WAR AGAINST TERRORISM IN DAILY PRESS OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE:

HOW DID THE NEWSPAPERS FROM ALBANIA, SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, SERBIA AND CROATIA COVER 'PLANETARY CRISIS'?

by Media Online

Terrorist attacks against the USA and the overall international situation which resulted as their consequence, including military intervention on Afghanistan, presents an inexhaustible source of events which covers huge areas in almost all media of the world. However, although this topic remains attractive, the method of its presentation – emphasising certain facts, selection of information or presenting author’s views – always carries a danger of intensification of tensions, even hostilities, between Christian and Muslim spheres. For that reason it is not surprising that numerous international media analysts warn against exaggeration of some happenings, and too free interpretation of events. Reporting on war against international terrorism is not the same as reporting about, for example, Balkans wars, because amateur reporting can cause damage (or bring benefit) to certain political and national groups, both in the Balkans and in the international community. However, after the attack on the core of America, and its strong response against an Islamic country, non-professional reporting about these events can generate tectonic disturbances in the world.

Starting from the sensitivity of this topic, Media Plan Institute has decided to carry out monitoring of writing of the most rated newspapers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Albania, in their coverage of terrorism. Of course, writing of the press in South East Europe, whatever form it has, will not have too significant impact on stability in the world, but it could influence the stability in the region. The fact is that relations among countries in this part of Europe, regardless of positive trends, are still burdened by the load of recent wars and misunderstandings, and reporting on the theme of international terrorism can bring negative associations towards other countries and nations in the region. Especially in view of the fact that majority of the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo are Muslims, while in Macedonia they make 30%.

However, in addition to focusing this problem, we also monitored the overall position of newspapers in respect of attacks on Afghanistan, trying to assess how much the press in these countries support or condemn America, what topics are specially important in view of the fact that America recently conducted air strikes against FR Yugoslavia, which was followed by both support and critics in the region.

However, we did not view the entire monitoring through political prism. We highly prioritised monitoring of the use of universal journalistic forms, publicity and the area this theme is granted, as well as the usage of sources of information.

Translation by: O. H. ©Media Online 2001. All rights reserved.

source: MHxJU
published by: Roland Brunner rbr@medienhilfe.ch date of release on this site: 27-11-2001

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