Breaking news is increasingly disseminated through unconventional sources like meme accounts, TikTokers, and themed social media pages. Joe Biden's resignation, for instance, was first reported by the Twitter account LizaMinnelliOutlives. This phenomenon, known as "news hustlers," indicates a fragmented information ecosystem where traditional media no longer monopolizes news distribution. While these platforms provide new ways to engage with news, they often lack depth and context, contributing to the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
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The Pop Craveification of Breaking News
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Discussion (2)
I think this has to do with our craving for community discourse and connection. These events allow us to join in on vibrant conversations that we are all experiencing at the same time.
Beyond news, people typically connect in much slower ways online (common topics, hobbies, etc) all of which happens slightly more asynchronously and slower.
I see two paths typically with regards to news
1) I know something happened and want to find info about it. This happened to me this past weekend when someone messaged me Joe Biden dropped out, and I went to various places to understand the scope
2) I didn’t know about something and some newsfluencer let’s me know about it on a given platform
In both cases, I’m interested in what people have to say about it beyond just the news itself, and I noticed that people are most eager to share their opinions on these topics, like commenting, creating a viral effect.