In this article, we propose to study news flashpoints. Flashpoints are bursts of news attention that are unique to the networked news environment, in which various forces vie to influence public discourse, blurring traditional boundaries between journalists, publics, activists, and various other forms of strategic communication. They are sudden and brief periods when interest in specific topics rises and falls rapidly across networked journalism. After identifying characteristics and examples of flashpoints, we argue for why news flashpoints are central aspects of contemporary news and journalism, and discuss the analytical and strategic importance of flashpoints.
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