Infotainment, a fusion of information and entertainment that emerged in the 1980s, is a media genre that seeks to educate while entertaining. Often characterized by attractive visuals, sensationalism, and flashy graphics, infotainment can be found in a variety of formats, including television shows, radio programs, and social media posts. However, it often faces criticism for its lack of substantial informative content and its emphasis on trivial, celebrity-focused material. Despite these critiques, infotainment has a substantial impact on news and societal perceptions by turning serious topics into entertainment, thereby attracting a broader audience. Prominent infotainers such as Oprah Winfrey and Jon Stewart have blurred the boundaries between journalism and entertainment. The evolution of infotainment continues, particularly with the advent of social media platforms that enable users to create their own news and commentary.
Infotainment (a portmanteau of information and entertainment), also called soft news as a way to distinguish it from serious journalism or hard news, is a type of media, usually television or online, that provides a combination of information and entertainment. The term may be used disparagingly to devalue infotainment or soft news subjects in favor of more serious hard news subjects. Infotainment-based websites and social media apps gained traction due to their focused publishing of infotainment content, e.g. BuzzFeed.[citation needed]
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