IS THE MEDIA SENSATIONALISM OF THE 26/11 ATTACKS

JUSTIFIED?
It was a normal sunny day in Mumbai, and
everything was running smooth as usual.
There was same traffic on the streets as usual
and a group of delegates and ambassador of
Germany had arrived for a conference at Taj
Hotel. The fishermen were also out there for
their daily bread. As soon as they were
heading back to port, they passed by a vessel
from Pakistan at International waters who
was looking for a help. The fishermen from
India anchored their vessel and came forward
to help them. The people inside the boat were
none other than militants who had planned to
shaken Mumbai. They killed all the
fishermen except the captain of the boat. The
captain rowed them till the port and the
terrorist were able to successfully enter
India. 
 Introduction To The
Attack
The 2008 Mumbai attacks (also referred to as 26/11) were a group of terrorist attacks that took place in
November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organization based in
Pakistan, carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across
Mumbai. The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, began on Wednesday, 26
November and lasted until Saturday, 29 November 2008. 164 people died and 308 were wounded.
LOCATIONS 
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS
THE OBEROI GRAND
THE TAJ PALACE AND TOWER
LEPOLD CAFÉ
CAMA HOSPITAL
THE NARIMAN HOUSE
METRO CINEMA
 IMPORTANCE OF
MEDIA
 Media plays a major role in covering terrorist
activities.
 Media coverage highlighted the use of new media
and internet social networking sites including
twitter, Flicker in spreading information about
attacks.
 In India's media, particularly television,
sensationalism has become a byword. Barkha Dutt,
India's recognized journalist, faced criticism for her
obsessive reporting during the 26/11 terrorist assault
in Mumbai.
 The Mumbai incident was one of the best examples,
which proved there is a great need for responsible
media. 
 • They risked their lives to provide information
to the people and helped them keep safe and
POSITIVE calm.
EFFECTS • Media is the fastest source of communication
and hence for spreading the news. And same
OF MEDIA was the case for the 26/11 attack. It was only
ON 26/11 because of them that areas were evacuated in a
short amount of time.
• Media has a great influence on people's minds,
it can create love or hatred for anything or any
situation .
  Terrorists found out that guests were hiding
out in the Chambers at the Taj  on the night
of the 26th when their Pakistani controllers
told them that TV had carried the news. 
NEGATIVE  An excellent Discovery Channel
EFFECTS OF documentary on the survivors of 26/11
contains an interview with a woman who was
MEDIA ON trapped at the Trident. 
26/11 The NSG believes that it lost the advantage
of any kind of a surprise because all TV
channels (except, to its credit, NDTV) ran
live coverage of commandos being lowered
onto the roof of Nariman House. 
 • The visuals that were shown live by the TV
channels could have also been shown after all
the terrorists were neutralized.
NEGATIVE • The TV programmers would not have had the
EFFECTS OF same shrill, scintillating and chilling effect and
would not have shot up the TRP ratings of the
MEDIA ON channels. 
26/11 • The coverage of the Mumbai terror attack by
the mainstream electronic media has done
much harm to the argument that any regulatory
mechanism for the media must only come
from within.