History Main / NewsTravelsFast

* In ''Literature/MostlyHarmless'', bad news is the (technically) only thing that can travel faster than the speed of light. Once they even built a spaceship that was powered by bad news, but it was an extremely unwelcome sight wherever it went and nobody wanted anything to do with it.
* Although many fantasy series tend to underestimate how long it would take news to travel across a nation or nations, ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' often makes an effort to avert this. News and messages can take weeks or even months to pass back and forth, perhaps best illustrated with one section where several characters in a remote corner of the realm are trying to plan what to in a tight political situation without upsetting the fearsome leader of the most powerful faction in the kingdom. Said leader died several chapters earlier, and the news hasn't made it that far yet.

* ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' both plays this straight and subverts it. On the one hand, news can travel between star systems only by starship, and at least one battle occurs because the combatants have not received some critical piece of news. On the other hand, most naval officers and crew accept the speed of "rumor central" aboard ship, and even between ships, without question.

** In "Homer's Night Out", Bart secretly snaps a photo of Homer and [[BellyDancer Princess Kashmir]], and he only shares this with Milhouse, but soon, the picture is photocopied and spread throughout Springfield, making notoriety out of Homer.

** The incident between Harry and Quirell near the end of [[''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' the first book]] becomes well-known within a day of its occurrence, as Dumbledore informs Harry (see page quote).
** Courtesy of Peeves overhearing Harry in the midst of asking Luna out as NotADate for Slughorn's party in [[''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince the sixth book]] before gossiping about it, the news of Harry Potter taking Luna to the party in question becomes common knowledge within Hogwarts before the day ends.

When the hero accomplishes a task or a goal (or inversely, does something embarrassing), everyone he encounters immediately afterwards will already be aware of the event. Even if the accomplishment only occurred moments prior and there are no visible means for the character to learn of the incident, they will praise/chastise the hero right away. Primarily a [[VideoGameTropes video game trope]], in the interest of GameplayAndStorySegregation.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':

When a misdeed is immediately acknowledged by characters that couldn't have seen it, turning hostile or giving you bad karma or somehow influencing your gameplay in an otherwise avoidable way, it overlaps with TheAllSeeingAI.

** Major events in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' are talked about by [=NPCs=]. For instance, if NCR President Aaron Kimball is assassinated, or if the train from Camp [=McCarran=] to the Strip is destroyed. Justified if you kill Mr. House, as immediately upon his death Mr House's computer system broadcasts a lengthy and self-aggrandizing pre-prepared eulogy to all computer systems capable of reading it (including the player's pip-boy).

* Major events in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' are talked about by [=NPCs=]. For instance, if NCR President Aaron Kimball is assassinated, or if the train from Camp [=McCarran=] to the Strip is destroyed. This even occurs if you kill or disable Mr. House, something ''absolutely nobody'' but you could ''possibly'' know about, since House doesn't really talk to anybody but you and nobody else is allowed in his secret sanctum. It's not even widely known that he's an actual living human, as opposed to a computer program.
** Actually, that last one is a justified example, as immediately upon his death Mr House's computer system broadcasts a lengthy and self-aggrandizing pre-prepared eulogy to all computer systems capable of reading it (including the player's pip-boy).

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "White Rice", Francine's show is cancelled after one Asian joke because there was an uproar by the Asian community.