London Roundtable
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2018 LONDON ROUNDTABLE Dr. Virginie Andre Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism: From A Practitioner’s Perspective PREFACE This report presents the key findings from the London Roundtable on “Understanding the Im- pact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism”. The event was held at the Australian High Commission in London on 30-31 January 2018. The roundtable brought to- gether media practitioners, CVE and PVE front line practitioners, policy-makers and academics drawn from Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Fin- land and the United States of America. Other attendees included representatives from various Australian and British Government departments and New Scotland Yard. This report provides summaries of each of the panel discussions that were delivered at the roundtable, before drawing out the key themes, which emerged and policy recommendations. 1 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to express our gratitude to the following for their support for this roundtable and associated activities: the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Scot- land Yard; the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations; the European Union Radicali- sation Awareness Network and Exit Sweden. A special thanks goes to roundtable co-convenors Bill Elischer and Abid Raja, roundtable facili- tator Benjamin Mols and research assistant Elena Pinot. 3 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 Preface Session Two: Policing 44 Implications of Media Covered Terrorism 03 Acknowledgements Session Three: Media 55 Terrorism Reporting and 06 Introduction Yourh Mental Health Po- licing Implications of Me- dia Covered Terrorism 08 Program Session Four: Terro- 66 rism, Media and Poli- 10 Roundtable Key Points cy-making 72 Day two - January 31, 22 Media Reporting 2018 Session One: Fearing 28 Proposed Actions Terrorism: The Effects 73 of Media Coverage of Terrorist Attacks On 29 Recommendations Communities Session Two: Strategic Day One - January 30, 83 Communication Practi- 31 2018 tioners Perspective Session Three: Lessons Session One: 92 Learnt and Formula- 32 Reporting Terrorism: ting Policies: Terrorism A Balancing Act and The Media Roundtable Speakers 95 and Participants Short Biographies 5 Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism:From A Practitioner’s Perspective Introduction We would like to thank all the roundtable participants for contributing to what was an innova- tive, thought provoking and inspiring event. The roundtable brought together media broadcasters, PVE and CVE front line practitioners, academics and policy makers from Australia, Europe and the United States of America repre- senting different sectors of society —civil society, the media community, government, law en- forcement and academia. The roundtable was designed to provide the stakeholders a platform to discuss openly and share first hand experiences of the impact media reporting of terrorist events has on their respective work in view of informing and guiding policy-making in the field of media and responsible reporting of terrorism events, and enhancing media broadcasters awareness and responsibility. Misguided and sensational media reporting of terrorist events is not only impacting on com- munities but also on front line practitioners work in the fields of prevention and countering violent extremism, and on policy-making. Media reporting affects how communities as well as mainstream societies understand, interpret and react to particular terrorist events. It shapes communities’ perceptions of mainstream society and governments but also their own commu- nities as well as their place within that particular society. Media reporting of terrorist events can undermine social cohesion, cause irreparable damages to communities, polarise societies and give rise and perpetuate discrimination, racism and violence. The experience of the United Kingdom is particularly informative in understanding how sensa- tional media reporting has impacted on the efforts of communities to build social cohesion in particular parts of London such as in Hounslow and Islington boroughs. France and Belgium have not been spared either. The experience of Australia, Belgium and France also demonstrate that young people are highly impacted by the media reporting of terrorist events. Research conducted in Belgium (Andre, 2017) indicated some individuals radicalised after watching a television documentary on ISIS. 6 Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism:From A Practitioner’s Perspective With ISIS having called for its supporters to carry out deadly assaults globally, we have wit- nessed in 2016 and 2017 either directed or inspired attacks by ISIS supporters in Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, Spain, Tur- key, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Media sensationalism is not only feeding fear, it may also act as an unwitting facilitator to inspire those who identify with ISIS ideology and indirectly enhance ISIS credibility and agency. It is the responsibility of policy-makers to deve- lop sound strategic communications around terrorist events and develop policies in the field of responsible reporting of terrorist events. This roundtable demonstrated the strong commitment of each and everyone of the participant media and front line practitioners in contributing to building meaningful partnerships between communities, agencies and analysts in tackling the challenges posed by violent extremism to our societies. As the report will demonstrate, the roundtable has brought about significant out- comes for the way in which we harness best practices and learn from grassroots and front line practitioners, and generate innovative thinking and partnerships in developing responsible re- porting of terrorist incidents. The roundtable has enabled the building of a stronger understanding and respect of media practitioners, policy-makers and front line and community practitioners’ common challenges, as well as to identify key areas of possible intervention in media strategic communication. Dr. Virginie Andre 7 Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism:From A Practitioner’s Perspective Program Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism Welcome Address SESSION ONE SESSION TWO Reporting Terrorism: Policing Implications of Media A Balancing Act Covered Terrorism DAY ONE Abid Raja (New Scotland Academic and Journalis- A Law Enforcement Yard), Bill Elischer (DFAT), tic Perspectives Front Line Practitioner’s Dr. Virginie Andre (Deakin Prof. Rik Coolsaet (Ghent Perspective University) University), Mr. Jean-Paul Abid Raja( New Scotland Marthoz (UNESCO), Rudi Yard), Hanif Azizi (Swedish Vranckx (VRT), Burhan Wa- Police), Violet Baert (CUTA) zir (WikiTribune), Dominic Casciani (BBC) SESSION ONE SESSION TWO Fearing Terrorism: The Effects of Media Cove- Terrorism and Strategic rage of Terrorist Attacks on Communities Communication DAY TWO CVE Practitioners and Communities Strategic Communication Practitioners Perspectives Perspectives Robert Orell (Exit Sweden), Ahmed Rehab (CAIR Jonathan Russell, (EU RAN Working Group Chicago), Abdelkader Railane (Mission Communication and Narratives), Anna Lena- Locale/COPEC), Tony McAleer (Life After Hate) Lodenus (Journalist), Cathrine Moestue (Psy- chologist), 8 Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism:From A Practitioner’s Perspective SESSION THREE SESSION FOUR Media Terrorism Reporting and Terrorism, Media Youth Mental Health and Policy-Making Youth Practitioners and Policy-Makers Youth Perspectives Perspectives Alyas Karmani (Street), Jessika Soors David D’Hondt, Jounaid (City of Vilvoorde, Belgium) Hayani (MolemZap), Abdi Cisman (Kolvi), Dr Virginie Andre (Deakin University) SESSION THREE Lessons Learnt and Formulating Policies: Ter- rorism and the Media Hugo MacPherson (ESCN) 9 Understanding the Impact of Terrorist Event Reporting on Countering Violent Extremism:From A Practitioner’s Perspective Roundtable Key Points NEWS ROOM REALITIES AND 24 HOUR NEWS CYCLE The balancing of media reporting of terrorist events is not an easy task and poses its own challenges when media practitioners are reporting on events as they unfold and reporters have to respond to the pressure of their own newsroom and the public need for informa- tion. It is also important to consider the realities that journalists have to face in performing their work, often under pressure, undermined by decades of commercialism, evolving in an extremely competitive environment, challenged by social media and spin doctors from the government, corporations and NGOs. Terrorism reporting tests the core values of journalists. There are existing problems with the media, which lack preparation, and can lead to superficial and careless reporting, of- ten letting fear determine editorial projects and the political line of media reportage. The 24-hour news industry intrinsically seeks relevance and audience attention by pro- longing stories and providing different angles, which often veer well beyond the actual crime reported. The “Islamic terrorism” narrative provides analysis-rich fodder for the constant stream of opinion-based news talk shows on television and radio, as well as op- ed columns in newspapers. The 24-hour news cycle and how it intersects with