Infections peak, but information refrains from adopting an “emergency” approach. Eurispes – CoRiS Sapienza TV News Observatory Report
Rising infections: a smooth narrative
The news from 6 to 10 December – With the entry into force of the super green pass, which on Monday receives the opening of all the newspapers, the prime time news seems to breathe a sigh of relief for a few days, resuming from mid-edition the reporting of the contagion. The trend was reversed on Friday when, with the new peak in the number of people infected (more than 20,000) and dead (more than 100), Covid’s numbers returned to the top of the charts. Despite the alarming data and the regions that risk becoming ‘yellow’, the reports do not contain any particular alarmist tones, with Tg5 recalling on Friday that Italy, despite the increase in cases, remains the European country that better controls the fourth wave. Authorities and experts (ministers, secretaries and virologists) continue to present reassuring data on the number of vaccinated people (in strong increase) and recall the need for third doses, reassuring about the vaccinations of minors starting next week. In addition, the distancing from the positions of the no-vax people continues, with the Mediaset TV news dedicating several headlines to the threats against some political representatives, including the Friuli’s Governor Massimiliano Fedigra, while the presence of extremist groups on the Italian streets is getting thinner and thinner. Widespread attention is paid to the intensive care units that are being filled, in many cases with the hospitalisation of the no-vaxers themselves.
General strike, the news sided with the Government
The announcement of the general strike promoted by the CGIL and UIL, without the support of the CISL, received 18 references in the agenda, but for none, it occupied the opening. The television information appears to be essentially aligned with the Government, with Tg2 on Wednesday repeating Matteo Salvini’s criticism, while only Tg3 proposed (on Thursday) a speech by the CGIL leader Maurizio Landini. Much coverage was also given to the mediation efforts of the PD ministers and the possible concessions made during the week. The importance of this rupture was highlighted by Tg La7, with Enrico Mentana assessing (Tuesday) that the long “honeymoon” between the executive and the social partners had come to an end with this general strike.
Scala, applause and “encore” for Mattarella
Attention continues to be focused on the race for the Quirinal, a theme that is very much present in Fratelli d’Italia’s Atreju event. On Tuesday, during the opening of the opera season at La Scala, there was a lot of applause and “encore” for the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. Tg4 also paid attention to an article in the Financial Times that called for Prime Minister Mario Draghi to remain in charge of the Government for a long time, not plunge the Country into political instability. News Mediaset’s paper also opened on Thursday with alarm at the impact of Europe’s green transition, which would require member countries to renovate all buildings to achieve efficiency by 2050. This would be a real ” housing takeover “.
Zaki out of prison, Luca Manconi: “A victory for European youth”.
Patrick Zaki’s release from prison after 22 months of imprisonment has heartened the editions, and between Tuesday and Wednesday, ten TV News openings. On Wednesday, the new director, Monica Maggioni, opened Tg1 with images of the young Egyptian reuniting with his family and thanking Italy for its support and closeness. Luca Manconi, interviewed by Tg3, described the event’s evolution as a battle won by young Europeans and the triumph of a collective identity of which even an Egyptian student at the University of Bologna can be part. Tg4, on the other hand, dedicates a handful of studio seconds to the news and offers an extensive report on the more than 2,000 “Italians to bring home”, often illegally detained in foreign countries and is not very different circumstances than those of Patrick Zaki.
Farewell to the “Queen”
The death of Lina Wertmuller, a legend and queen of the Italian movie scene, at the age of 93, caused great emotion in the evening news on Thursday, which dedicated several headlines to her, with a double headline for Studio Aperto and a cover story for Tg5.
Illegal hiring, maxi investigation in Foggia. The new Tg2 column gets underway
On Friday, there was a lot of space dedicated to the investigation against the “caporalato” (Illegal hiring) in Foggia, which came close to the Viminale (the Italian Ministry of the Interior) due to the involvement of the wife of the Head of the Immigration Department who immediately resigned. Tg4 dedicates the opening, calling again the Minister, Luciana Lamorgese, who is the object of a continuous spiral of criticism (better insights are proposed at the weekend). The other media devoted more space to the case, which involved ten companies in the Foggia area, with Tg3 reporting on the conditions of workers in Borgo Mezzanone. Mentana points out that, on this occasion, it makes little sense to call into question the head of the Viminale. Beyond these facts, the attention on refugees remains very limited, with only the RAI news producing in-depth reports on the scenarios both on the borders of Europe (Tg3) and in Ventimiglia (Tg2), where groups of Caritas volunteers assist dozens of families, providing support to many children. Gennaro Sangiuliano’s commitment is also worth mentioning, as he has been reconfirmed as Director of Tg2 following the recent nominations and, as of Thursday, he launches a new column dedicated to the exploration of small Italian towns, stopping by some “exemplary” towns, one for the use of renewable sources, the other for the high birth rate.