Multimodal news discourse and COVID-19: on the interplay between stylistic features and images in three UK newsbrands’ early framing of (the pandemic in) Italy

This study of UK online news articles about COVID-19 in Italy builds upon prior work by Filmer and Riggs. Using multimodal analysis including DNVA, I analyse the interplay between a) specific stylistic features in headlines and ledes, and b) initial images, in framing Italy and its early experience of the pandemic. These elements often contribute to portraying Italy as struggling, and contribute to alarmist frames more generally. The findings suggest that stylistic and visual choices are deliberate and influential and work in concert to shape representations. Further research is warranted on metaphors and word-image dissonance in reporting on COVID-19.