European Journal of Communication

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Media, War and Culture

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vasterman, P. L.M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
European Journal of Communication, Vol. 20, No. 4, 508-530 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0267323105058254

Media-Hype

Self-Reinforcing News Waves, Journalistic Standards and the Construction of Social Problems

Peter L.M. Vasterman

faculty of the Master of Journalism programme at the Department of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam, Turfdraagsterpad 9, 1012 XT Amsterdam, The Netherlands, vasterman{at}uva.nl

News often seems to develop a life of its own, creating huge news waves on one specific story or topic. The term ‘media-hype’ is often used in popular debate about this kind of self-inflating media coverage, but the concept has never made it into the scientific discourse, mainly because of its implicit value judgements. However, by excluding criteria like ‘exaggeration’ and ‘distortion’ and by focusing on the process of amplification and magnification during these media-generated news waves, the concept can become a valuable tool for news research. A theoretical framework of media-hype is developed in this article, not only to analyse the specific dynamic of media-hype, but also to deal with the role it plays in the process of framing and social amplification. A content analysis of media coverage of ‘senseless’ street violence in the Netherlands is used to evaluate the consequences of media-hype for the role the media play in society.

Key Words: framing • journalistic standards • media-hype • social amplification • street violence


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 The Harvard International Journal of Press/PoliticsHome page
C. Elmelund-Praestekaer and C. Wien
What's the Fuss About? The Interplay of Media Hypes and Politics
International Journal of Press/Politics, July 1, 2008; 13(3): 247 - 266.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 European Journal of CommunicationHome page
R. Vliegenthart and H. G. Boomgaarden
Real-World Indicators and the Coverage of Immigration and the Integration of Minorities in Dutch Newspapers
European Journal of Communication, September 1, 2007; 22(3): 293 - 314.
[Abstract] [PDF]