No news from abroad: A comparative content analysis of news issues on Italian radio

In: European journal of communication, Band 29, Heft 2, S. 218-229

Abstract

This article examines radio information in Italy. A quantitative content analysis was performed of the news editions of the main national broadcasters that transmit mainly informational content (RTL 102.5, Radio24, RAI Radio1, Radio Capital), as well as a regional broadcaster with a strong focus on information (Radio Popolare) and a national network whose informational spaces are minimal due to target and format (Radio 105). The study sampled one week of broadcasting from these radio stations, for a total of 1008 hours, from 23 to 29 January 2012. Results show how information in Italy is highly focused on internal politics and news stories, pushing news from abroad to the fringes and confirming the image of a nation that is little interested in what occurs outside its borders.