Moral Panics, when morons speak up and are heard.

... Moral Panics, when morons speak up and are heard. David Bainbridge Mass media can produce a number of different effects of which one of the most interesting and most powerful is the 'Moral Panic'. These can be described as "condition, episode, person or group of persons which emerge to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests"(Cohen, 1972). Often associated with the modernising liberation of the 1960's, perhaps one of the earliest examples of a societal moral panic is that of the Rock 'n' Roll concern of the 1950's though more commonly attached to the 'provocative' acts of Elvis Presley and others. 'Bill Haley and the Comets' most recognisable for the 1950's hit 'Rock around the Clock' was a major 'spark' in an event in which while performing in Berlin, the audience due to over-crowding along with the general excitement coinciding with a concert. Produced a

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