On another note…Public Relations, the Pseudo-event.

This week in Public Relations, Melanie introduced us to the term “pseudo-event.” According, to dictionary.com, a pseudo-event is “an event that is staged primarily so that it can be reported in the media.”

Melanie then asked us to think of any examples we had of this so-called-event. I racked my brain for any events that I could think of whose sole purpose is to garner attention.

It came to me. A classic example of this kind of event is one that occurred not too long ago. Popular media named it the “bBalloon Boy Hoax.”
The Balloon Boy Hoax:

In mid-Oct.2009, according to world media reports, in Collins, Colorado, Falcon Heene, 6, was set adrift in a home-made air balloon.

Or was he? Heene’s parents, Richard and Mayumi, claimed that their son had floated away in a helium balloon. The world watched as the balloon travelled over 50 miles and 3 counties until it finally landed near the Denver International Airport. Authorities rushed to the scene and discovered the boy was not in the balloon after all. It was feared that the boy had fallen out of the balloon until later on that day, when he was found to be hiding in his home instead.

Eventually, it was determined that the entire incident was a publicity stunt doctored by the boy’s parents to receive media attention. The young boy was even quoted to say, "you guys said that, um, we did this for the show," in response to being asked why he was hiding while being interviewed on Larry King. The parents faced a series of felony charges and both mother and father were sentenced to time in jail.

For me, this is one of those moments where I wonder if this actually happened. Did these people actually think they would get away with this? Did they consider how their children would be affected by the ordeal? And what will come of the family now?