Countering Urban Terrorism in Russia and the United States Proceedings of a Workshop (2006) / Chapter Skim
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News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis
News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis
Pages 25-33
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From page 25... ...
Officials are working to harden every conceivable critical infrastructure target, but at first, one was overlooked: the news media. Maybe that is because few people think of the news media as a part of their nation's critical infrastructure, and in the United States, it is (thankfully)
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From page 26... ...
People will not blindly do as the government tells them; they need to understand the reasons for actions being taken. In the midst of a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction, effectively communicating potentially complex information will be a difficult challenge that will fall largely upon the news media.
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From page 27... ...
, a terrorism scenario simulation, entitled Media and the First Response, which engaged all of the above groups.2 The event was so successful that the DHS provided funding for the National Academies to conduct similar workshops in 10 cities across the United States.3 The National Academies worked closely with both DHS and the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation (RTNDF) to create this series, called News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis.
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From page 28... ...
On October 4, 2001, Florida officials announced that tabloid magazine editor Bob Stevens had been diagnosed with inhalation anthrax. Later that day, Secretary Thompson made a rare appearance at a White House press briefing.
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From page 29... ...
There were five more questions, all directed at Secretary Thompson, before White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer wrapped up the subject of anthrax and turned the press conference to other matters, saying: "Any additional information will be made available by either the CDC or the HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]
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From page 30... ...
Senator Thomas Daschle's office opened an envelope containing white powder that tests confirm contained anthrax. The next day, Senator Daschle stepped before the media's microphones and began talking about a foreign operations bill.
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From page 31... ...
Journalists too often turn toward congressional people and other highprofile celebrities with little expertise in the science at the heart of issues involving potential weapons of mass destruction. In this case, conflicting statements between public officials certainly did not reassure the public.
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From page 32... ...
They all need to understand, and can handle, the truth. Authority figures should not have an information mo 8"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The Constitution of the United States.
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From page 33... ...
It is at our own risk that the technical community thinks of its homeland security responsibility as simply creating the latest counterterrorism technologies. They should also help empower the media, and thus the public, with knowledge.
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