Global Media Events

Abstract

This chapter will address the theory of the media event by Dayan & Katz from an international perspective. Both authors have studied and analysed a number of media events, but have ignored the global nature of these events. Furthermore, their focus on television as the prime medium has ignored historical approaches, namely, the sinking of the Titanic or was not yet applied to the range of new media, in particular social media, for instance, during the Fukushima disaster. This chapter will revisit these events, but discuss this event from a global perspective. How was it possible that the entire world would focus its attention to this event? What narratives, networks, symbols where required to create a density that made this event outstanding, created a before and after? How could a global audience be reached; culturally and technological? This research will look into material from various world regions, North America, Europe, Asia, Latin-America and Africa. On the basis of this material the chapter aims to extend Dayan & Katz original theory of the media event, through the dimension of the global media event, but also by opening this theory to research the role of other media technologies and settings. Theoretical considerations will address the role of global rituals and social media practices, but also the role of time and simultaneity of media messages and patterns, narratives and gestures of the media events' audience. On the basis of this more analytical frame of reference the global nature of other media events and media technologies will be discussed.