. However, according to statistics about deaths, terrorism is not listed in any case (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2011). It is therefore noticeable, that there is a discrepancy between the fear of terrorism and the actual risk to be involved in an attack (Nellis, A. M. Savage, J. 2012).
The media plays an important role for terrorism. Terrorism tries to produce psychological effects like terror, panic and feelings of insecurity. This cannot be achieved by the terror act itself, but only by the media coverage of the act. Fears can mainly be promoted because terrorists have a medial approach. It is not of great importance for the terrorists how big the real damage of an attack might have been. It is more about the perceived threat which has been spread and cannot be measured in numbers of injured or death people. The success of a terroristic act therefore does not result out of the overall damage made, but from the emotional effects which arise due to the terror act (der Freitag, 2013).
Mass media on the one hand offers the public information about terrorism and terroristic attacks. On the other hand, it gives terrorism the possibility of gaining the attention of the public from all over the world. It however still needs to be examined, to which extent a different way of information handling could withdraw the effects of terrorism. However, the irritations caused by terrorist attacks are usually prompt and violent but seldom longer lasting. Interruptions are - like the stock market - relatively quickly forgotten. Even if individual tourist destinations can be ruined by terrorism, tourism usually remains a stable system with its winners and losers (Bundeszentrale fpB. 2004).
It is however noticeable, that a kind of habituation effect has occurred. After the terrorist attacks on tourists in front of the Egyptian Temple of Hatshepsut in 1997, it took another two years before the tourists came back. Nowadays, the time of absence after attacks is only four to six months. Since the 11th September, tourists are aware of the terror - and many tourists cannot be frightened by a general risk of an attack anymore. The fact that Arab countries since the 11th September appear almost daily in the media, reflects not only scepticism about the region itself, but also the interest in it. If tourists understand tourism as more than a cocktail at the beach and want to meet new people and cultures, this interest may perhaps even contribute to a long term deactivation of the problem (Spiegel 2006).
Important References:
Bundeszentrale fuer politische Bildung (2007). [Online]. Terrorismus setzt auf psychologische Effekte. Accessable at: http://www.bpb.de/politik/extremismus/islamismus/36388/interview-schneckener . Accessed: 06.05.2013
Mansfeld, Y., Pizam, A. (2006). Tourism, Security & Safety. From theory to practice.
Nellis, A. M. Savage, J. (2012). Does Watching the News Affect Fear of Terrorism? The Importance of Media Exposure on Terrorism Fear. Crime & Delinquency. Vol. 58 Issue 5, p748-768.
This paper analyses the relation of media exposure on terrorism fear in the 21st century. Furthermore, impacts on the tourism sector were identified and evaluated.
Keywords:
Terrorism, Media, Risks, impacts tourism
ā€˛Without television, terrorism becomes rather like the philosopher's hypothetical tree falling in the forest: no one hears it fall and therefore it has no reason for being. And television, without terrorism, while not deprived of all interesting things in the world, is nonetheless deprived of one of the most interesting."
Koppel (1996)
With the present terrorism, a new risk has entered the life of the people in the western cultural environment. However, the majority of our knowledge regarding regional and international happens is brought to us by the media. According to the Social-Amplification-Model of Kasperson in 1988, the media as well as the communication with others are playing a huge role towards the perception on risks. The characteristics of media have impact on the chosen information given to the public, as well as the risks and threats which are reported on. The past however has shown that depending on the type of media, as well as the extent to which it spreads information concerning destinations, perceived risks can lead to serious declines in the number of tourists (Mansfeld and Pizam 2006).
Terrorism has always been a part of modern history, as the examples of terrorist organizations ETA, IRA or RAF have shown and still sometimes show. However, the attacks of September 11 have brought an unexpected dimension of terrorist activities and brought the perception of a terroristic threat to Europe (Wittmann, 2003). However, although Germany has never been affected by a terror attack itself, terrorism is very present in the minds of the public. The public feels more threatened by a terroristic act than by a deadly car accident. In statistics, terrorism can always be seen in the top of the most perceived dangers of the public. However, according to statistics about deaths, terrorism is not listed in any case (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2011). It is therefore noticeable, that there is a discrepancy between the fear of terrorism and the actual risk to be involved in an attack (Nellis, A. M. Savage, J. 2012).
The media plays an important role for terrorism. Terrorism tries to produce psychological effects like terror, panic and feelings of insecurity. This cannot be achieved by the terror act itself, but only by the media coverage of the act. Fears can mainly be promoted because terrorists have a medial approach. It is not of great importance for the terrorists how big the real damage of an attack might have been. It is more about the perceived threat which has been spread and cannot be measured in numbers of injured or death people. The success of a terroristic act therefore does not result out of the overall damage made, but from the emotional effects which arise due to the terror act (der Freitag, 2013).
Mass media on the one hand offers the public information about terrorism and terroristic attacks. On the other hand, it gives terrorism the possibility of gaining the attention of the public from all over the world. It however still needs to be examined, to which extent a different way of information handling could withdraw the effects of terrorism. However, the irritations caused by terrorist attacks are usually prompt and violent but seldom longer lasting. Interruptions are - like the stock market - relatively quickly forgotten. Even if individual tourist destinations can be ruined by terrorism, tourism usually remains a stable system with its winners and losers (Bundeszentrale fpB. 2004).
It is however noticeable, that a kind of habituation effect has occurred. After the terrorist attacks on tourists in front of the Egyptian Temple of Hatshepsut in 1997, it took another two years before the tourists came back. Nowadays, the time of absence after attacks is only four to six months. Since the 11th September, tourists are aware of the terror - and many tourists cannot be frightened by a general risk of an attack anymore. The fact that Arab countries since the 11th September appear almost daily in the media, reflects not only scepticism about the region itself, but also the interest in it. If tourists understand tourism as more than a cocktail at the beach and want to meet new people and cultures, this interest may perhaps even contribute to a long term deactivation of the problem (Spiegel 2006).
Important References:
Bundeszentrale fuer politische Bildung (2007). [Online]. Terrorismus setzt auf psychologische Effekte. Accessable at: http://www.bpb.de/politik/extremismus/islamismus/36388/interview-schneckener . Accessed: 06.05.2013
Mansfeld, Y., Pizam, A. (2006). Tourism, Security & Safety. From theory to practice.
Nellis, A. M. Savage, J. (2012). Does Watching the News Affect Fear of Terrorism? The Importance of Media Exposure on Terrorism Fear. Crime & Delinquency. Vol. 58 Issue 5, p748-768.