media event

American

noun

a celebration, stunt, spectacle, or other activity carefully orchestrated to attract the attention of the news media.

media event British

noun

an event that is staged for or exploited by the mass media, whose attention lends it an apparent importance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of media event

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Derek Chisora arrived at a news conference at London's York Hall in an army tank alongside Nigel Farage, but the politician didn't attend the media event.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

United raved about its free speedy Starlink Wi-Fi at a media event in Los Angeles last week.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Rather than a coverup, this was a media event.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Nigel Benn, as he has done throughout camp and in every media event, was by his son's side and predicted the fight "won't go past four rounds".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2025

The unveiling in 1926 of a new opera by the last great Italian composer in the genre, Giacomo Puccini, could fairly be described as a media event on a global scale.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023