public interest

noun

1. the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth.

   health programs that directly affect the public interest.

2. appeal or relevance to the general populace.

   a news story of public interest.

Other Word Forms

• public-interest adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of public interest¹

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

Missed during the “public interest” Jimmy Kimmel canning calamity was the Federal Communications Commission’s Brendan Carr’s statement on CNBC: “I can tell you Jimmy Kimmel is no Johnny Carson.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Minow’s FCC feared that the new rivals would threaten the “public interest” by siphoning off broadcasting profit.

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But the “public interest” standard did far worse to the highly entertaining “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”

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The intense public interest in her case created a media frenzy and saw journalists, podcasters and documentary makers from around the world - as well as members of the general public - descend on the small courthouse in the country town of Morwell.

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The judge noted that Patterson's reputation and the high level of media and public interest in the case meant she would likely "remain a notorious prisoner for many years to come, and, as such, remain at significant risk from other prisoners".

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Related Words

• glare 
• prominence 
• public eye 
• spotlight