Public communication and pandemic crisis: the case of the Municipality of Peccioli

Abstract

In the last twenty years public communication has profoundly changed, and institutions have begun to increasingly use methods based on listening, participa-tion and citizen engagement. This paper explores public communication during the Covid-19 crisis, focusing on the local context of Peccioli. In light of the initiatives implemented by the Municipality, it addresses these research questions: how do citizens consider public communication during the emergency, and which channels have been mostly used to stay updated on municipal initiatives? How do citizens evaluate the emergency management by the municipality, and how do they sug-gest improving it in the event of a return of the virus? Through a quali-quantitative approach 268 structured interviews were conducted. Participants were selected from the municipal registry following a proportional allocation based on three so-ciodemographic variables: age, gender and place of residence. The findings high-lighted a) information practices based on the integration of official and unofficial channels and traditional media and digital platforms; b) preference for one-to-one communication, mediated and not; and c) highly positive perception of the work of the municipality.