The influence of United States-Soviet differences on press coverage of terrorism: A comparison of "The New York Times" and "Izvestia".

Abstract

This paper examines the differences between the coverage accorded to incidents of transnational terrorism by the press of the United States and the Soviet Union. Two elite daily newspapers are compared: The New York Times and Izvestia. The coverage of two incidents of transnational terrorism is analyzed (1985 TWA airliner hijacking and 1985 kidnapping of four Soviet diplomats; both incidents took place in Beirut) in which nationals of both countries were involved. It is assumed, that "political distance"--the attitude towards the perpetrators and the victims--will influence the coverage. Findings indicate two different patterns in the coverage, which reflect the fundamental differences between the two papers in their perception of the role of the mass media in their respective societies. This raises more general questions of an ethical nature relating to the role and responsibilities of the media towards their audiences and towards the state.