Television as Arsonist?

Abstract

This article deals with the role of television in the spread of violence against foreigners and asylum seekers in the united Germany. After each of the four most violent riots and arson attacks, the Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation observed dramatic increases of xenophobic assaults. Using time series analysis, the results of this article show that television played a critical role in the spread of racial violence. The article provides an escalation model of how violence is diffused. The model links aspects of reality, public concern, motivational status of perpetrators and type of television coverage. A combination of suggestive-imitative theory and priming turns out to be the most appropriate theoretical concept to explain the results.