September 11, 2001 : framing the attacks in America's press

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The attacks on New York and Washington on September 11 2001 constituted a singular media event.On the front pages of America's newspapers and in its pre-eminent news magazines unfolded, in theimmediate wake of the blitz, a portrayal that uncontroversially legitimised claims to Americaninnocence, fomented moral certitude through parallels with previous wars and anticipated retaliationthat would soon enough engulf Afghanistan.Showing, first, that accounts of reality are always social constructions, the framing of September 11in America's press will be evaluated with reference to 122 newspaper front pages, most fromSeptember 12, some from the day of the attacks, and two American news magazines. Theemergence of a discourse of war will be considered, as well as the perpetuation within and without ofthe press of dominant views on America's role in the conflict. The extent to which this popular frameselectively excluded inconvenient truths is illustrated in critiques of john Pilger and Noam Chomsky,and an assessment of the politics of defining terror.The analysis is placed within the normative framework of orthodox joumalism ethics, particularly thevalues of impartiality and objectivity, concluding that, in democracy, a responsible media better servesthe public interest through sustained criticism than compliant patriotism.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University