Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The dramatic societal changes such as globalisation and information revolution transformed terrorism into a global challenge at the turn of the millennium. Today’s widespread global terrorism is a product of informational age because terror is a communication act, a means to transmit messages to the authorities. Terrorists use the media as a retransmitter and the society as a resonator. The potential of mass self-communication gives them the possibility to broadcast a large amount of data that can be also widely republished by the traditional media. Content analyses of the media show that journalists are responsible for provoking panic, victimization and collective stress within the community (Altheide, 2002, 2009). That is why media relations are one of the most important actions in anti-terrorist policy.The presentation shows multidisciplinary analysis of terrorism in terms of social control and crisis followed by recommendations for governmental communication strategies. Terrorism represents an alternative way of social control ‘from below’ through fear, conflict and victimization of the society. The governments should increase their own informal ways of social control to oppose manipulations of any kind, including terrorism. That can be done by means of communication. Most crisis researches classify terrorism as a crisis of malevolence and a conflict-type crisis. Crisis management expert Paul Shrivastava (2005) qualifies terrorism crisis as a particular crisis type that needs special research and response strategies, including crisis communication and media relations.The presentation gives recommendations for Antiterrorist Governmental Media Policy used in practice by the Information Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Russia.
Citation preview
Governmental Crisis Communication and Media Relations under Terrorist ThreatElena GryzunovaPh.D. Student, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University), Russia.Paper presented on the 10th Annual International Conference on Communication and Mass Media14 May 2012, Athens, Greece© Elena Gryzunova, 2012 Intellectual property. No part can be reproduced without a reference to the author
1
Terrorism is violence that consists in itself a threat of more violence designed to cause social disruption, panic and victimization within the community for the purpose of political change.
2
Widespread in the
cyberspace
International or global
Civil targets,
mass victimizatio
n
Religious motivation
, use of distorted Islamic terms
Characteristics of Modern Terrorism
3
Terrorism: Social Paradigms
COMMUNICATION ACT
SOCIAL CONTROL AND DISRUPTION
CRISIS
4
Terror as a communication act.“Terrorism is aimed at the people watching, not at the actual victims. Terrorism is theater”. (Brian M. Jenkins, 1974)
THE MASS MEDIA
Terror act is an ideal media product
widely broadcasted
TARGET AUDIENCE: The authoritiesKEY AUDIENCES: • The sympathizing
group:• 1 subgroup: supports
the aims, not the methods
• 2 subgroup: supports both the aims and the methods• The victimized group
• International institutions
5
Communication Circle of Terrorism
Terrorists committing a terror act = sending a message
The media broadcasting the news about the terror act = broadcasting the message
The key audiences discussing the news about the terror act = decoding the message
The key audiences pressuring on the authorities = transmitting the message
The authorities’ concession to terrorists = getting the message and giving feedback
6
Antiterrorist Governmental Media Policy
Forming a loyal terrorism-reporting press pool. Development of consensus communicational
strategies. Education, not victimization. Alert, not panic. Joint media/government simulation trainings. Designation of a spokesperson responsible for
governmental antiterrorist communication. Creation of a special media center. Being premium newsmaker omnipresent in the news
field. Joint media/ government control of interpretations
and of verbal designations. Restrictions for: 1) live and unedited interviews with
terrorists, 2) secret details of counter-terror and hostage-release operations, 3) intimidating details.
Soft control by means of exclusive information. Partnership and two-way communication: using the
media as the source of information.
7
Levels of Social Disruption and its PreventionLEVEL TERRORISM GOVERNMENT
•distrust to the authorities•political extremism•political apathy•wish to change the state system or leave the country
•forming patriotism, civil consciousness and confidence•image making •news making and response to disinformation
mass fear, inadequate perception of reality, panic, apathy, spontaneous aggression
•informing of terror manipulative mechanisms•psychological rehabilitation•general preventive measures: ethical and educational
hostility, conflicts, violence, genocide, separatism
•disclaiming terrorists’ support of any social group•general preventive measures: inter-group dialogue and consolidative ideology
total demolition of a social structure: revolutions, civil wars
complex measures on all the previous levels
Individual as a citizenIndividual as a personality
Society itself
Groups and group behavior
8
Terrorism as a Crisis:the classification variations
A form of crisis of malevolence (Lerbinger; Coombs)
A conflict crisis (Quarantelli) or a mixed conflict-consensus crisis (Peek, Sutton)
Political and social crisis (Morozova et al.)
Terrorism crisis as a special type (Shrivastava). Terrorism crises “evolve end emerge as economic, social and political processes over time"; provoke both physical and social disruptions; require the design and development of special systems for terrorism crisis communications.
9
The Crisis Paradigm Crisis is an unpredictable perceived disruption of a social unit which threatens its integrity, reputation or survival, challenges the public’s sense of safety, values or appropriateness and requires immediate action under the circumstances of uncertainty, urgency and increased attention.
10
Genesis and extension of a crisis A crisis can have either an objective or a subjective reason. It can be based on a real event as well as on a rumor or a willful disinformation. The objective and subjective sides are interconnected so the crisis extends on both.Objective disruptions of
the social structure (require crisis management)
Subjective collective perceptions (require crisis communication)
11
1. Precrisis Stage1) Crisis prevention: - elimination of the social disruption threats- mass education against terrorist manipulation- terrorism risk communication2) Crisis Preparation:- forming a crisis team and an inter-agency communication system- developing a crisis communication plan- creating draft communication strategies and comments- choosing and training a spokesperson- fostering alliances with other concerned organizations, the media and experts- development of consensus recommendations for communicational strategies with the loyal media, experts and other concerned organizations- trainings with the media, concerned organizations and the community 2.Crisis Event Stage
- responding quickly, being first, right and credible- setting up the coordination center, coordination of the information flows, speaking with one voice- designating crisis media center, cooperating with the media- establishing a hotline to communicate directly to the victims and other community members- committing to continued communication to the media and the public, dominating in the news field- explaining threats, risks and giving recommendations- monitoring the information flows, giving immediate feedback, correcting disinformation
3. Postcrisis Stage
- data collection and analysis of the crisis response- follow-up communications: crisis response measures report, investigation results- promotion of the activities and capabilities of the agency- modifying the crisis communication plan- launching a public education campaign in mass media to reduce creeping post-crisis effects and resist terrorist manipulation
12
Thank you for your attention!
Contact information:
Elena GryzunovaMoscow, RussiaMoscow State Institute of International Relations(MGIMO-University)
13
