When a major terrorist attack, such as the Oklahoma City bombing, occurs, the newspapers and magazines during the next several weeks are filled with stories about the event. Ideally, media coverage provides an accurate indication of the threat and extent of terrorism. However, many people argue that the media are not always objective reporters. Instead, they contend the media often overstate the threat of terrorism and at times can even increase the danger.

Some analysts argue that the relationship between the media—especially television—and terrorism is a two-way street.The visuals shown on television, of destroyed buildings and grieving survivors, present a dynamic way for terrorists to disseminate their views. Joseph Eliot Magnet, a law professor at Ottawa University in Canada, observes, “Through a theatrical display of horror and spectacle, terrorism enables a weak political message . . . to exert...