Lessons from Ground Zero: Media Response to Terror

ISBN-13: 9781412813365 / Angielski / Twarda / 2010 / 156 str.

Ralph Izard; Jay Perkins

Opis

It ranked among journalism's finest hours. That is what was heard in the weeks following September 11, 2001. They made mistakes, of course, but in covering one of the biggest disasters ever to hit the United States, journalists used their training, their experience, their understanding, and their sensitivity to provide coverage that helped bring understanding and a sense of calm to the chaos. Their performance did not end with reporting the immediate impact of the catastrophe. They continued to analyze what happened, the impact to property and human lives, the impact on government and foreign relations.Lessons from Ground Zero's examines journalism's efforts to cover a crisis, while analyzing journalism itself. Many lessons were evident to journalists as they sought to cope with the challenges of covering 9/11. The long-term question, however, is whether the answers they found served as catalysts for better journalism in the future, or whether they have been forgotten, put into the closet of old memories with no noticeable long-term impact.This book analyzes journalists' response to 9/11 through scholarly research and interviews with many of the journalists who covered 9/11. Sometimes they do not agree, but all are thoughtful and each adds to understanding. Public opinion polls show clearly that citizens appreciated and responded to media coverage. Given that this occurred in a time frame in which public approval of American journalism had declined, it is reasonable to ask what the media did that was different from their normal practices. This book provides some of the answers.

Spis treści

Preface, 1. In the Wake of Disaster: Lessons Learned, 2. From Chaos to Mourning: The Case of CNN, 3. Cruising on Autopilot: How the Media Covered 9/11, 4. Consolation: Was It a Virtual Catharsis?, 5. Journalistic Norms: The Media as Shepherd, 6. Sources: No Time for the Rolodex, 7. Crisis Interviewing: Preparation and Sensitivity, 8. Television Impact: More Than Words Alone, 9. Radio’s Role: First You Go into High Gear, and Then You Cry, 10. Different Functions: Television and Newspapers, 11. Public Response: Crisis and Presidential Approval, References, List of Contributors, List of Interviews, Index

O autorze

Jay Perkins