When an event happens, information about the event enters the Information Lifecycle at different points in time, depending on the medium in which it is published.
(image source: Erin Fields at UBC Library)
Information Lifecycle
Day 1: Event occurs, and information is reported online, on TV, and on the radio.
Day 2-3: Journalists publish newspaper articles.
Day 3-14: Journalists publish more in-depth articles in magazines and popular journals.
Months: Academic experts analyze and research the event, and write scholarly articles using their research. These articles are then vetted for publication via the peer-review process, which can take many months as multiple versions may be reviewed and edited before they are suitable for publication. For more information about the peer-review process, watch the video at the link below.
Years: The process of turning research into a book is lengthy. Scholars conduct extensive research and analyze the event's significance and situation within established theoretical frameworks. Multiple versions of the text will be edited, often with a team of editors and researchers. Before the book is available to the public, it must be published and marketed, a process that can take months.
(Adapted from UBC's guide to Evaluating Information Sources)