Impact of Covid-19 on the media system. Communicative and democratic consequences of news consumption during the outbreak // Impacto del Covid-19 en el sistema de medios. Consecuencias comunicativas y democráticas del consumo de noticias durante el brote

Casero-Ripollés, Andreu Impact of Covid-19 on the media system. Communicative and democratic consequences of news consumption during the outbreak // Impacto del Covid-19 en el sistema de medios. Consecuencias comunicativas y democráticas del consumo de noticias durante el brote. El profesional de la información, 2020, vol. 29, n. 2. [Journal article (Unpaginated)]

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English abstract

Covid-19 is a phenomenon of enormous magnitude and relevance. Its impact has affected various social domains, including the media and journalism. Since the beginning of this health crisis, the news has become a valuable resource for citizens. Studying the dynamics of information consumption is highly relevant both for its ability to transform the media system and for its incidence in democracy. The objective of this research is to analyse the influence of the new coronavirus on news consumption, the credibility given by citizens to the media as well as their ability to detect fake news. To answer these questions, we have conducted an exploratory analysis based on the secondary data from the online surveys of the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel in the United States, comparing data before and after the outbreak. The results confirm the impact of Covid-19 on the media system. The findings suggest the emergence of important developments such as the resurgence of the role of legacy media, especially television, and the fact that citizens who usually remain far from the information have reconnected with the news. Therefore, the existing inequalities regarding news consumption among citizens have been reduced, in part. This generates potential benefits for democracy in terms of equality and accessibility concerning public affairs.

Spanish abstract

El Covid-19 es un fenómeno de una magnitud y relevancia enormes. Su impacto ha afectado a diversos dominios sociales, entre ellos los medios y el periodismo. Desde el inicio de esta crisis sanitaria, las noticias se han convertido en un valioso recurso para la ciudadanía. Estudiar sus dinámicas de consumo informativo es altamente relevante tanto por su capacidad de transformar el sistema mediático como por su incidencia democrática. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar la influencia del nuevo coronavirus en el consumo de noticias, la credibilidad otorgada por los ciudadanos a los medios y su capacidad para detectar noticias falsas. Para responder a estas cuestiones, se realiza un análisis exploratorio e inicial a partir de los datos secundarios de las encuestas online del Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel en Estados Unidos, comparando antes y después del brote. Los resultados avalan el impacto del Covid-19 sobre el sistema mediático. Los hallazgos sugieren la emergencia de importantes novedades como el resurgimiento del protagonismo de los medios tradicionales, especialmente de la televisión, y la reconexión a las noticias de los ciudadanos más alejados de la información. Con ello se han reducido, en parte, las desigualdades existentes respecto al consumo de noticias entre los ciudadanos. Esto genera potenciales beneficios para la democracia en términos de igualdad y accesibilidad en relación a los asuntos públicos.

Item type: Journal article (Unpaginated)
Keywords: Covid-19; Coronavirus; Media system; News consumption; Social media; Legacy media; Political communication; Fake news; Credibility; Reliability; Democracy; Journalism; Pandemia; Sistema mediático; Consumo de noticias; Redes sociales; Medios tradicionales; Comunicación política; Noticias falsas; Credibilidad; Democracia; Periodismo.
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information
B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
B. Information use and sociology of information > BI. User interfaces, usability.
H. Information sources, supports, channels. > HT. Web 2.0, Social networks
Depositing user: Tomàs Baiget
Date deposited: 09 May 2020 09:35
Last modified: 09 May 2020 10:28
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/39940

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