I’ve been following the news about the Italian and the US elections for four days in three different online newspapers: The New York Times, Le Figaro and Il Giornale.
Before analysing the differences and the similarities in the way the news is presented on these three different sources, I find it appropriate to consider what kind of news the three newspapers have published about the elections during these four days.
The New York Times
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘AFL-CIO Briefing Book attacks McCain’: The factions which support Hillary and Obama attack McCain policies, arguing that ‘he would take away workers’rights and reduce their standards of living’.
‘McCain returns to New Hampshire’: New Hampshire is the state which launched McCain’s presidential campaigns, but he is aware of the fact that in November it would not be easy to win. This article reports an important statement of McCain which explains his return to this state: ‘I think it’s important for politics in America for the voters to feel that they can be in touch with politicians as well as politicians being in touch with people’.
March 13, 2008
News about US elections
‘Racial issue bubbles up again for Democrats’: Geraldine Ferraro resigns because of her statements against Obama.
‘Unions unveil McCain attack’: Senator McCain is attacked on economic issues.
March 14, 2008
News about US elections
‘Free-spirited wanderer who set Obama’s path’: Obama’s mother is reminded and several aspects of his life are discussed.
‘Obama denounces his Pastor’s statements as ‘inflammatory’: Obama criticizes Mr Wright’s statements about racism and America.
‘McCain’s London fund raiser’: McCain plans a foreign trip which will serve as a promotion of his foreign policy credentials.
‘McCain says he worries about preelections Iraq attacks’: McCain fear terrorist attacks in November which would tip the election against him.
As it can be seen, no news about the Italian elections has been published during these days, probably because of cultural reasons: Americans might focus their attention on themselves and on the countries which are still part of the political problems of USA, such as Iran and Iraq. However, I looked for some articles concerning Berlusconi and I found one whose title is ‘Berlusconi’s long shadow casts a chill over Italian politics’, which dates back to 02/02/2008. It contains a big photo presenting Berlusconi in Naples and tells not only how he is considered in Italy, but also reports some complaints against him presenting a list of his most criticized slogans (‘I’m the Jesus Christ of politics’, ‘I sacrifice myself for anyone’).
Le Figaro
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘Barack Obama remporte le Mississippi’: this article talks about Obama’s political success in Mississippi.
News about Italian elections
‘Prodi s’efface de la scène politique’
March 13, 2008
News about US elections
‘Nouveau coup dur pour le camp Clinton’ : this article refers to Geraldine Ferraro statements against Obama.
March 14, 2008
News about US elections
‘Les cinq erreurs d’Hillary’: this article refers to the bad strategies adopted by Hillary in her campaign.
Since my group (group 1) analyses the candidates on the right, I was curious to know what kind of news has been published about McCain. I found one article dating back to 03/06/2008, whose title is ‘McCain ne resisterait ni à Obama, ni à Clinton’. What is interesting in this article are the two reasons, which, according to ABC News, would cause the failure of McCain: Bush’s support and his age.
This newspaper presents a dossier which is completely dedicated to the US elections; therefore it is easier to find news about this topic than on the other newspapers’ websites. Furthermore, it doesn’t omit the news about Italian politics, probably because France is an European country and thus more involved in Italian political problems.
Il Giornale
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘USA, in Mississippi Obama straripante’: this article talks about Obama’s success in Mississippi’.
News about Italian elections
‘Berlusconi: antifascista la nostra identità politica, ecco i candidati del PDL’: Berlusconi presents the candidates of his party and some aspects of his political platform.
March 13, 2008
News about Italian elections
‘Berlusconi: vittoria impossibile per il PD. Politiche, ecco tutti i candidati del PDL’: Berlusconi continues to attack his rivals and presents all the candidates of his party.
‘Pil, Berlusconi: “eredità difficile”: Berlusconi tells that the economic growth will be difficult considering the heritage of the previous government.
‘Berlusconi: convinceremo gli indecisi’: Berlusconi expresses his firm belief to win.
