pseudoevent

A pseudoevent is an event that is planned primarily to generate media coverage rather than arising spontaneously from real-world circumstances. The term was popularized by historian Daniel J. Boorstin in The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America (1962). Boorstin argued that pseudoevents are manufactured by public figures, organizations, and media professionals to shape public opinion, control narratives, and generate publicity.

Characteristics include advance scheduling, press releases, staged settings, photo opportunities, and moments that can be easily reproduced by other outlets. The success of a pseudoevent depends on media amplification and the perception of newsworthiness, rather than on any inherent occurrence in the world. Pseudoevents often rely on the routines of journalism—batches of coverage, repetition, and a sense of immediacy.

Common examples are press conferences, product launches, political or corporate announcements, charity fundraisers designed to attract reporters, celebrity appearances, or staged demonstrations. Critics contend pseudoevents blur the line between news and publicity, potentially normalizing manipulation of news agendas, creating sensationalism, and eroding trust when audiences become unable to distinguish spontaneously occurring events from orchestrated ones. Proponents might argue that such events help disseminate information efficiently or mobilize public attention for worthy causes.

Within media studies, the concept informs debates about public relations, the construction of public reality, and the relationship between newsmakers and newsrooms. It contrasts with genuine events that arise independent of media orchestration, as well as with predictable routine reporting.