Media circus explained

Media circus is a colloquial metaphor, or idiom, describing a news 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.[1] [2] It can also be called a media feeding frenzy or just media frenzy, especially when the media coverage itself is covered.

History

Although the idea is older, the term media circus began to appear around the mid-1970s. An early example is from the 1976 book by author Lynn Haney, in which she writes about a romance in which the athlete Chris Evert was involved: "Their courtship, after all, had been a media circus.'"[3] A few years later The Washington Post had a similar courtship example in which it reported, "Princess Grace herself is still traumatized by the memory of her own media-circus wedding to Prince Rainier in 1956."[4]

Media circuses make up the central plot device in the 1951 movie Ace in the Hole about a self-interested reporter who, covering a mine disaster, allows a man to die trapped underground. It cynically examines the relationship between the media and the news they report. The movie was subsequently re-issued as The Big Carnival, with "carnival" referring to what we now call a "circus".In the film, the disaster attracts campers including a real circus.The movie was based on real-life Floyd Collins who in 1925 was trapped in a Kentucky cave drawing so much media attention that it became the third largest media event between the two World Wars (the other two being Lindbergh's solo flight and the Lindbergh kidnapping).[5]

Examples

Events described as a media circus include:

Aruba

Australia

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

India

Indonesia

Italy

Japan

Malaysia

Peru

Philippines

Romania

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Thailand

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Gilmore case turning into a circus for media . Milwaukee Journal . The worldwide attention that condemned killer Gary Gilmore is receiving has turned his case into a media circus Utah residents are saying . 1976-12-03 .
  2. News: Only in America - the Gary Gilmore Circus has everything but dancing bears . The Evening Independent . 1976-12-08 . There is most appallingly, an only-in-America spectacle wherein a quest for justice becomes an extravaganza for the fast buck. Come, come, come to the circus.. Gene . Miller.
  3. Lynn Haney (1976). Chris Evert, the Young Champion.
  4. Washington Post B1, June 29, 1978. This is the oldest quote the Oxford English Dictionary has listed, although obviously there are older occurrences.
  5. Brucker, R. and Murray, R. Trapped! the Story of Floyd Collins, University Press of Kentucky, 1983.
  6. News: May 14, 2023 . The Twisted True-Crime Life of Joran van der Sloot . The Daily Beast.
  7. News: Vindication at Last for a Woman Scorned by Australia's News Outlets . The New York Times. Nov 16, 2014.
  8. News: Media circus comes digging for gold. Sydney Morning Herald. May 4, 2006. May 8, 2006. July 20, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060720163156/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/media-circus-comes-digging-for-gold/2006/05/03/1146335804552.html%26cid%3D0. dead.
  9. Web site: An Indian Boy and a Media Circus . https://archive.today/20120708090740/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/today/an-indian-boy-and-a-media-circus. dead. 8 July 2012. 8 July 2012.
  10. Web site: Schapelle Corby: Drug claims, media circus and the family saga that gripped a nation. ABC News. 10 December 2015. 2014-02-07.
  11. Web site: Australia's Schapelle Corby phenomenon. Geraldine Nordfeldt. 10 December 2015.
  12. Web site: Brazil: Making a child murder into a media show · Global Voices. Global Voices. 10 December 2015. 2008-04-24.
  13. News: Circus comes to town for Conrad Black's trial. Daily Telegraph. Langton. James. 2007-03-11. 2019-06-28. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  14. News: Rob Ford's crack admission creates media frenzy. CBC. November 5, 2013. November 14, 2013.
