Picture Power: A study of the Effects of Images of 9/11, 7/7 and the Invasion of Iraq on Audience Beliefs and Understandings

Abstract

This research focuses on examining the importance of images on people’s beliefs and understanding of events. The research topic was of the 9/11 attacks, the 7/7 attacks, the invasion of Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq. The research incorporates an examination of audience analysis theory and focus groups. The topics were chosen as they are linked and the stories surrounding and connecting them have developed over time. I am interested in what people remember, how they have remembered and what effect the images have had on this process and thus thought the topics chosen would give me adequate scope to examine these. I found that participants saw the mass media reporting as being bias and its information being heavily influenced by competing ideologies, yet participants also claimed the news was where they got their information of the events with which they formed their opinions. A contradiction which I feel would benefit of further research. In the case of the images of 9/11 I found that people remembered the events history differently to how they actually happened. Only 2 planes and the twin towers were ever mentioned and all recollection of the events were of the media’s reporting, which centred on the event of the plane hitting the building. I also found that people’s interest levels drop when the images are expected or not completely new, regardless of how shocking they were. The 7/7 attack drew hardly any passionate feedback compared to the vivid descriptions and emotionally charged language in the group discussions when we discussed the 9/11 attacks.