News about US elections
‘USA, razzismo nelle urne. Tra i democratici è rissa’: this article is about Geraldine Ferraro’s statements against Obama.
‘Ipotesi Romney per McCain’: Mitt Romney is said to be the candidate for the president’s assistant.
March 15, 2008
News about Italian elections
‘Libano, il Cavaliere: “Nuove regole di ingaggio': this article is about the disputes of the PDL with PD on the military forces in the Middle East.
As it can be seen from the large number of news about Berlusconi and PDL at first page, Il Giornale is clearly a partial newspaper. Furthermore, there are many big photos of Berlusconi, all of them portraying him with a triumphant smile. It is interesting to note that this Italian newspaper, unlike The New York Times, doesn’t ignore news about US politics probably because of cultural reasons: Italy might be more interested in other countries' issues.
Since all the three newspapers contain the same news about Geraldine A. Ferraro’s resignation, I find it interesting to analyse the way it is presented by il Giornale, The New York Times and Le Figaro.
All the three articles are at front page and have a big image showing Obama (Il Giornale, The New York Times) and Geraldine Ferraro (Le Figaro). Il Giornale and Le Figaro’s article are the same length, whereas the one on The New York Times is longer. Furthermore, both The New York Times and Le Figaro have a subtitle: Clinton, Obama have each used race, sex against the other; Après avoir pronouncé des propos controversies sur la couleur d’Obama, Geraldine Ferraro a demissionné de ses functions de chargée des finances de la campagne. Hillary Clinton s’est confondue en excuses. As far as the content is concerned, the three newspapers present the same news both with differences and similarities. All the three report what Geraldine Ferraro said about Obama more or less with the same words (“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position”). If we analyse the differences, we will notice that Il Giornale adds that blacks don’t allow any comment regarding race, even if racial segregation finished many years ago, Le Figaro, after the central news, reminds a similar event happened to Jesse Jackson in 1988 and finally The New York Times’ article contains two final paragraphs: “unavoidable subtexts” and “using sex, race against each other”. To conclude, the words used are almost always formal in all the articles.
Before analysing the differences and the similarities in the way the news is presented on these three different sources, I find it appropriate to consider what kind of news the three newspapers have published about the elections during these four days.
The New York Times
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘AFL-CIO Briefing Book attacks McCain’: The factions which support Hillary and Obama attack McCain policies, arguing that ‘he would take away workers’rights and reduce their standards of living’.
‘McCain returns to New Hampshire’: New Hampshire is the state which launched McCain’s presidential campaigns, but he is aware of the fact that in November it would not be easy to win. This article reports an important statement of McCain which explains his return to this state: ‘I think it’s important for politics in America for the voters to feel that they can be in touch with politicians as well as politicians being in touch with people’.
March 13, 2008
News about US elections
‘Racial issue bubbles up again for Democrats’: Geraldine Ferraro resigns because of her statements against Obama.
‘Unions unveil McCain attack’: Senator McCain is attacked on economic issues.
March 14, 2008
News about US elections
‘Free-spirited wanderer who set Obama’s path’: Obama’s mother is reminded and several aspects of his life are discussed.
‘Obama denounces his Pastor’s statements as ‘inflammatory’: Obama criticizes Mr Wright’s statements about racism and America.
‘McCain’s London fund raiser’: McCain plans a foreign trip which will serve as a promotion of his foreign policy credentials.
‘McCain says he worries about preelections Iraq attacks’: McCain fear terrorist attacks in November which would tip the election against him.
As it can be seen, no news about the Italian elections has been published during these days, probably because of cultural reasons: Americans might focus their attention on themselves and on the countries which are still part of the political problems of USA, such as Iran and Iraq. However, I looked for some articles concerning Berlusconi and I found one whose title is ‘Berlusconi’s long shadow casts a chill over Italian politics’, which dates back to 02/02/2008. It contains a big photo presenting Berlusconi in Naples and tells not only how he is considered in Italy, but also reports some complaints against him presenting a list of his most criticized slogans (‘I’m the Jesus Christ of politics’, ‘I sacrifice myself for anyone’).
