U.S. Media and the Framing of Islam After 9/11

Shelby Grant

Abstract

• Following 9/11, the media framed Islam only in negative, biased, and prejudiced ways. In turn, viewers have been led to view Islam as violence, extremism, and outright terrorism.

What is Framing?

• A method of agenda setting by media networks

• “How pieces of information are selected and organized” (Ryan)

• Information collected is interpreted through a certain lens– in this case, predominately white Christians.

Islam as Extremism

• In television: Martin and Phelan’s study of 4.18 million word body of transcripts from five major T.V. news networks. Most used phrases: “Islamic fundamentalists,” “Islamic militants,” “Islamic extremists.”

Islam as Extremism

• In print: Ervand Abrahamian’s examination of the New York Times

• This is a Religious War: pictures of atrocities from mediaeval Europe, including Goya’s Spanish Inquisition

• Bush’s statement: “crusade against terrorism”

Islam as Violence

• Abrahamian: NYT articles titled “Defusing the Holy Bomb,” “Barbarians at the Gates,” “The Core of Muslim Rage.”

• Martin and Phelan: “Islamic jihad” one of the most frequently used terms, most often times referring to the physical struggle in a violent form against enemies of Islam.

Islam as Violence

• Framing leads viewers to believe “violence originates in the irrational psyches of the [Islamic] militants, warped by the tenets and practices of Islam” (Baker).

Islam as Terrorism

• Extremism + Violence = Terrorism• Because terrorism is “shocking and

sensational,” it demands attention from viewers when presented in the media

• “Maximum impact of an act of terrorism comes from widespread media coverage” (Powell)

Inclusion versus Exclusion

• In framing, what is left out is just as important as what is included

• Lack of any background other than government or military officials

• “If people knew [the] history, they wouldn’t just sit and listen” (Zinn)

Inclusion versus Exclusion

• “The current image of Islam that depicts this pure religion as one that promotes intolerance and disruption in a society is contradictory to Islamic teachings” (Baloach)

Conclusion

• By framing Islam in a biased manner and including only limited viewpoints, the U.S. media failed to do their job in covering the aftermath of 9/11.