Ethics Research: Coverage of the Evtns and Aftermath of 9/11

Lecture Center 22

Mass media has many special responsibilities, most importantly to tell the truth but to also interpret breaking news situations to better inform the public of what's happening and how to respond. There is no better example of this responsibility being failed at more than the coverage of the events and aftermath of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks. The initial shock and belief that this was just an accident by the press and not a deliberate attack until the Pentagon and second tower was hit could be justified as most were still clinging to the 90’s mentality of “America the Invincible”. But as “America the Vulnerable” emerged from that day the media were more than willing to throw proper interpretation out the window to be replaced by their own nationalistic feelings and bias. The major news networks in the immediate aftermath were more than happy to help the Bush Administration convince a traumatized nation that the long term War on Terror was the only and best response to these attacks. Fox News at the time still owned by Roger Ailes, who has since passed away, who worked on the HW Bush 88 campaign along with CNN, ABC and the rest were more than willing to irresponsibly carry water for our Government as they sought to begin the never ending wars we are still involved with today.