Workshop: Media Events

Coronations and Catastrophes: Media Events in Theory and Practice (Imke Polland)

The workshop will approach the concept of media events from a theoretical and practical perspective and delve into the different forms of media events, such as e.g. news events, media rituals, pseudo-events. We will re-evaluate and discuss the concepts of event and eventfulness, which are so deeply rooted in narratological theory in light of the study of media events. The aim of this workshop is to shed light on how to approach media events from a narratological perspective. As one of the basic elements that constitute stories, events first and foremost signify changes of state. In the context of media events such changes go along with exceptions in daily routines. Media events therefore often also form the focal point for journalism, which aims at covering the 'most important' and 'most unusual' happenings. Consequently, the affiliated reflections of news value theory will be taken into account.

The first part will be dedicated to the discussion of the theoretical backgrounds of the concept 'event' in narratology and to the exploration of its implications for the study of media events. In the second part, there will be the opportunity to explore concrete examples of the different types of media events and of the respective stories they tell in order to practically make use of the theoretical considerations.

Texts:

• Dayan, Daniel/Katz, Elihu. Media Events: the livebroadcasting of history. Cambridge, Mass. U.a. Harvard UP, 1994. (pp. 9-14; 25-27)
• Nünning, Ansgar. "Making events – making stories – making worlds: ways of worldmaking from a narrratological perspective." In: Nünning, Vera (Ed.) Cultural ways of worldmaking, Berlin u.a. De Gruyter, 2010. 191-214. (here: pp. 196-201; 206-208)

Optional Text:

• Mertens, Mathias. "'Der Rummel wuchs und kumulierte' – Über den Prozess des Medienereignisses." In: Jürgen Schwier, Claus Leggewie (Hg.): Wettbewerbsspiele. Die Inszenierung von Sport und Politik in den Medien. Frankfurt a. M.: Campus, 2006. 20-41. (here: pp. 33-39)