Comunicación política y Covid-19. Estrategias del Gobierno de España

• Published in: El profesional de la informacion 2020-07
• Main Authors: Castillo-Esparcia, Antonio, Fernández-Souto, Ana-Belén, Puentes-Rivera, Iván
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1386-6710; 1699-2407
• DOI: 10.3145/epi.2020.jul.19

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted societies, having health, economic, political, and communication implications. Governments have had to plan and implement immediate communication strategies to explain the actions that have been taken and to manage public health campaigns. This research analyzes the Spanish Government’s communication strategy at national and international level since the announcement of the state of alert on 13 March until 9 May 2020. To this end, the 71 press conferences held by the Government have been analyzed, with the participation of 414 media outlets that have asked 1,069 questions, in addition to 1,080 publications on the official accounts of La Moncloa on Facebook and Twitter and information about Spain in the two main newspapers in six countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, USA, and UK). The results show a permanent presence of the Government, offering information via up to three press conferences on some days, revealing a strategy to control the subjects of discussion and their framing with warlike language associated with national unity. On social networks, the content related to administrative or service information prevails over image communication, with a clear dominance of press conferences and divergence between the communication interests of citizens versus the Government, preventing a true interaction between them. Regarding foreign press reports, 778 news items on Covid-19 in Spain were identified, with a prevalence in the US press and on economic rather than health issues. Resumen La pandemia de la Covid-19 ha irrumpido de modo abrupto en las sociedades, con implicaciones sanitarias, económicas, políticas y comunicativas. Los gobiernos han tenido que planificar y aplicar de manera inmediata estrategias de comunicación para explicar las medidas que se han adoptado y para gestionar campañas de salud pública. Esta investigación analiza la estrategia de comunicación del Gobierno de España en el ámbito nacional e internacional desde el anuncio del estado de alarma, el 13 de marzo, hasta el 9 de mayo de 2020. Para ello, se han analizado las 71 ruedas de prensa del Gobierno, en las que han participado 414 medios de comunicación, que han formulado 1.069 preguntas; además de las 1.080 publicaciones en las cuentas oficiales de La Moncloa en Facebook y Twitter, y las informaciones sobre España publicadas en los dos principales diarios de seis países (Italia, Francia, Alemania, Bélgica, Reino Unido y Estados Unidos). Los re