Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs Lee Huebner said this occurrence is attributable to media's interest in engaging and entertaining its consumers.
"The need of the news media to entertain intensifies steadily (making) it harder for serious issues to get as much attention as they ought to get," Huebner said.
The public has certainly sensed the hype Huebner references. According to a poll taken by America Online, about 23,000 Americans said they will change their popcorn-eating habits based on Rose's findings, and about 35,000 found it surprising that popcorn could be linked to lung disease.
Huebner added that the "media feel more and more pressure to build ratings or circulation in a crowded information environment" to explain the excessive interest and excitement over one man's eating habits.
Michaels and his colleagues are left to wait for the Environmental Protection Agency's case study on the effects of diacetyl, which is slated to be released in mid 2007.
"The need of the news media to entertain intensifies steadily (making) it harder for serious issues to get as much attention as they ought to get," Huebner said.
The public has certainly sensed the hype Huebner references. According to a poll taken by America Online, about 23,000 Americans said they will change their popcorn-eating habits based on Rose's findings, and about 35,000 found it surprising that popcorn could be linked to lung disease.
Huebner added that the "media feel more and more pressure to build ratings or circulation in a crowded information environment" to explain the excessive interest and excitement over one man's eating habits.
Michaels and his colleagues are left to wait for the Environmental Protection Agency's case study on the effects of diacetyl, which is slated to be released in mid 2007.
