feeding frenzy

Definition

When media coverage of a political scandal reaches critical mass, with journalists competing to uncover new angles in a self-perpetuating cycle of coverage. Sharks circling, but with microphones and cameras.

Example Usage

The minor ethics violation turned into a feeding frenzy, with every news outlet racing to break the next detail.

Origin

From marine biology describing shark behavior, applied to media coverage by scholar Larry Sabato in his 1991 book

Fun Fact

Political scientist Larry Sabato found that feeding frenzies follow predictable patterns, typically lasting 5-7 days before media exhaustion sets in.

Source: Political media analysis

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