Le Figaro
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘Barack Obama remporte le Mississippi’: this article talks about Obama’s political success in Mississippi.
News about Italian elections
‘Prodi s’efface de la scène politique’
March 13, 2008
News about US elections
‘Nouveau coup dur pour le camp Clinton’ : this article refers to Geraldine Ferraro statements against Obama.
March 14, 2008
News about US elections
‘Les cinq erreurs d’Hillary’: this article refers to the bad strategies adopted by Hillary in her campaign.
Since my group (group 1) analyses the candidates on the right, I was curious to know what kind of news has been published about McCain. I found one article dating back to 03/06/2008, whose title is ‘McCain ne resisterait ni à Obama, ni à Clinton’. What is interesting in this article are the two reasons, which, according to ABC News, would cause the failure of McCain: Bush’s support and his age.
This newspaper presents a dossier which is completely dedicated to the US elections; therefore it is easier to find news about this topic than on the other newspapers’ websites. Furthermore, it doesn’t omit the news about Italian politics, probably because France is an European country and thus more involved in Italian political problems.
Il Giornale
March 12, 2008
News about US elections
‘USA, in Mississippi Obama straripante’: this article talks about Obama’s success in Mississippi’.
News about Italian elections
‘Berlusconi: antifascista la nostra identità politica, ecco i candidati del PDL’: Berlusconi presents the candidates of his party and some aspects of his political platform.
March 13, 2008
News about Italian elections
‘Berlusconi: vittoria impossibile per il PD. Politiche, ecco tutti i candidati del PDL’: Berlusconi continues to attack his rivals and presents all the candidates of his party.
‘Pil, Berlusconi: “eredità difficile”: Berlusconi tells that the economic growth will be difficult considering the heritage of the previous government.
‘Berlusconi: convinceremo gli indecisi’: Berlusconi expresses his firm belief to win.
News about US elections
‘USA, razzismo nelle urne. Tra i democratici è rissa’: this article is about Geraldine Ferraro’s statements against Obama.
‘Ipotesi Romney per McCain’: Mitt Romney is said to be the candidate for the president’s assistant.
March 15, 2008
News about Italian elections
‘Libano, il Cavaliere: “Nuove regole di ingaggio': this article is about the disputes of the PDL with PD on the military forces in the Middle East.
As it can be seen from the large number of news about Berlusconi and PDL at first page, Il Giornale is clearly a partial newspaper. Furthermore, there are many big photos of Berlusconi, all of them portraying him with a triumphant smile. It is interesting to note that this Italian newspaper, unlike The New York Times, doesn’t ignore news about US politics probably because of cultural reasons: Italy might be more interested in other countries' issues.
Since all the three newspapers contain the same news about Geraldine A. Ferraro’s resignation, I find it interesting to analyse the way it is presented by il Giornale, The New York Times and Le Figaro.
All the three articles are at front page and have a big image showing Obama (Il Giornale, The New York Times) and Geraldine Ferraro (Le Figaro). Il Giornale and Le Figaro’s article are the same length, whereas the one on The New York Times is longer. Furthermore, both The New York Times and Le Figaro have a subtitle: Clinton, Obama have each used race, sex against the other; Après avoir pronouncé des propos controversies sur la couleur d’Obama, Geraldine Ferraro a demissionné de ses functions de chargée des finances de la campagne. Hillary Clinton s’est confondue en excuses. As far as the content is concerned, the three newspapers present the same news both with differences and similarities. All the three report what Geraldine Ferraro said about Obama more or less with the same words (“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position”). If we analyse the differences, we will notice that Il Giornale adds that blacks don’t allow any comment regarding race, even if racial segregation finished many years ago, Le Figaro, after the central news, reminds a similar event happened to Jesse Jackson in 1988 and finally The New York Times’ article contains two final paragraphs: “unavoidable subtexts” and “using sex, race against each other”. To conclude, the words used are almost always formal in all the articles.
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