December 7, 2017

Dr. Debashis “Deb” AikatAssociate ProfessorUNC @ Chapel Hill - School of Media and JournalismCH#3365, Carroll Hall 374Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365

Dear Professor Deb,

Enclosed in this document is my final research project for MEJO 446: Global Communications and Comparative Journalism, concerning the role of Digital News Media and Journalism in Italy, specifically, “Digital Journalism in a New Pax Romana: The Evolving Role of Digital News Media and News Content Creators in Italy.”

Based on the intended outcomes you outlined, I committed to search for similar publications regarding historic and current trends in Italian media, both traditional and media. To help develop a better understanding on complicating issues that this topic presented, I used additional peer-reviewed data, primary source documents, and auxiliary research.

My research project explains the role of digital media is thus evolving rapidly, complicated in many ways by its historic factors such as government corruption and linguistic isolation, but faces a bright future with its budding modes of professional and citizen journalism through the Internet. It’s successful integration into the wider European community continues to prove beneficial for the economic and infrastructural needs of Italian media; however, its biggest problems stem from criminal enterprises that dominate Southern Italy. Attacks against journalists through legal and violent tactics continue to prove effective, although Internet journalism is somewhat successful in countering the brunt of immediate threat for reporters.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope you find my research enlightening and appropriate.

Thank you,

J. Daniel Bratcher

DIGITAL JOURNALISM IN A NEW PAX ROMANA

Digital Journalism in a New Pax Romana:The Evolving Role of Digital News Media and News Content Creators in Italy

ByJ. Daniel Bratcher

School of Media and JournalismCB # 3365, Carroll Hall 374

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365

Phone: 910 478 8819 (office) jaydan@live.unc.edu

BRIEF ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research project is to examine and analyze the how the evolving role of digital media in Italy is affecting the diverse sources and providers of information. This aim will help describe the changing culture of journalism and media, with respect to the rise of the Internet as a globalizing platform, and to examine the effects within Italian society and conflicts that result from it. This research project formed the basis for this research paper, which explains the conceptual justifications for the research and establishes cases to better understand the major points from said research. Furthermore, existing literature forms a comprehensive understanding of digital media in Italy, which will be reviewed and distilled in terms to better understand their contextual relevance. END OF ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS: online communities, Italy, news, social media, journalism, mafia, citizen journalism CITATION STYLE: The reference system of this manuscript conforms to the latest version of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. The endnotes include every work cited in the text.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mr. John Daniel Bratcher is an undergraduate student in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A graduate of James Sprunt Community College, two-time recipient of Duplin Works Awards and practicing scholar on modern European history and medieval studies, Bratcher is currently involved in the research of international news media, with an emphasis on digital journalism and reporting methods.

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The Proposal

Theoretical Justification

One must ask: Is the importance of studying Italian digital media because of Italy or

because of digital media?

Italy is certainly an important country; with over 62 million citizens and an area of

about 300,000 sq. km., Italy is a member of the prestigious G7, a founding member of NATO

and the EU and is highly ranked among global tourist destinations (World Factbook: ITALY,

2017). The IMF considers Italy’s economy to be advanced – alongside much of Europe,

although this comparison also reflects the Great Recession that caused many European

nations to flirt with insolvency, from which Italy has struggled to recover (World Economic,

2017). About 85 million people speak Italian globally – with official language status in San

Marino and with the Order of Malta, as well as co-official language status in Switzerland and

by the EU Constitution. Furthermore, while Latin is technically the official language of the

Vatican City, nearly all communication is done through Italian. As such, it seems quite

reasonable that research done concerning Italy – with its well-defined cultural, economic and

political power – be conducted with an understanding of the nation. With such, comparisons

between Italy and its peers – both regional neighbors and countries of similar caliber – prove

useful.

