The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces

The systematic coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by the Greek mass media began in February 2020, specifically, from the time the virus made its appearance in the most significant way in Italy. Until then, news about the virus had been sporadically visible depending mainly on news reports coming f...

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Main Authors: Ioanna Kostarella, Rigas Kotsakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Journalism and Media
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/3/3/33
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author Ioanna Kostarella
Rigas Kotsakis
author_facet Ioanna Kostarella
Rigas Kotsakis
author_sort Ioanna Kostarella
collection DOAJ
description The systematic coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by the Greek mass media began in February 2020, specifically, from the time the virus made its appearance in the most significant way in Italy. Until then, news about the virus had been sporadically visible depending mainly on news reports coming from the international media and press agencies. The assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic as an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization (WHO) made obvious the need to study media coverage and map its patterns, along with the unprecedented political and social response and the massive consequences on the global economy. Through a large content analysis, containing 7457 news items from 13 different media outlets, plus a comparative Twitter analysis of 36,317 tweets, we took the present situation as an opportunity to collect real-time data but also as a point of departure for addressing issues connected to journalistic practices and technological changes in the framework of COVID-19. According to our findings, the Greek media faced the crisis “with a view to the world”, emphasizing international coverage, giving priority to the authorities and scientists, and keeping (at least in their majority) hoaxes and conspiracy theories out of the agenda.
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spelling doaj.art-df195072493649f7a5df3def7d0279842023-11-23T17:11:29ZengMDPI AGJournalism and Media2673-51722022-08-013347149010.3390/journalmedia3030033The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication SpacesIoanna Kostarella0Rigas Kotsakis1Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54625 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Information and Electronic Engineering, International Hellenic University of Greece (IHU), Sindos Campus, GR-57400 Thessaloniki, GreeceThe systematic coverage of the coronavirus pandemic by the Greek mass media began in February 2020, specifically, from the time the virus made its appearance in the most significant way in Italy. Until then, news about the virus had been sporadically visible depending mainly on news reports coming from the international media and press agencies. The assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic as an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization (WHO) made obvious the need to study media coverage and map its patterns, along with the unprecedented political and social response and the massive consequences on the global economy. Through a large content analysis, containing 7457 news items from 13 different media outlets, plus a comparative Twitter analysis of 36,317 tweets, we took the present situation as an opportunity to collect real-time data but also as a point of departure for addressing issues connected to journalistic practices and technological changes in the framework of COVID-19. According to our findings, the Greek media faced the crisis “with a view to the world”, emphasizing international coverage, giving priority to the authorities and scientists, and keeping (at least in their majority) hoaxes and conspiracy theories out of the agenda.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/3/3/33coronavirusmedia coverageTwittermisinformationprint media
spellingShingle Ioanna Kostarella
Rigas Kotsakis
The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
Journalism and Media
coronavirus
media coverage
Twitter
misinformation
print media
title The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
title_full The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
title_fullStr The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
title_full_unstemmed The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
title_short The Effects of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Journalistic Content and News Feed in Online and Offline Communication Spaces
title_sort effects of the covid 19 infodemic on journalistic content and news feed in online and offline communication spaces
topic coronavirus
media coverage
Twitter
misinformation
print media
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/3/3/33
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