ABSTRACT
Analysts of contemporary terrorism tend to agree with the aphorism that, if you do not understand why terrorists do what they do, then it might be because you are watching it on television. The medium, rather than the message, scores highly on lurid images of confrontation and violence and generally low on explanation and question and answer. Another point made, implying a lack of objectivity in media reporting, is that political activists only become known as terrorists when the media is engaged. Statements such as these read rather simplistically but there is a grain of truth there.
