I work as a journalist in Europe and I have been reflecting on how quickly a storyline forms around a criminal case, sometimes within hours. Once that first narrative settles, it tends to repeat across outlets and platforms, and it becomes difficult for later reporting to be read without that initial frame.
This is not about one specific case. It is something I have noticed across different countries and media systems. The speed of coverage has increased, the demand for interpretation arrives almost immediately, and audiences often encounter a finished narrative before the legal process has had time to unfold.
For those who follow news closely, either as readers or as journalists, do you sense this shift as well? Has coverage become more narrative driven than process driven? And does this influence how people interpret developments months or years later?
Curious to hear perspectives from across Europe.