  15. News: 'Constant circus' around Rob Ford a distraction, councillors say. CBC. May 31, 2013. November 14, 2013.
  16. Web site: City hall tours relocated amid Ford media circus. CP24. November 14, 2013. November 14, 2013.
  17. News: Paul and Karla Hit the Net. WIRED Staff. 1994-04-01. Wired. 2019-06-28. 1059-1028.
  18. Web site: Omar Khadr: The case, the compensation and the media. www.aljazeera.com. 2019-02-19.
  19. Web site: Death of three siblings in crash 'worst nightmare': Mom. Ottawa Sun. Jeffords. Shawn. September 28, 2015. July 28, 2023.
  20. Web site: Convicted drunk driver Marco Muzzo granted full parole. CP24. Goodfield. Kayla. February 9, 2021. July 28, 2023.
  21. Web site: Edward Lake, father of 3 children killed by drunk driver Marco Muzzo in 2015, dies. CBC News. June 21, 2022. July 28, 2022.
  22. Web site: City Honours Neville-Lake Fatal Collision With Quiet Area At Brampton Park. insauga.com. July 25, 2019. July 28, 2023.
  23. Web site: As media circus wanes, Chile miners' families turn spotlight on reporters' antics. The Christian Science Monitor. 15 October 2010. The Christian Science Monitor. 10 December 2015.
  24. News: BBC News - World News America - The media circus around Chile's trapped miners. 10 December 2015. 2010-10-11.
  25. Web site: The 'Get' Game Gets Going at Chile Miner Media Circus. Lacey Rose. Forbes. 10 December 2015.
  26. News: El caso Colmenares y la fascinación de los medios y del público. ¿Qué tiene de especial? ¿Por qué el circo a su alrededor?. es . Caracol Radio. May 4, 2006.
  27. News: Sheena Bora murder: Cast and plot of a real-life soap opera. The Hindu.
  28. News: Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after alleged strip searches . Al Jazeera. August 13, 2023 . August 17, 2023.
  29. News: Amanda Knox compared to Goebbels by prosecutors . Squires . Nick . September 23, 2011 . 2011-09-27 . Telegraph (UK) . . "The trial must be held here, in this courtroom. This lobbying, this media and political circus, this heavy interference, forget all of it," the prosecutor said .
  30. News: Missing MH370: Day 6 and media circus in Malaysia shows few signs of relenting . https://web.archive.org/web/20140313230750/http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/missing-mh370-day-6-and-media-circus-malaysia-shows-few-signs-relenting-. 2014-03-13 . . March 13, 2014 . Joyce . Lim . April 17, 2014 .
  31. News: Desi Dialogues: Media's coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines flight appalling . Rakshande . Italia . March 28, 2014 . . April 17, 2014 .
  32. News: Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Peru police confirm Van der Sloot's murder confession. 2010-06-09. 2010-06-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20100611025832/http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/peru-police-confirm-van-der-sloots-murder-confession. 2010-06-11. dead.
  33. News: Royeca . Jon . A Sensational Murder In The Philippines in 1890 . . October 27, 2019 . August 29, 2023.
  34. News: Cabahug . Eric . Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines . . October 11, 2020 . August 29, 2023.
  35. News: Dagle . Robbin . Pinoy true crime stories that need the docu-series treatment . . October 23, 2020 . August 29, 2023 . August 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829084347/http://www.cnnphilippines.com/life/entertainment/television/2020/10/23/filipino-true-crime-stories.html . dead .
  36. News: Delizo. Michael Joe T.. VACC founder Vizconde dies. February 14, 2016. Manilla Times. February 13, 2016.
  37. News: Rage, Riots, and Death: Looking Back at the Pepsi 349 Debacle . Esquire Magazine PH. January 17, 2022 . August 12, 2022.
  38. News: 'A plot hatched in hell': Timeline of the Gomez-Sarmenta murder case . . August 22, 2019 . October 13, 2022.
  39. News: Narag . Raymund . Commentary: Media sensationalism, bureaucratic ineptitude, and the quest for justice for the common tao . . August 25, 2019 . August 29, 2023.
  40. News: Impending release of convicted rapist-murderer Sanchez sparks outrage . . August 21, 2019 . August 11, 2022.
