Catching fire in the news : the necessary conditions for media storms /

Why do some events catch fire in the news, producing a media storm, while many similar events go all but unnoticed? This Element uses a fire triangle analogy to explain the necessary conditions of media storms. The "heat" is the spark: a dramatic event or discovery. The "fuel" is...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Boydstun, Amber E., 1977- (Author), Laufer, Jill R. (Author), Card, Dallas (Author), Smith, Noah A. (Author)
Corporate Author: Cambridge University Press
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2026.
Series:Cambridge elements. Elements in politics and communication
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:Why do some events catch fire in the news, producing a media storm, while many similar events go all but unnoticed? This Element uses a fire triangle analogy to explain the necessary conditions of media storms. The "heat" is the spark: a dramatic event or discovery. The "fuel" is the political and cultural landscape, including similar items in recent news, and current debates that allow the event to be framed in a resonant way. The "oxygen" is the available news agenda space, plus attention the event receives beyond the news (by activists, politicians, people on social media, etc.). Media storms are not easily predictable; it takes the right event, at the right time, with the right momentum of attention. But when the political stars align and a media storm erupts, it can be a window of opportunity for change. This Element is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Physical Description:1 online resource (75 pages).
ISBN:9781009498432
1009498436
9781009498456
1009498452
DOI:10.1017/9781009498432