The role of the Italian press in times of pandemics : old features in the face of a new risk

Abstract

Objective. The global Covid-19 pandemic constitutes an unprecedented global challenge. Assuming the crucial role of information systems in orienting societies in times of crisis, it is necessary to investigate the role the media played reporting on the Covid-19 crisis and the related social control policies. Focusing on the Italian press, the study aims to analyse the journalistic coverage of the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, trying to understand if it supported the government’s social control policies or questioned them. Design. A computerised content analysis was done on 23,720 articles published by six Italian newspapers in the very first weeks of the health emergency in 2020 and a qualitative analysis of a selection of those articles. Quantitative analysis helped to pinpoint the main topics covered, while the qualitative analysis revealed three main narrative expedients adopted by newspapers to report the emergency. Conclusion. Despite the structural characteristics of the Italian media system, the press was able to perform a service role, fostering the new social control policies and avoiding a polarisation of the debate.