  41. News: Lolit Solis on 1994 Manila Film Fest scam: 'It was a nightmare for me' . Philippine Daily Inquirer. November 20, 2018 . August 11, 2022.
  42. News: No more media circus this time . . subscription . November 3, 2004 . August 28, 2023.
  43. News: Gabinete . Jojo . Forensic expert, binalikan ang mga pangyayari sa Chiong rape-murder case noong 1997 . . July 20, 2018 . August 29, 2023.
  44. Web site: Case Study: The Media and the Trial of Paco Larrañaga (Handout for the documentary "Give Up Tomorrow") . . August 29, 2023.
  45. News: de Guzman . Nicai . The Most Shocking and High-Profile Unsolved Crimes in the Philippines . . February 12, 2020 . August 29, 2023.
  46. News: Vhong Navarro recovering from brutal attack . Rappler. January 25, 2014 . August 11, 2022.
  47. Web site: STIRI - Fenomenul "Elodia", dupa doi ani. https://archive.today/20131204175000/http://stiri.kappa.ro/actualitate/19-08-2009/fenomenul-elodia-dupa-doi-ani-30420.html. dead. 4 December 2013. 4 December 2013.
  48. https://www.irex.org/sites/default/files/pdf/media-sustainability-index-europe-eurasia-2009-full.pdf.pdf MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY INDEX 2009
  49. http://www.cna.ro/IMG/pdf/08.01-09.04.2008.1-DDD_OTV.pdf
  50. Web site: Fenomenul "Elodia", după doi ani. adevarul.ro. 19 August 2009 . 10 December 2015.
  51. News: The Oscar Pistorius trial: Africa's O.J. Simpson? . March 1, 2014 . Washington Post . April 18, 2014 . Adam . Taylor .
  52. News: Oscar Pistorius and the echoes of OJ Simpson . The Telegraph . 12 April 2014 . 18 April 2014 . London . John . Hiscock.
  53. News: We need to talk about suicide reporting. Haeryun. Kang. Korea Exposé. 19 December 2017.
  54. Jonghyun's coffin carried by pop stars at funeral . December 21, 2017. Entertainment Weekly . Nick . Maslow.
  55. News: 'El caso Alcàsser' y la crítica al circo televisivo basado en el morbo del espectador . 'The Alcàsser case' and criticism of the television circus based on the viewer's morbidity . June 14, 2019 . Formula TV . Spanish.
  56. News: El 'Caso Alcàsser': Había una vez un circo . The 'Alcàsser Case': Once upon a time there was a circus . November 13, 2017 . Valencia Plaza. Spanish.
  57. News: Antolín . Matías . 18 September 2008 . El linchamiento de Dolores . The lynching of Dolores . September 20, 2017 . Diario de Burgos . Burgos, Spain . es.
  58. News: Rodríguez . Mercedes . June 17, 2008 . 'El Caso Wanninkhof', la historia de un linchamiento . 'The Wanninkhof Case', history of a lynching . September 20, 2017 . El Diario Montañés . Santander, Spain . es.
  59. News: El 'caso Marta del Castillo': ¿sólo información, morbo o "circo mediático"? . The 'Marta del Castillo case': just information, morbidity or "media circus"? . February 17, 2009 . 20 Minutos . Spanish.
  60. News: Caso Asunta: cuando el suceso se transforma en circo mediatico . Asunta Case: when the event becomes a media circus . October 11, 2019 . Vozpopuli . Spanish.
  61. News: El circo de los Quer y los medios sin escrúpulos . The Quer circus and the unscrupulous media . August 16, 2023 . ABC Galicia . Spanish.
  62. News: Un nuevo y triste circo mediático en Almería . March 14, 2018 . Málaga Hoy . Spanish.
  63. News: Throng of volunteers gather to rescue Thai boys trapped in cave. Panu. Wongcha-um. Reuters. 2018-07-06.
  64. News: Media circus follows Melnychenko to Warsaw . October 28, 2004 . July 21, 2014 . Kyiv Post .
  65. News: Melnychenko returns to Ukraine, testifies in secret to prosecutor . 50 . LXXIII . Yana . Sedova . December 11, 2005 . Kyiv Press Bureau . July 21, 2014 . July 26, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726205408/http://www.ukrweekly.com/old/archive/2005/500501.shtml . dead .
  66. Web site: Brightside Mentoring. www.brightknowledge.org.
  67. News: Master of media circus for Madeleine McCann . 24 April 2008 . The Telegraph . 25 April 2014 .
