Media Reports on Terrorism and their Impact on Audiences

Theoretical framework: Deaths from terrorist attacks are almost always reported by the media. It is, however, still unclear how media reports on terrorism impact audiences. There are growing concerns that repeated exposure to sensationalist media reports on terrorism might keep potentially traumatic experiences and distress in audiences alive and may even contribute to political radicalization processes. Media recommendations for the reporting on mass shootings have been developed, but it remains unclear whether journalists in Austria and Germany adhere to these recommendations and if media reports on terrorism consistent with these recommendations can mitigate negative effects. Objectives: The present project aims to explore 1) how terrorist attacks are reported in the Austrian and German print-media; 2) what role media reports on terrorism play in individual radicalization processes; 3) how different types of media reports on terrorism impact readers; and 4) whether current media recommendations for reporting on mass shootings are effective. Methods: In phase #1 of the project, we will analyze content and characteristics of Austrian and German newspaper articles about terrorist attacks in Western Europe of the last five years. In phase #2, we will conduct and analyze interviews with individuals who have experienced Islamic or right-wing extremist radicalization about the role of terrorist reports in newspapers in the development of their radicalization. In phase #3, we will conduct an online laboratory experiment with four groups. Group #1 will read six newspaper reports on terrorism not consistent with media recommendations for reporting on mass shootings over a time span of three weeks. Group #2 will read the exact same articles, but they will be adopted to be consistent with the media recommendations. Group #3 will read six articles with stories of de-radicalization of former Islamists. The control group will read six articles on homicide. Data on the participants mental health and social attitudes will be collected with questionnaires on five different occasions: before and after reading the first two newspaper articles in week #1, after reading two more articles in week #2, after reading the last two articles in week #3, and four weeks later. Innovation: This will be the first study to 1) investigate how terrorism is portrayed in Austria and German print-media; 2) test the impact of repeated exposure to media reports about terrorism, and 3) explore the role of these reports in individual radicalization processes. The project results will be essential to inform preventive recommendations regarding terrorist portrayals in the media. Primary researchers involved: The projects main researchers, Benedikt Till and Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, have previously worked together in similar research projects and have a long-standing experience in research focusing on the role of the media on mental health.