The pandemic as a political weaponAnalysis of Spanish press editorials during the COVID-19 health crisis

  1. Anna Mateu 1
  2. Lucía Sapiña 1
  3. Martí Domínguez 1
  1. 1 Universitat de València
    info

    Universitat de València

    Valencia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/043nxc105

Revista:
Catalan journal of communication & cultural studies

ISSN: 1757-1898

Año de publicación: 2022

Volumen: 14

Número: 2

Páginas: 225-247

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.1386/CJCS_00070_1 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Otras publicaciones en: Catalan journal of communication & cultural studies

Resumen

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus represents the greatest crisis the world has faced in recent decades. Especially during the first waves, Spain was one of the European countries most affected by the pandemic. Although several studies have been carried out on the media coverage of the crisis, they have largely focused on the news genre. This study examines newspaper editorials’ approach to the issue, helping to analyse the perspective offered in opinion genres. To this end, the editorials of four Spanish newspapers were analysed from January 2020 to August 2021 (N = 243). The results reflect a strong politicization of the pandemic, both echoing and reinforcing political tension, and leaving more technical or scientific issues on a secondary plane.

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