médiatiques

Médiatiques is a French adjective used to describe things related to the media or shaped by media coverage. It is often employed to refer to phenomena, actors, or processes that operate within a media logic, as well as to the attention and visibility given by media institutions. The related noun form, médiatisation, denotes the broader process by which social life, politics, and culture become mediated or dominated by media practices.

The term emerged and gained popularity in sociology, media studies, and political discourse to capture how media attention, framing, and audience metrics influence perception and action. When something is described as médiatique, it typically signals a strong media footprint, a focus on image and spectacle, or a need to consider how media systems shape meaning. The connotation can be neutral, analytical, or pejorative, depending on context and tone.

In practice, médiatiques concerns arise in discussions of political campaigns, celebrity culture, public opinion, and journalistic dynamics. Analyses often refer to the logic of the media environment—speed, sensationalism, agenda-setting, and representation—as factors that interact with political, cultural, and economic processes. Critics may argue that excessive médiatisation can distort reality by prioritizing visibility over substance or by reducing complex issues to media-friendly narratives.

See also: médias, médiatisation, journalisme, communication politique, démocratie médiatique. The concept remains a common entry point for examining how modern societies organize discourse, influence, and legitimacy through media systems.