On the other hand, digital media extends far beyond the reach of Italian culture,

facilitates more economic activity than Italy could alone and has reshaped political

landscapes worldwide. Global Internet access is growing rapidly, with over 3 billion users in

2016, while the effects of digital media extend beyond who does or does not use a computer

or smartphone (World Factbook: WORLD, 2017). Because of this, observing the effects of

digital media in any context is vital, if not for evaluating its effects in the subject – and in turn

engage in comparative journalism with other societies – then for how it shapes developments

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in other segments of the global communities. Thomas L. Friedman’s theory of a flattened

world pertains to the latter; namely, national borders and the political and ethnic lines that

create them become less pertinent with the rise of the Internet, as most business and

communication can be done from practically anywhere in the developed or developing world.

Italy is undoubtedly part of this globalized world, both as a developed actor and an integral

component.

In truth, both the aforementioned reasons are valid. The justification for specifically

researching Italy is based on the importance of the nation as a regional power and how its

own digital media and journalism can be used to better itself and others states with similar

conditions. However, breaking down the core components of Italy’s digital media and its

position in Italian society is the best way to examine the individual conflicts and compare to

conflicts in other regions.

Timeline

This project took course over the duration of two months, in which time was divided

into research/analysis, synthesis, and writing/review. The research aspect of this process was

the most important function in understanding digital journalism in Italy, and as such, was the

primarily focus during the course of the first three weeks. It was during this time that parallel

analysis was also done, but to a degree that established the most important information

gathered from the research. This was to best develop an idea of what the research paper

would focus on and how additional information would best fit into the project – the cases, as

they would be known. It was also important to continue research and analysis at every stage

of the project, as many additional sources would become necessary for weaving a more

complete narrative of digital journalism and media in Italy.

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Moving away from that, the process of synthesis was compiling all the information

deemed appropriate, then organizing it into Microsoft Word to approximate a visualization of

how the final paper was intended to be configured, as well as how the logic, data and

arguments being given would work towards the final goal. The synthesis of this information

took place in the course of two weeks, ensuring the main question of the research had a

thorough answer. In aiming for such, the purpose of the paper would be achieved.

From there, it fell to the writing of the final project. I crafted the research paper by

using the information gathered, analyzed and synthesized, so that the end result to craft is

both understandable and useful. However, it proved quite necessary to return to this stage

after review, as reviewing the paper is necessary to ensure each goal of this research project

was achieved and the paper accurately and appropriately answered the questions posed. This

stage of writing and review took the rest of the month.

Availability of Resources

Fortunately, the six cases that were the focal points for this project had ample research

committed, with various analyses and statistics published by researchers invested in Italy’s

press, as well as many organizations examining the larger European Union. Furthermore,

news articles act as valuable primary sources for understanding trends and incidents that

these researcher touch on – and provide this research paper with additional antecedents and

trends to enrich its value in understanding digital journalism in Italy. These factors worked

well to establish a firm understanding of digital media in Italy, as well as the opportunities

and challenges that the nation and people face. Further resources would be helpful, and are

surely available in European library systems and databases – Italy’s included, of course – but

much of these would likely be in non-English languages and prove difficult for me to

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translate. The amount of available scholarly articles, news pieces, and statistical data

ultimately was quite sufficient.

The Cases

In this research project, six primary cases came to the forefront of the discussion of

Italian digital media. Many of them are interconnected and show the general trends of global

growth in online journalism and media, but some of these complicating matters are uniquely

Italian issues – at least for the context in which they are discussed.

1) “The Growth of Internet Media Within Italy” is a necessary stepping stone to

understanding digital media’s arrival in Italian society and basic impacts it has. Because

of the nature of Internet use and growth, this case is supported with statistics that give an

idea of the topic’s importance in understanding Italian media and global digital media.

2) “International Journalism and Media Within Italy” is the rational step from

understanding the evolution of Italian digital media, as it helps establish a better

understanding of the constraints of traditional Italian media. Again, Italy is far from alone

in this matter, and as infrastructure is further developed in Eastern Europe and other

nations, it is likely that the changes seen in how Italy consumed international journalism

and how the Italian media reacted will become useful research information.

