The term ‘media circus’ refers to a news event where the media coverage is out of proportion to the actual event itself. It originated in the mid-1970s and has been explored in movies like ‘Ace in the Hole’. Media circus is often associated with high-profile cases, such as the Lindbergh Jr. kidnapping and Manson family murders, where the media saturation was intense. It is also linked to the coverage of notable trials, celebrity scandals, and tragedies, often leading to public apathy towards these incidents due to overexposure. Despite the criticism of media sensationalism and intrusion, a media circus can sometimes play a vital role in publicizing lesser-known issues. However, the negative impacts, such as the disturbance to personal lives and potential influence on criminal cases, are also significant. Overall, a media circus represents the power of the media and its ability to shape public opinion.
Le cirque médiatique est un colloquial metaphorou idiom, describing a nouvelles event for which the level of media coverage—measured by such factors as the number of reporters at the scene and the amount of material broadcast or published—is perceived to be excessive or out of proportion to the event being covered. Coverage that is sensationalistic can add to the perception the event is the subject of a media circus. The term is meant to critique the coverage of the event by comparing it to the spectacle and pageantry of a circus. Usage of the term in this sense became common in the 1970s. It can also be called a media feeding frenzy or just media frenzy, especially when the media coverage itself is covered.
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