silly season
Summer news drought
Silly season is a period, typically during summer, when news media cover frivolous stories because politicians are on vacation and serious news is scarce.
The term originated in British journalism but applies wherever slow news cycles lead to lightweight coverage: Every silly season brings stories about celebrity feuds and unusual animals.
By extension, any period marked by trivial concerns or absurd behavior.
Eighth calendar month
- recessPause in activity
- slow periodInterval of reduced activity
- downtimePeriod of non-operation
- off-peakOutside busiest hours
Sensational gossip newspapers
- headlinesArticle titles in newspapers
- fluff piecesLightweight, uncritical journalism
- gossip columnsPublished celebrity rumors
- human interestEmotional content in reporting
sensationalism · clickbait · hoaxes · speculation · trivia · media circus · infotainment · satire
Embarrassing social mistakes
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- punditsExpert commentators on affairs
- campaignsOrganized efforts toward goals
incumbents · partisanship · debates · stump speeches · primaries · caucus · electorate · demagoguery
August
Eighth calendar month
- recessPause in activity
- slow periodInterval of reduced activity
- downtimePeriod of non-operation
tabloids
Sensational gossip newspapers
- headlinesArticle titles in newspapers
- fluff piecesLightweight, uncritical journalism
- gossip columnsPublished celebrity rumors
human interest · sensationalism · clickbait · hoaxes · speculation · trivia · media circus · infotainment · satire · paparazzi
gaffes
Embarrassing social mistakes
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- punditsExpert commentators on affairs
campaigns · incumbents · partisanship · debates · stump speeches · primaries · caucus · electorate · demagoguery · soundbites
- slow news contentdog days, fluff pieces, soft news, puff pieces
silly seasonbreaking news
Newly unfolding events reported
hard news · news cycle · headline news · wall-to-wall coverage · investigative reporting
silly seasonbusy season
Peak activity period
crunch time · legislative session · peak season · high season · crisis mode
silly, season, silliness, seasonal, silliest, sillier, seasonable, seasonally, unseasonable