In the aftermath of 9/11, media in the U.S. and the Arab and broader Muslim worlds became weapons of war, driving polarization through coverage that often provided only one perspective. As a result, journalists also became targets of war, victims of both governments and insurgent groups.

In the Arab world, journalists have also become targets of their own governments as they have taken on another role: Agent of change. Satellite television, the Internet and a new aggressiveness among many newspapers mean Arab journalists see their primary role as driving political and social change in their own countries. That journalistic alliance with the forces of change has led to a brutal backlash against the media across the Arab world.[]