  68. News: Jade Goody dies after cancer battle bringing media circus to end . https://web.archive.org/web/20090325063500/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/jade-goody/5033144/Jade-Goody-dies-after-cancer-battle-bringing-media-circus-to-end.html . dead . March 25, 2009 . The Daily Telegraph . London . Sarah . Knapton . March 22, 2009 . May 12, 2010.
  69. News: No one outside of the media-political circus cares about the phone hacking scandal . Linda . Rodriguez . July 22, 2011 . August 17, 2011.
  70. Web site: Why did Charlie Gard's court case become a media circus?. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/charlie-gard-court-case-ruling-became-media-circus-a7857841.html . 2022-05-12 . subscription . live. Independent.co.uk. 2017-07-24.
  71. News: Sykes . Tom . 2021-02-11 . Meghan Markle Told Her Dad It Was 'Devastating' to Face 'Media Circus' He Created . en . The Daily Beast . 2023-02-10.
  72. Web site: 2022-12-08 . Meghan Markle's Mom Doria Ragland Slams Ex Thomas for Getting Involved in Media "Circus" . 2023-02-10 . E! Online.
  73. Web site: Dooley . Matthew . 2023-01-04 . Meghan and Harry blasted for 'Sussex circus' ahead of Duke media blitz . 2023-02-10 . Express.co.uk . en.
  74. Web site: 2024-03-22 . Kate Middleton Reveals She's Undergoing Chemotherapy . 2024-05-17 . W Magazine . en.
  75. McConnell, Virginia A.Fatal Fortune: the Death of Chicago's Millionaire Orphan, p. 62 Fatal Fortune: the Death of Chicago's Millionaire Orphan (books.google), Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005, . p. 62
  76. http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/lindbergh/trial_6.html Notorious Murders
  77. Book: Bergreen, Laurence . Capone: The Man and the Era. 1996. Simon and Schuster. 978-0684824475. 365–366.
  78. Web site: FindLaw's United States Supreme Court case and opinions.. Findlaw. en-US. 2019-11-30.
  79. News: Youths Ordered to Clean Up Rubbish Mess . Berkshire Eagle . November 29, 1965 . Pittsfield, Massachusetts . 25 . Newspapers.com . He (Obanhein) said he hoped their case would be an example to others who are careless about disposal of rubbish..
  80. Book: Media Circus: A Look at Private Tragedy in the Public Eye. Goldman. Kim. Robertson. Tatsha. 2015-09-22. BenBella Books. 9781941631607. en.
  81. News: Gelman . David . Greenberg . Peter S. . Ringmaster at the circus . Newsweek . 31 January 1977 . 89 . 5 . 77 . .
  82. Web site: How the rescue of Baby Jessica ushered in the era of rolling news. The National. 14 October 2017 .
  83. (Elizabeth Davis, The Daily Beacon, January 12, 1996).https://web.archive.org/web/20021106090843/http://dailybeacon.utk.edu/issues/v71/n3/blizzard.3v.html
  84. News: 2014-05-09 . Lewinsky Media Circus Now Commonplace . en . The Daily Beast . 2022-10-30.
  85. 2014-05-28 . Exclusive: Monica Lewinsky on the Culture of Humiliation . 2022-10-30 . Vanity Fair . en-US.
  86. Betancourt . Bianca . 2021-08-25 . See the Cast of 'Impeachment: American Crime Story' vs. Their Real-Life Counterparts . 2022-10-30 . Harper's BAZAAR . en-US.
  87. News: Elian moves home to avoid media circus . 25 April 2000 . 17 April 2014 . .
  88. News: Survey: 'Shark summer' bred fear, not facts . Jeordan . Legon . CNN . March 14, 2003 . 16 June 2010 .
  89. News: Media always produce a summer feeding frenzy . Roeper, Richard . Richard Roeper . Chicago Sun-Times . July 25, 2002 . 11 .
  90. News: Summer of the shark? . Suzanne . Miller . Spiker . 24 July 2003 . 16 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091215131154/http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/00000006DE7C.htm . 15 December 2009 . dead .
  91. Web site: TV docuseries seems to suggest Scott Peterson didn't kill pregnant wife Laci. 2017-08-14. AP News. 2019-11-30.
  92. Newsweek, "Martha's Fall," March 15, 2005 Web site: Archived copy . 2006-01-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20051222214401/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4468819/ . 2005-12-22 .
  93. News: Kurtz . Howard . May 8, 2005 . It's to Laugh (or Cry) About: Tragedy or Farce? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170818045424/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/07/AR2005050700153_pf.html . August 18, 2017 . September 11, 2017 . Washington Post. (page B01)
