NEW YORK: The Mumbai terror attacks played big time in the US media but nowhere more so than on the 24-hour news network CNN. What may have begun as a result of a slow news week starting Wednesday soon turned out to be virtually the sole focus of the network soon after the first hour of the crisis, as it became clear that the terrorists were working to a specific plan of singling out Westerners.
What kept the US media focused were the possibilities of American casualties. Another angle that was introduced was how seriously the crisis may strain India-Pakistan relations and present the incoming President Barack Obama with his first foreign policy challenge. Even The New York Times put out detailed updates on its website. By Friday evening CNN was deeply immersed in analysing the events to the extent of naming Dawood Ibrahim as a possible lead player in the planning of the attacks.
Overall, the US media, feeling somewhat lost in the aftermath of the US elections found in the attacks a rivetting story.
