Do journalists differentiate between Muslims and Islamist terrorists?
- Author(s)
- Christian von Sikorski, Desiree Schmuck, Jörg Matthes, Claudia Klobasa, Helena Knupfer, Melanie Saumer
- Abstract
We examined how Muslims are depicted in connection with Islamist terrorism and to what extent journalists use undifferentiated coverage – that actively links Muslims to terrorism – and differentiated coverage that actively differentiates Muslims from terrorism. Drawing from research in journalism studies and from terror management theory, we examined media-specific and event-specific predictors using a quantitative content analysis (12 quality/tabloid newspapers from three countries, N = 1071 articles). Results reveal that undifferentiated coverage occurs in almost every other article. Differentiation occurs much less. Tabloids use undifferentiated and differentiated coverage in fact-oriented and opinion-oriented articles. Quality news only do so in opinion-oriented articles. Proximity of a terror event resulted in more undifferentiated and less differentiated coverage. Results have important implications for journalism practice, terrorism research and intergroup relations.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Communication
- External organisation(s)
- Universität Koblenz-Landau, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Universität Wien
- Journal
- Journalism
- Volume
- 23
- Pages
- 1171-1193
- No. of pages
- 23
- ISSN
- 1464-8849
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884921990223
- Publication date
- 05-2021
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 508007 Communication science, 508014 Journalism
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication, Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/do-journalists-differentiate-between-muslims-and-islamist-terrorists(74885157-7b63-4db7-b76a-b3728af47a29).html