Authors
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Anita Dremel
J. J. Strossmayer University
Author
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Gordana Lesinger
J. J. Strossmayer University
Author
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Juraj Jurlina
J. J. Strossmayer University
Author
Keywords:
coronavirus, Croatia, infodemic, information, media content analysis, pandemic
Abstract
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, there has been a pandemic of information, disinformation and fake news connected with it, referred to by the World Health Organisation as an “infodemic”. Taking into consideration that timely, accurate and transparent provision of information is highly relevant in facing health risks, the media worldwide have invested into professional coverage of the topic. However, numerous online communication platforms soon became flooded by incorrect, fabricated and sensationalist information. The aim of this study is to comparatively analyse the infodemic in the context of Croatian web portals (112 texts from 23 web portals) in the first and second wave of the pandemic. Using the method of quantitative media content analysis, two foci were developed in the instrument: one connected with the discourse of/on scientists (3 codes) and the other with iterative thematic analysis (6 codes were used to uncover topics – the source, danger, vaccine, protective masks, distancing, immunity). A Chi-square test was used to test the statistical significance of the difference between the two waves of the pandemic/infodemic. The results suggest there are four statistically significant differences – one related to the first focus (quoting scientists is more frequent in the second wave) and three to the second (the topic of the source of the virus is less present in the texts appearing during the second wave of the pandemic, while topics of immunity and danger are significantly more represented in the second wave).
Author Biographies
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Anita Dremel, J. J. Strossmayer University
Anita Dremel earned her Master’s degrees in Sociology and English in 2006 at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. In 2007 she acquired a BA in Japanese studies. In 2014 she defended her doctoral dissertation in Sociology at the same faculty. Employed in higher education since 2007, and since 2017 as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Sociology, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Her main research interests revolve around gender, culture, violence, modernisation and discourse. She has published scientific papers in English and Croatian and participated in dozens of international conferences.
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Gordana Lesinger, J. J. Strossmayer University
Gordana Lesinger is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek. She graduated in Journalism at the Faculty of Political Science in Zagreb, and at the Doctoral School ‘Communication Studies’ at the J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek. Her field of scientific interest includes communication, mass media, Public Relations and professional ethics in journalism. She has continued her education through Public Relations education programmes as the first generation of the School of Public Relations at the Faculty of Political Science (2009), NATO (CICA) Communication School (2004 – 2006), The Netherlands Royal Academy of Government Communication (2004) and the London Public Relations School (2002). Juraj Jurlina, M
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Juraj Jurlina, J. J. Strossmayer University
Juraj Jurlina earned a Master’s degree in Sociology in 2016 at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. In 2018, he enrolled in a doctoral degree programme at the same faculty. Since 2017, he has been employed as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek. He conducts seminars and exercises in several theoretical and methodological courses. His research interests include digital media, online social networking sites and the process of individualisation, which is also the topic of his doctoral dissertation. He has published several scientific papers and participated in international conferences.
How to Cite
Dremel, A., Lesinger, G., & Jurlina, J. (2022). Infodemic in the First and Second Wave of the Pandemic: Comparative Media Content Analysis of Croatian Portals.
Communication Today,
13(2), 94-105.
https://doi.org/10.0000/k14kbd20
