Nandy

Nandy draws attention to the lack of severity in each of these hijacking cases and makes a connection to the dramatization later given to these events by the media. As Nandy mentioned, these first few cases may have been terrorism events in another, less violent era of Indian terrorism. In the end, Nandy describes one case where real guns are actually used, and the terrorist actively tries to take on the persona of a ruthless terrorist.

This shift led me to wonder about the role of media in all terrorist events. It is possible that in this case, with the negative slant on all of the peaceful hijackings a self-fulfilling prophecy was formed -- it was the media that helped propel terrorism onto a new level. By publicizing these events in an unrealistically dramatic way and creating fear of ineffective airport security and tensions with Pakistan, the media is also in essence furthering the terrorist cause. So how does this come about and what can be done about it? First, the right to report on such events cannot be revoked for the sake of free speech and the right of the citizen to know about the events, so reporting will continue. Second, if the media were to report kind stories in favor of terrorists, it would face severe backlash and the threat of treason, and so for reasons of self-interest, these stories can expectantly be limited -- though they should not be manipulated. Third, the media is often viewed as an expert source, though in reality it is not and it should not strive to become one on the matter of terrorism.

In sum, what can be done about the media is limited. Although media reporting may not be beneficial certain respects, it does increase our access to information and protect our right to free speech. The media does owe it to the public, however, to portray the truth. As difficult as it may be, journalists should approach each event without prior assumptions as to the severity of the situation and root causes. Creating a slant is one thing, but misreporting facts in a highly-respected and widely-distributed publication is an entirely different issue.