Abstract

Using SPAD-T, a software allowing quali-quantitative text analysis, the article analyses the blogs of two well-known Italian journalists: Luca Sofri (wittgenstein.it) and Gad Lerner (gadlerner.it). The study specifically considers both journalists' posts and readers' comments related to natural disasters (earthquakes, floods etc.) happened in Italy between 2009 and 2014. Through an analysis of lexicon, lexeme frequency, and richness of vocabulary we found significant differences related both to the approach adopted by the two journalists and to the different attitudes characterizing journalists' and readers' attitude in commenting and sharing information related to natural disasters. Our findings suggest that journalistic blogs, under certain circumstances, could function as new public spheres where the knowledge related to and interpretation of public events and trauma are negotiated though collective narrative practices.