The term ‘moral panic’ experienced a significant rise in media usage.

Evidence

Between 1984 and 1991 (inclusive) there were about 8 citations of ‘moral panic’ in UK newspapers; then 25 in 1992, then a sudden leap to 145 in 1993. From 1994 to 2001, the average was at 109 per year. — Cohen, Stanley, Folk devils and moral panics, 891

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Cohen, Stanley, Folk devils and moral panics: the…, 891
• XREF: connects to: Cohen (1972, p. 9) defined moral panic as a condition where a group emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests, presented in a stylized way by mass media. — Moral Panic; The phrase ‘moral panic’ was first used by Jock Young in 1971, but Cohen notes inspiration from Marshall McLuhan’s work on media. — Moral Panic: A Concept Adrift — University Ethics Observatory