3) “Professional Journalism in Italian Online Media” demonstrates the desire of

true journalism in Italian youths – a want for news sources that are reliable and

alternative, but still uphold journalistic ethics and professional-grade content. This is

understandable in any society, especially in the era of ‘fake news’ that has online, global

news outlets constantly reaffirming their dedication to providing ethics-driven journalism

with the speed and scope the Internet provides; as such, it is relevant to study for its

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effects on Italian perspectives and how professional digital news media can better

function.

4) “Citizen Journalism in Italian Online Media” gives the alternative model that

started the trend in Italy and many countries: citizen journalism. Blogging continues to

prove an effective form of news delivery, building a dynamic of budding journalist and

information-starved consumer that, while risking illegitimate information and journalistic

liabilities, has worked to change Italian society and its ills that traditionally threatened

public journalists. Citizen journalism and blogging is not unique to Italy, nor are the

problems that this new freelance press faces.

5) “Italian Journalism Against Organized Crime” is perhaps the pinnacle of value

in Italian journalism. Highly-organized and well-entrenched organizations are a major

concern for Italy: government corruption, human trafficking, violent executions and more

threaten the lives of innocent Italians. Fortunately, professional, freelance and amateur

journalists now use the weapons of the digital age to combat against these syndicates and

their effects – almost every developing country and even many developed countries still

face these issues.

6) “Retaliation Against Journalists in Italy” is the darkest case, as it draws on the

unfortunate reality that journalists in Italy may be subject to, as well as those in many

other regions of the world where freedom of press is nonexistent or weak. Instead of

government repression, Italian press is hampered and even attacked by the criminal

organizations they threat to reveal. Still, the steps to secure their story and their privacy is

necessary in understanding Italian journalism and lingering threats to digital media

content creators.

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With these six cases in mind, the research paper will seek to answer the follow: What

is the state of digital media in Italy, how plausible is it to develop an understanding of how

the Italian media landscape is evolving and how this can be connected with situations in

similar nations and with similar peoples?

Research Method and Procedure

In doing this research project, it was paramount that it accomplished its goal of

finding relevant and useful information through well-cautioned study and analysis. The

primary question being asked – what is the still-evolving role of digital media in Italy,

especially in the context of increasing movement away from traditional media sources, and

how are Italians responding to such developments – was broken down into easily understood

parts, or “cases”, to help understand how different modes of media and different segments of

Italian society could be examined. In this, it is important to note that digital media included

all forms of digital communication in the context of shifting social consumption. While this

broader term also included things such as digital radio and satellite television, these acted as

peripheral items that were examined as they were relevant, such as Sky Italia’s bridging of

traditional media and digital media for an alternative and more appealing mode of television.

Collecting the information and data for this project ultimately relied on examining current

trends in all Italian media, to best determine which forms are being consumed and to which

degree. Database articles, news articles, and scholarly books were the basis of the information

collected, although additional statistics and data were collected from additional sources to

best facilitate an easily understandable and clear research paper. Almost the entirety of these

sources came from internet databases and journalistic sources, with the exception of several

print literatures. This mix of raw data and analysis was the framework of the research project.

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The Findings

For many, Italy is the second-home of Western Civilization – the birthplace of Rome,

where Greek ideals – Athenian democracy, individual liberty and conceptual statehood –

influenced its citizens. And upon its ascendency, with many of these Greco-Roman ideals

inspiring its greatest minds, Rome produced a pax romana – a relative peace and prosperity –

as the empire spread its culture and planted the seeds for later civilizations to rise to

greatness.

Although Rome rose and fell, its unified language splintered and its mighty people

vanquished, Italy persisted as a center of higher learning and artistic expression in the

empire’s shadow, its imperial legacy used as the foundation of the nationalism that forged the

modern Italian state. After two harrowing world wars and a divided Europe where the Greco-

Roman ideals of democracy and liberty were threatened, Italy joined with former provinces

and once-distant barbarian lands; instead of violence and conquest, Italy would be a founding

member of a European project: a unified Europe to promote a new pax romana. In the

modern, ever-globalizing world, Italy has grown and mingled – the digital age of instant

information and simple communication witnesses the development of an Italy among the

most prosperous nations in a world that idolizes peace.

