A discussion of the role of the media in the government’s mission post-9/11.
This paper examines the way that the media has affected society and helped the government’s agenda of causing vigilance and sometimes panic among the American people. On the other hand, it explains how the media has been critical of the America’s involvement in the war in Iraq, and the paper looks how this too has affected the society.
Last February, people all over the country rushed to hardware stores to stock up on duct tape and plastic sheeting, after the media reported a code orange, which referred to a high threat of terrorism (Hall). Based on a government order to create a first-aid and terrorism survival kits, hundreds of people heeded the warning to stock up on supplies like duct tape and water. In the end, however, the terror threat failed to materialize. Many people were thus left wondering why they had acted out of panic and alarm.