The mediation of “massacre”: the coverage of terrorism in VG and Aftenposten.

On Friday, 15th March 2019, a series of terror attacks occurred in the City of Christchurch. Targeted places were mosques, during Friday prayer, and attacks were carried out by one perpetrator, who later identified himself as a white supremacist. He was live-streaming the first 17 minutes of the attacks on Facebook Live. He was charged with 51 murders, 40 attempted murders, as well as engaging in a terrorist act. Almost one and a half months later, on Easter Sunday, 21st April 2019, new terror attacks took place in Sri Lanka. Targets were three churches, four hotels, and one housing complex. According to various sources, the number of perpetrators was between 8–9 attackers, who presented themselves as radicalized individuals, and suicide bombers. In these attacks, 259 people lost their lives, and more than 500 were injured. This thesis will analyze and compare the coverage of the mentioned attacks in Aftenposten and VG. Finally, this research will discuss how the framing of this news as “terror attacks” questioned journalistic norms and subjectified the approach to reporting