  94. News: Lifetime's 'Untouchable' throws the book at Drew Peterson . Chicago Tribune . January 16, 2012.
  95. News: Lifetime's 'Pregnancy Pact' treats surge in teen pregnancy with kid gloves . David . Hinckley . January 23, 2010 . New York Daily News . 2020-09-29 . 2010-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100126080732/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/23/2010-01-23_lifetimes_pregnancy_pact_treats_surge_in_teen_pregnancy_with_kid_gloves.html . dead .
  96. Web site: Casey Anthony trial turned into media frenzy - Yahoo! News . 2017-01-14 . 2011-09-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110902082909/http://news.yahoo.com/casey-anthony-trial-turned-media-frenzy-031041514.html . dead .
  97. Web site: Casey Anthony Trial Media Frenzy Explained . digtriad.com . 10 December 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131019133839/http://www.digtriad.com/news/article/182093/57/Elon-Professor-Explains-Media-Frenzy-Around-Anthony-Case- . 19 October 2013 .
  98. News: Casey Anthony trial turned into media frenzy . Reuters . July 6, 2011.
  99. News: Casey Anthony trial: Media frenzy at new heights. CBS News .
  100. "Trayvon Martin shooting: Debate over photos escalates". Yahoo! News.
  101. News: Jodi Arias Trial: An Over-The-Top Media-Spectacle . Huffington Post . May 22, 2013.
  102. News: Jodi Arias Trial: Jurors weigh murder charge amid "real-life soap opera" spectacle . CBS News . May 6, 2013.
  103. News: Jodi Arias trial attracts watchers from across the nation . Foz News . February 5, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130430074316/http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/20973003/2013/02/05/jodi-arias-trial-media-circus . April 30, 2013 .
  104. News: In Arias trial, TV cameras never far behind . Yahoo! News . May 22, 2013.
  105. News: Is the Jodi Arias Trial the Craziest in America? . Inside Edition . April 11, 2013.
  106. News: Amid many trials, a frenzy over Jodi Arias . USA Today . May 12, 2013 . Richard . Ruelas.
  107. News: Dzirutwe . MacDonald . 'What lion?' Zimbabweans ask, amid global Cecil circus . 4 November 2022 . Reuters . 30 July 2015.
  108. News: Opinion Cornered on 'Renate Alumnius,' Kavanaugh shifts blame to 'media circus' . 2022-04-03 . Washington Post . en-US.
  109. News: Heaney. Michael T.. Analysis The George Floyd protests generated more media coverage than any protest in 50 years. en-US. Washington Post. 2020-09-02. 0190-8286.
  110. Web site: Wyoming coroner says Gabby Petito's case became a 'media circus' and said others 'involved in domestic violence' should get the same attention. Insider.com.
  111. Web site: Média . Bell . Will Smith smacks Chris Rock on stage, then wins best actor Oscar . 2022-04-03 . www.iheartradio.ca . en-CA.
  112. Web site: 2022-03-28 . The Oscars are more about celebrity than cinema - and that's fine . 2022-04-03 . inews.co.uk . en.
  113. News: Benchetrit . Jenna . Johnny Depp, Amber Heard libel trial is nothing short of a media circus . 3 May 2022 . CBC News . 24 April 2022.
  114. Web site: Police: 2 other roommates were home during fatal stabbing of 4 U of Idaho students. TODAY. November 17, 2022 . November 23, 2022. November 23, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221123090806/https://www.today.com/news/police-2-roommates-home-murder-4-u-idaho-students-rcna57612. live.
  115. 2023-01-19 . Stakeouts, a Missing Scarf, and a Dying Dog: Inside the George Santos Media Circus . 2023-02-07 . Vanity Fair . en-US.
  116. Web site: Tully-Mcmanus . Katherine . Won't you be my neighbor, George Santos? . 2023-02-07 . POLITICO . 18 January 2023 . en.
  117. Web site: Oritz . Erik . January 22, 2023 . Lights, camera, trial: All eyes on Alex Murdaugh as a small South Carolina city prepares for a 'circus' . 2023-01-23 . NBC News . en.
  118. Web site: The Trump Arraignment Media Circus is Underway . . 3 April 2023 .
  119. Web site: Did the media botch the Biden age story? . . 4 July 2024 .