Working the ‘front lines’ in Washington,DC: Digital age terrorism reporting by national security prestige press

Abstract

This article reports on a critical tier in the global flow of terrorism information gathered through in-depth interviews with 35 national security journalists in the Washington, DC, ‘prestige press’. This research offers value by organizing, describing and analyzing the opinions of this elite group on terrorism reporting in the digital age. Rarely studied but extremely influential as conversation-shapers and a conduit to other press, these ‘front-line’ reporters offer insider knowledge and unique perceptions regarding the interplay of terrorist goals with resulting media coverage, the decline of traditional journalism, and how new media technologies are affecting their work. Findings include evidence of altered post-9/11 journalist routines. Reported results can offer practitioners insight into best practices and an opportunity for information-users to better understand and evaluate what they are receiving.