This digital age is not unique to Italy or Europe. Indeed, it would be foolish to

consider it a globalized world if it was not global! However, Italy is a unique entity with a

rich history and vast capabilities; its modern media contain particularities and complexities

that make it important to study as an American and global journalist.

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Today’s Italy is facilitated by modern infrastructure – political, technological and

economic – that it shares with much of Europe. While traditional Italians rely on television,

young adults are increasingly turning to the Internet. “The Growth of Internet Media Within

Italy” revolves around the growth of digital media and journalism and how demographics are

continuously shifting in favor of online news and what this signifies for the Italian people. In

Newstex’s article on Italian Internet access, for example, the growth of Italy’s Internet access

is clearly to see, with a marked increase of 13.4 percent between 2010 and 2014, having 55.3

million Internet subscribers – home and business – at the end of this period (Newstex, 2015).

In BBC’s profile of Italian media, they report that in 2012, there were around 35.8 million

Internet users in total, with Facebook being the most popular social media platform, despite

its Anglophone origins (Italy Country, 2017). This pairs well with 2017 estimates by the CIA

Factbook, which places the total number Internet users around 38 million, or 61.3 percent of

the population (World Factbook: ITALY, 2017). While these numbers speak to the high level

of Internet penetration in Italy, BBC found that 80 percent of Italians still primarily relied on

television for news media – a worrying fact, considering both the BBC and the CIA Factbook

point out that “the publicly owned Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) with 3 national terrestrial

stations and privately owned Mediaset with 3 national terrestrial stations,” dominate the

television market (Italy Country, 2017). Several independent stations do exist, but most

television is filtered through these two media corporations – the notable exception being

satellite television that is largely a monopoly by Sky Italia (World Factbook: ITALY, 2017).

Within the EU, Italy has privilege to a massive media market. Increasingly, Italians

speak foreign languages and actively participate in online media. Italian-speakers connect

from across the globe to engage in news and social media, both foreign and domestic. The

second case “International Journalism and Media Within Italy” involves the discussion of

how Italians interact with international media within Italy as they increasingly integrate

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within the globalized community, especially within the news and social media elements that

have grown popular in Italy. As mentioned, Facebook is the most popular social media

platform in Italy – despite being foreign; this is because in the age of globalization, mass

media often crosses borders and language far more easily. Furthermore, the lack of diverse

media perspectives in Italy creates a form of political oppression, which means that even

political freedom on these non-domestic platforms is important; Casteltrione of Queen

Margaret University of Edinburgh found similar levels of Facebook penetration in Italy

compared to Britain, but found the self-reported amount of participation in political activity

in social media (Castreltrione, 2017). Furthermore, international media is indirectly affecting

digital media through attempting to directly; Sky Italia’s digital satellite television service is

an example of this, as are SpotUS Italy and AgoraVox – two websites involved heavily in

citizen journalism that are expanded entities of non-Italian companies (Stefanini, 2012).

“Professional Journalism in Italian Online Media” looks at the burgeoning market of

digital journalism in Italy and how existing Italian media producers are hoping to establish

themselves as part of this new system, working as a source of news and information for the

younger generation. Even in the Italian blogosphere, Radio Radicale, a mainstream media

outlet, was early to launch Fai notizia in 2006: a website purposefully designed to attract

independent citizen journalists; two years later, the University of Macerata began advertising

degrees in citizen journalism in 2008. Citizen journalism, like in many Western countries, is

becoming the new form of journalism. Italy’s traditional media formats are dominated by

markedly few companies; as such, many young Italians desire available alternatives that

retain the professionalism of traditional media – a demand sated by independent and

establishment sources.

