Broadcast coverage of Gaddafi's final hours in images and headlines: A brutal lynch or the desired death of a terrorist?

Abstract

Gruesome images of Muammar Gaddafi's assassination were broadcast on international news networks. The display of such images raises significant questions about the way the media cover an individual's death; in this case, an individual who was the leader of a United Nations member country and, at the same time, considered by many to be an enemy and a terrorist. The study examined 1,380 images of Gaddafi's last days, from five international news networks, and found that the Israeli channel displayed the highest number of gruesome images. The article argues that when news networks have a clear political agenda, political considerations may trump adherence to professional ethics.