Die Dynamik der Medienaufmerksamkeit

Viruses, scandals, hazards ­— in ever shorter time intervals the mass media concentrate on new topics generating massive waves of public attention. This study aims at better understanding the fundamental mechanisms generating such issue careers, and particularly clarifying the role of strategic issue sponsors.

The author develops a dynamic computer model of the mediated public simulating issue careers. In virtual experiments she shows that media hypes can be explained without the help of conspiracy theories, just by assuming simple adaptive behavior of journalists. To confront the computer model with reality, simulation results are compared with the empirical media careers of two ICT issues.