Catching Fire in the News: The Necessary Conditions for Media Storms (Elements in Politics and Communication) - Softcover

Amber E., Boydstun

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1009498444 ISBN 13: 9781009498449

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2026

Synopsis

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.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009498444
• ISBN 13: 9781009498449
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 100