Sensationalism has become an omnipresent phenomenon in today’s modern world, dominating the media landscape. Informative content has been replaced by various clickbait tactics, which, along with sensationalism, has become one of the fundamental indicators of the decline in professional journalistic practice and reporting. Sensationalism refers to a form, style, or manner of writing journalistic articles that violate certain ethical norms, such as the right to privacy, reporting on trivial topics (gossip, rumors, etc.), and coverage of tragedies and disasters. Sensationalist headlines aim to attract public attention and increase the readership of a particular portal or publisher.
Sensationalist headlines often exploit human emotions to elicit a reaction, encouraging readers to open a specific article. Many of these articles feature labels such as “You won’t believe this,” “Shocking,” “You must see this,” “Don’t miss this,” and similar phrases, which can help identify sensationalism in the media.
It is important to recognize that there are reliable and unreliable sources of information and data. Verifying the sources of information is crucial in today’s modern digital world to avoid the spread of misinformation, the creation of panic, and social division, as well as to enhance society in all its aspects. Failing to verify sources can lead to the dissemination of misinformation, fake news, and miscommunication, hindering further societal awareness, media literacy, and democratic processes, thereby limiting human action.
Test your knowledge of sensationalism in the media at:
The goal of the quiz is to help users of the platform recognize sensationalism in the media.
This quiz is designed as part of the project “Enhancing the Culture of Fact-Checking,” conducted by HUOJ in collaboration with media experts from Lider media and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb, with financial support from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
