Is the line between news and entertainment blurring for good?
In short: As media companies face intense competition from the internet, they are increasingly blending hard news with entertainment. This shift toward infotainment uses flashy graphics and sensationalism to capture attention, sparking a debate: is this a vital way to reach new audiences, or a failure to provide reliable democratic information?
Infotainment, a portmanteau of information and entertainment, emerged as a way for media companies to maintain audience share and advertising revenue amidst growing competition. As viewers migrated toward internet-based news, traditional networks found that news divisions—once insulated from market pressures—needed to rely on entertainment value to "sell" stories. This economic reality has blurred the historical distinction between "hard" news, which covers major policy and global events, and "soft" news, which focuses on human-interest themes.
The genre is characterized by specific stylistic choices designed to catch the eye: fast-paced editing, music, sound effects, flashy graphics, and often satire or sensationalism. While some programs like The Daily Show use satire to critique politics and media, others like Entertainment Tonight focus on celebrity gossip and crime. This shift has created a divide among critics. Some argue that the emphasis on sensationalism fails to provide the reliable information necessary for a healthy democratic process. Others suggest it serves a practical purpose by attracting viewers who might otherwise ignore political programming entirely.
The term itself has a complex history. While a variant, "infortainment," was used at a 1974 college radio convention in the United States, the term "infotainment" was used by British information scientists at a 1980 conference in Sheffield, UK. By 1983, the term gained popular usage. Historically, the label was sometimes used to discredit women journalists who were assigned to soft news roles, though the genre has since evolved into a massive, distinct media category.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Infotainment | Definition, TV Shows, & Facts | Britannica
- Also: Infotainment
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