Selling Fear
Counterterrorism, the Media, and Public Opinion
- Contents
- Review Quotes
- Awards

Chapter 1. The News as Commodity, Public Good, and Political Manipulator
Postscript. President Obama: Underselling Fear?
“Still seen as a foundational document for US journalism, the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ ‘Statement of Principles’ declares that a free press exists to inform citizens, serve as a forum for debate on important public issues, and bring independent scrutiny on government and other centers of power in society. Using an impressive mix of theory, quantitative and qualitative content analysis, and public opinion data, Brigitte L. Nacos, Yaeli Bloch-Elkon and Robert Y. Shapiro convincingly demonstrate that in the crucial years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the news media did none of these things. Aptly titled, Selling Fear is an important and sobering book, documenting a press that was ‘more lap dog than watchdog’ and that only ‘rediscovered its bite’ after the nation was deeply mired in the Iraq War, civil liberties and human rights had been violated at home and abroad, and opportunities to improve our ability to deter terrorism and increase our disaster preparedness were lost.”
“Selling Fear is destined to be the source for media coverage and polling trends during the Bush-Iraq era.”
Carl Couch Center: Bruce E. Gronbeck Political Research Award
Won
Choice Magazine: CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Awards
Won
Political Science: American Government and Politics | Political Behavior and Public Opinion
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