15540 - Sports Journalism

Learning outcomes

develops theoretical-empirical skills in the field of journalistic news production, with particular reference to that relating to sport and physical activities. includes the theories of the means of communication, to better decode and recode the social representation of sport conveyed by the old and new means of communication.

Course contents

The Sports Journalism Course is aimed at providing an understanding of the mechanisms that govern journalistic work: its function, evolution, the areas of reference in the current context in which information has a role of fundamental importance in economic, social processes , cultural, contaminating many areas of communication and entertainment, mainly including sport.

The course consists of 2 parts.

In the first part, the course intends to illustrate the main newsmaking processes (construction and distribution of the news) and the related communication theories, useful for understanding the processes that occur in the field of journalistic communication, in particular sports communication. We will highlight the social functions carried out by journalism and the changes taking place in social relations - in sport and communications - conveyed by the mainstream media, up to the digitalisation processes of sports communication.

In this way the student will be able to understand and identify changes in the sphere of sports communication (in particular the mass media strategies and dynamics of TV, radio, newspapers and social media) and to identify the most relevant aspects of the sports profession. journalist, such as: the criteria of "newsability"; credibility and manipulation in journalistic communication; the information market. Furthermore, special emphasis will be given to the socio-cultural processes that regulate the work of sports journalists and the new protagonists of the "mediatization" of sport (publishers, sports clubs and institutions, athletes, sponsoring companies and communication agencies).

In the second part, communication techniques typical of sports journalism will be analysed, with a cross-media analysis of the forms of editorial, exposure and dissemination through print media, television, radio, long-form journalism, podcast, blog, mo-jo or mobile journalism, YouTube and social media sporting contents.

On this basis, exercises (individual and group) will be prepared aimed at acquiring the main skills underlying the understanding of sports journalism and the production of journalistic articles.

Readings/Bibliography

For the purposes of the exam, students must bring the following texts:

Sorrentino C., Bianda E., «Studiare giornalismo. Ambiti, logiche, attori». Carocci, Roma, 2013.
Study chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11.

Vergari F., «Scrivere di Sport». Editrice Bibliografica, Milano, 2021.
Study chapters 2, 3, 4, 8, 9.

+ 1 article that will be indicated in class (and made available by the teacher on Virtuale)



For attending students, the program will be different and reduced, established by the teacher during the lessons.
To be defined as attending, students must participate in lessons and group activities in the classroom.



For further information and reading we recommend:

Ortenzi A., De Stefani F., «Web & Mobile Journalism. Strumenti, tecniche e regole del giornalismo in Rete». Maggioli Editore, 2021, Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN).

Germano I. S., Martelli S., Russo G., «I Mondiali di calcio da cerimonia sportiva a “global entertainment”. Cambiamenti e profili delle audience televisive nel terzo millennio». Problemi dell’Informazione 1/2015, Il Mulino, Bologna.

Spalletta M., Ugolini L., «(Ti)fare informazione. Il giornalismo sportivo italiano e la sfida della credibilità». Aracne, 2016, Roma: capitolo 3.

Condò P., «Porte Aperte. 30 avventure negli stadi più belli del mondo». Baldini e Castoldi, 2020, Milano.

Luzzi E., «Tutto il calcio minuto per minuto. Mondiale, Olimpiade e altre storie».Baldini e Castoldi, 2020, Milano.

Teaching methods

Lectures and case studies illustrated with the help of new communication technologies

Assessment methods

The student will acquire the 4 credits required by passing a written test to verify the learning of the contents presented in class and developed from the texts indicated as the reference bibliography. The test consists of closed and open questions.

The questions will focus on the indicated texts and the article.



Attending students will carry out a different and reduced program, established by the teacher during the lessons, and therefore a written but different exam.
To be defined as attending, students must participate in lessons and group activities in the classroom.



Those who participate in the group activities and (optional) exercises that will be proposed in the classroom (to be carried out both individually and in groups) will have an additional score (from 2 to 5 maximum and overall points) which will be added to the grade of the final test.

Teaching tools

Presentation slides used in class, videos and research materials shared online. Meetings with international experts and academics.

Office hours

See the website of Eugenio Bagnini