Political corruption, violent crime and corporate predation have historically disrupted

traditional Italian media; with the Internet, citizen journalism now allows for instant reporting

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from a variety of sources in the expansive Italian blogosphere, no longer on the periphery of

Italian media. The fourth case “Citizen Journalism in Italian Online Media” revolves around

citizen journalism’s digital revolution in Italy, especially as it explores the more independent

elements of digital journalism, with an emphasis on citizen journalism and its popularity in

Italian blogospheres. Traditional Italian media sources are characterized by domineering

interests of a few or even single entities. As a result, young Italians raised with the ability to

use more diverse, alternative new sources prefer to stay with independent news outlets, rather

than use only the few curated options on television, radio or print, as the European

Journalism Observatory points out with the amount of large blogging websites with dedicated

citizen-based journalistic practitioners (Stefanini, 2012). This can also be seen in the

Movimento 5 Stelle, or 5-Star Movement, where “the traditional political establishment is

associated with ‘old’ media (television, radio, and the printed press), and represented as a

‘walking dead,’ doomed to be superseded and buried by a web-based direct democracy,”

(Natale & Ballatore, 2013). In short, young Italian media consumers are looking towards

independent sources for their news needs.

Italy struggles with crime syndicates, especially in the underdeveloped regions of

Southern Italy. With the advent of the Internet, journalism is less localized and easier to

broadcast, meaning professional and citizen journalists are able to quickly report on criminal

incidents from safer regions, expediting the investigation of mafia affairs. The fifth case

“Italian Journalism Against Organized Crime” involves the discussion of online media’s

ability to report on organized crime and the results of it. This discussion has a fair amount of

literature on the subject, as the relative poverty of southern Italy has allowed for conducive

conditions for criminal syndicates that continue to operate in much of the country. One of the

foundations of this is with Roberto Saviano, author of the acclaimed book Gomorrah, who

exemplifies the ideals of journalism against organized crime. Saviano, a native of Naples,

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wrote his book concerning his investigation into the Italian crime organization known as

Camorra – this and his brazen attitude towards unveiling the corruption caused by the mafia’s

organization resulted in him becoming one of the ten journalists in Italy that are in full police

protection, due to the significant threat of harm presented to them. Saviano is of the mind that

the reason he is targeted is not because Camorra fears him, but because they fear his

audience. Journalism, professional or citizen, is now able to reach out to more people than

ever before at alert them to the injustices being committed – something that makes the

mafias’ much more accountable (Saviano, 2015).

Journalism is an effective tool for combating organized crime, but these groups

retaliate with violence and terror. Physical attacks, assassinations, lawsuits and police

corruption continue to threaten the livelihoods and lives of Italian journalists. The sixth case

“Retaliation Against Journalists in Italy” examines how the culmination of all the previous

cases can be, and are, ultimately drawn back by the government corruption and criminal

interference that Italian media has struggled against for decades. Several well-publicized tales

exist of various Italian journalists that are threatened by Italian crime organizations, such as

the aforementioned Saviano. Others, such as Lirio Abbate, stand as similar tales of potential

mafia assassinations that have worrying precedent in Italy, after police found out about the

price on Abbate’s head. In 2007, a car bomb was almost planted under the father of two’s

vehicle, before police disrupted the attempt (Brown, 2007). According to the Global

Investigative Journalism Network, as of October 3, 2017, there are 20 journalists currently

under police protection in Italy. In other cases, reporters are targeted for legal lawsuits, as

even without a legal basis, most freelance and citizen journalists are unable to pay the

enormous price of defending themselves against defamation lawsuits in court (Bagnoli,

2017). Fortunately, progress in on the way. Reporters Sans Frontieres believes that progress

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is being made, as they improved by 25 positions on the organization’s 2017 World Press

Freedom Index, from 77 in 2016 to 52 in 2017 (Italy : Under, 2017).

Despite certain drawbacks and complicating issues, Italian digital media has been a

major shift in the nation’s entertainment and journalism paradigm, offering Italians within

and abroad the chance to engage in discussions that would otherwise be impossible, not to

mention the opportunity to engage in the larger European and global communities with

billions of others. Italy is undergoing a shift in how its citizens respond to the complicating

factors that still trouble the nation, but nevertheless, one can identify their resiliency to strive

towards democracy, freedom and a new pax romana – a new peace bound by the

globalization that the Internet and its digital media offer.

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