Civic Engagement in the Era of Big Stories

Abstract

The close of the 20 century and the opening of the 21 have seen the advent of a new kind of event-centered story. New media have exploded, economic concentration in the media industry has intensified, the norms of mainstream journalism have shifted, and tabloid media increasingly influence the agenda and the content of the mainstream media. Simultaneously, new technologies like the Internet and greater cable television bandwidth now allow consumers to witness events such as natural disasters or even mass murders in real time. We live today in the era of big stories, in which the media’s longstanding interest in turning dramatic events into serials (Cook 1996) has blossomed (or mutated, depending on one’s perspective) into a virtual news saga industry. Breaking events that promise dramatic story developments are quickly translated into stories-of-the day, week, or month, often complete with their own logo and theme music. Media coverage of dramatic events is high in volume and sustained in duration, and the public is exposed to big stories through both and entertainment channels in both traditional and virtual formats.