pseudo-event

[ soo-doh-i-vent ]

noun

1. an event that is staged primarily so that it can be reported in the media.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pseudo-event¹

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65

Example Sentences

But if we can pull away, once again, from “What does this mean for the Democrats?” and the ghoulish social media gloating of Individual 1 and his many fans, and regard this pseudo-event from the perspective of Tanzania or Indonesia or Mars, I think the verdict is clear.

From Salon

They were what the historian Daniel Boorstin described in “The Image” as a “pseudo-event,” a manufactured happening given the appearance of importance by media coverage.

From New York Times

That was when we finally got a glimpse of how this pseudo-event was going to be received by the media.

From Salon

While it’s worth noting that the recurring pseudo-event that is the White House press conference is hardly an ideal venue for intelligent inquiry, it’s also worth noting that there certainly is such thing as a dumb question.

From Slate

Sixty years ago, Daniel J. Boorstin, a historian who became the Librarian of Congress, came up with a term: the "pseudo-event."

From Fox News