No, Simon Jenkins, we can't afford media silence on terrorism – Twitter has made that impossible

Is the media to blame for Khalid Masood's attack on Westminster, and similar Isis-inspired incidences of “lone wolf” terror? Does the wall-to-wall coverage provided by the BBC, and other news outlets, in response to their crimes serve as the primary motivation for the killer with a political axe to grind?

Simon Jenkins, the former newspaper editor turned columnist, sharply criticised the coverage of the attack during an interview conducted by Evan Davis as part of a Newsnight special.

Jenkins argued that the outrages perpetuated by the IRA and the PLO in an earlier era were treated very differently. He said that the media should treat Masood and his ilk as they were treated, more as criminals than as political actors. “Crime is crime,” as Margaret Thatcher once said on the subject.

“All over London people are doing crazy things with knives, in cars, and people are dying. This happens to have taken place in Parliament, which is indeed serious, and people have died, I’m not underplaying it at all and it should be publicised.

“It’s quite different to ascribing it with this tremendous clutter of politics, Islam and religion, it’s quite wrong.”

The reaction to his words has made it clear that he is far from alone in feeling that the media is getting it badly wrong. His criticism of the prominence given to the story, and the concentration on its political aspect, has generated considerable sympathy on social media.

At the very least we should reflect on his words. But while it will prove attractive to some to scapegoat the media’s response to the attack as the reason for it, and to contrast its sensationalism with what occurred in the past, that analysis misses a crucial point: The media has changed out of all recognition compared to the time the IRA and PLO were busily causing chaos.

I’ve no doubt Masood and his fellow travellers welcome the attention the BBC gives to them and their cause when they commit their atrocities. But they don’t need it.

They’ve proved to be depressingly effective at making their own media. Martyrdom porn litters the internet and serves as a very effective spur to future such attacks.

Let’s also imagine what might happen if the BBC did opt to do as Jenkins has suggested, treat them as criminals, perhaps make the next attack the second item on Newsnight after the latest twist in the Brexit saga.

Its critics on the right would have a field day. Crime it may have been, but Masood's act also had a political motivation, and if traditional media outlets such as BBC tried to gloss over that, if they turned a blind eye, you can be very sure that social media would rush in to fill the void.

It didn't exist when the IRA or the PLO were active, although their activities were hardly underplayed.

Jenkins might also care to remember that the Government at one point sought to force the media's hand, legislating to restrict the access Irish republicans had to broadcasters in this country. It led to the ludicrous situation of the words of Sinn Fein's leaders being voiced by actors while they spoke muted. Imagine the delight of Masood’s apologists were that to happen to them today.

That is not to say that we who work in the media, and the editors that we work for, shouldn’t take time to reflect on how we have performed our role in this instance. Some criticism is valid.

The fondness 24-hour news channels have for, if you’ll excuse my use of the phrase, indulging in overkill when a story like this breaks, isn’t helpful. Hours and hours of coverage heavy on talking heads, light on facts, it should come as no surprise when people cry “enough already”.

But even then, news channels are simply responding to demand. If they don’t do it, someone else will, and their audience will beat a path to their door.

Today’s media is a much follower as it is leader. That's why there will be inevitably be another Newsnight special produced the next time something like this happen. If we don't like it, we should learn to reach for the off buttons on our remotes.

Let's consider what would have happened if Jenkins’ prescription for future attacks were to have been followed during previous incidents. Do you really think it would have diverted Masood from his murderous course?

I’m afraid I don’t.