UFOs, the media, and escalating coverage

We have probably all noticed the level of interest in the UFO phenomena has increased across all media channels over the last year. Living in the UK, you can’t help but notice that The Sun (daily, tabloid) has been running an amazing number of UFO stories. Some reports are very good, and some are more far-fetched and quirky.

Why all of this increase in media interest? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that by looking at statistics we can develop evidence of these trends. I present to you:

Google Trends

On Google, the volume of searches has been reasonably consistent over the last few years, but the volume of news articles carried has risen very quickly.

What does that tell us?

It tells us that whilst there hasn’t been any appreciable change in levels of interest, the media have seen fit to ramp up coverage by three figure percentage points.

This could be for one of two reasons.

a) The media have identified a demand from their audience that was never before recognised, and have scaled up coverage to meet demand.
b) The media see some material benefit in greater exposure of this particular topic, regardless of demand.

Should governments around the world be aware of a genuine ET presence on or around earth, any disclosure would invariably be trialled and instigated through a steady drip-drip in the media.

I would like to ask those on ATS who are of a statistical mind to help try and demonstrate the increasing relevance of this topic to the media, through statistics and other direct evidence.

Thanks,
S.

reply to post by Smokersroom



Thanks for posting this thread.I have not seen the Google trends page before so had a go myself and put in "orange lights" as orange ufos did not come up with anything.I think most readers will know that recently there has been a surge in orange ufo sightings but look at the trend chart and you will see nothing before end of 2007. www.google.com... Chinese lanterns anyone?

Originally posted by Smokersroom
a) The media have identified a demand from their audience that was never before recognised, and have scaled up coverage to meet demand.

There is no-doubt there is an uptick in coverage, but there is no reason to think it means anything outside of the normal cyclical nature of media-interest in the phenomenon. While this cycle has no set pattern or schedule, the media's interest does wax and wan. And this isn't a market-niche they haven't recognized before either; the most famous example is the X-Files and it's imitators in the 1990s.

Good post mate! I think your first scenario is probably correct. After all, it is Google Trends!

I think the important factor we've seen over the last year is a higher percentage of MSM handling UFO stories in a more serious fashion than previous.

IRM

The objective may be to simply create an interest and get ufologists on the air, until the buzz climaxes, then bring out a convincing piece of evidence to prove these sightings fake. For example a self appointed culprit who comes out and explains his actions and the means he used to fake UFO's (helium baloons and flares or what not). Consequentially the public loses interest, interviewed ufologists lose all credibility, and next time around no-one pays the subject any attention. I may be being paranoid, but hey, who knows...

reply to post by SaviorComplex

I agree with that post m8, except I think X-files waned because all forms of mainstream paranormal were pretty much covered

Originally posted by SaviorComplex

Originally posted by Smokersroom
a) The media have identified a demand from their audience that was never before recognised, and have scaled up coverage to meet demand.

There is no-doubt there is an uptick in coverage, but there is no reason to think it means anything outside of the normal cyclical nature of media-interest in the phenomenon. While this cycle has no set pattern or schedule, the media's interest does wax and wan. And this isn't a market-niche they haven't recognized before either; the most famous example is the X-Files and it's imitators in the 1990s.

I would agree to a certain extent, because obviously in the 50's there was a big peak in interest.

However, over the last few years I've seen plenty of waxing, but very little waning!

S.

Originally posted by Smokersroom
b) The media see some material benefit in greater exposure of this particular topic, regardless of demand.

I'm gonna have to go with that reason.

Thanks for posting, yes we've all noticed the trend these days.

Or c) This is phase one of a planned disclosure using the media to slowly familiarize the general public with UFO's, preparing them for the next phase, actual physical, tangible proof of ET.

I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned.

Double Post, Sorry

[edit on 5/3/09 by MajesticJax]

So in order to progress this thread I wonder if anybody can provide another means to track the growth in UFO awareness/media prevalence statistically?

Are there any other sites that we can data mine, or any reports that we can draw on?

I am convinced that if disclosure is happening we can prove it this way.

Originally posted by MajesticJax
Or c) This is phase one of a planned disclosure using the media to slowly familiarize the general public with UFO's, preparing them for the next phase, actual physical, tangible proof of ET.

I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned.

Actually, that comes under (b) really

Originally posted by Smokersroom
Are there any other sites that we can data mine, or any reports that we can draw on?

I am convinced that if disclosure is happening we can prove it this way.

The only thing you could prove that way is an over-all peak in media-interest, even if it is the highest peak so far, because the statistic itself is isolated to only the media. You would no correlating evidence to conclude the media-interest is due to a government disclosure effort. Be careful not to confuse a confirmation bias as evidence.

Oh, I hear you...

Once you establish, statistically, that the media IS making a concerted effort to ramp up the UFO story, you still need is to confirm that it is the/a government driving it. If you do, -bingo- that is your smoking gun.

However, my personal take is that it is NOT a disclosure effort, rather a watershed in the media realising it is acceptable to talk 'UFO' to their audience without being ridiculed.

or d: They are setting us up for the "fake" ET invasion....get the publics minds on UFOs and ETs and then false flag an attack to give us a new enemy.
I belive they do have the technolgy , ie "crafts " to pull somthing like this off.
Why stop at blaming inocent humans when they can take it to the next level.
I kinda think that this would be the last straw as far as the "good" ETs go, I suspect that would be enough for some kind of intervention..maybe.



[edit on 5-3-2009 by Reevster]

Originally posted by Smokersroom
Once you establish, statistically, that the media IS making a concerted effort to ramp up the UFO story...

You can't establish that statistically, it would only establish there is an increase in reportage it would not show purpose or conspiracy.

Originally posted by SaviorComplex

Originally posted by Smokersroom
Once you establish, statistically, that the media IS making a concerted effort to ramp up the UFO story...

You can't establish that statistically, it would only establish there is an increase in reportage it would not show purpose or conspiracy.

Who said it would?

Originally posted by Smokersroom
Who said it would?

You did...

Originally posted by Smokersroom
Once you establish, statistically, that the media IS making a concerted effort to ramp up the UFO story...