The representation of disability in the Italian media: The case of Ansa

Media representation significantly influences societal perceptions of disability, affecting both the general population and individuals with disabilities. This study examines the portrayal of disability and persons with disabilities by Ansa, Italy's leading press agency, during 2022. Through systematic content analysis of a comprehensive corpus comprising 1,692 articles identified through keyword search methodology, this research aims to develop a comprehensive framework describing Ansa's disability narrative. The findings reveal that Ansa's coverage demonstrates significant under-representation of disability. Physical and mobility disabilities predominate in the discourse, conforming to established mediatic 'hierarchies of disabilities'. Moreover, Ansa's representation emerges as predominantly generic and abstract, lacking specificity and thus presenting disability as a depersonalized, collective category. The narratives primarily focus on political interventions, funding mechanisms, and institutional support, while personal narratives rarely achieve national news prominence. The analysis indicates that the agency's coverage constitutes a narrative of disability that largely excludes disabled individuals, portraying the phenomenon primarily as a systemic issue addressable through public frameworks and policies, with minimal direct representation of affected persons. This approach reinforces the conceptualization of disability as an impersonal challenge requiring external intervention, rather than a lived experience of individuals within society.