The Diversity Media Report (DMR) is part of the broader Diversity Media Awards project, which integrates research, communication, and advocacy to promote diversity through accurate and inclusive media representation. The Diversity Media Research Report constitutes the project’s research phase and aims to raise awareness among media professionals and the public about the social value of diversity.
The DMR – Information section, curated by Monia Azzalini in collaboration with the Diversity Foundation and the Osservatorio di Pavia, analyses how diversity is represented in Italy’s seven main prime-time TV newscasts (TG1, TG2, TG3, TG4, TG5, Studio Aperto, TGLa7) throughout 2023. The study focuses on six diversity areas: Age and Generations, Gender and Gender Identity, Ethnicity and Race, LGBT+ and Sexual Orientation, Disability, and Physical Appearance. Using quantitative content analysis based on nearly 800 keywords, the research identifies and classifies news items relevant to one or more diversity areas according to two criteria: Specificity (the particular group referenced) and Focus (the role diversity plays in the news context).
In 2023, the seven monitored newscasts broadcast 42,976 stories, of which 15,273 (35.5%) related to at least one diversity area—an increase from 23.9% in 2022. The most covered areas were Ethnicity and Race (20.1%), Gender and Gender Identity (12.7%), and Age and Generations (12%), reflecting heightened attention to immigration, the war in Ukraine, the Israel–Palestine conflict, and gender-based violence, including femicides and youth violence. Disability (1.3%) and LGBT+ issues (0.5%) remained marginal, showing limited media engagement despite ongoing public debate about same-sex parenthood rights. Physical Appearance (0.4%) coverage focused mainly on fashion and women’s rights, particularly Iranian women’s protests over compulsory veiling. Overall, the 2023 DMR highlights both progress and persistent gaps in the inclusive representation of diversity in Italian television news.
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