1. Knowledge outcome: to know the evolution of sports journalism. 2. Competence outcome: to be able to identify the main historical and historiographical issues, and the use of the relative sources to investigate them. 3. Behavioral outcome: to be able to elaborate a critical reflection on the relationship among communication, information, disinformation and society.
Ability to understand the main historical and cultural turning points in sports journalism, with particular focus on the evolution of football reporting and media transformation.
Ability to critically analyse and interpret sports journalism texts, evaluating their historical context, narrative choices, and cultural, political or ideological implications.
Ability to communicate, using appropriate language and critical awareness, contents and issues related to the history and evolution of written and audiovisual sports narratives.
Acquisition of basic tools for reading, writing, and contextualising sports journalism texts, and the ability to apply them independently in study, research, or in professional fields related to journalism, communication, and sports culture.
Lessons will be mainly lecture-based, but will also include participatory teaching activities through the presentation, analysis, and discussion of articles, journalistic sources, and audiovisual materials. Slides and other materials will be shared via Aulaweb and/or Microsoft Teams.
The course explores the evolution of sports journalism from a historical perspective, with a focus on football and the Italian context, but also with references to international experiences. Topics covered will include:
The origins of sports journalism
The role of the press during the Fascist regime and in the Italian Republic
Leading journalists and stylistic evolution in the late 20th century
The relationship between sport and media: radio, television, internet
Sports journalism in England, France, and Spain
Coverage of other sports (cycling, Formula 1, Olympic Games)
The impact of digitalisation and social media
The instructor will provide lecture slides and study materials via Aulaweb and/or Microsoft Teams. For optional in-depth study, please refer to the following book (or contact the instructor for non-Italian texts and case studies): I. Cucci & I. Germano, Tribuna stampa. Storia critica del giornalismo sportivo da Pindaro a Internet, Il Minotauro, Rome, 2003
Ricevimento: Student office hours are by appointment via email (leonardo.scavino@unige.it), held in the instructor’s office: Albergo dei Poveri, Torre Centrale, 5 piano, stanza 5/10d.
LEONARDO SCAVINO (President)
GIUSEPPE RUSSO (President Substitute)
SALVATORE BRUNO BARBA (Substitute)
LARA PICCARDO (Substitute)
30th September 2025
The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy
The exam consists of a written test lasting one hour. It will cover topics addressed during the course and included in the materials listed in the “Programme and Course Content” section. The written test consists of three questions: all answers must be sufficient in order to pass. Each answer is graded on a scale from 1 to 10. To pass, each answer must score at least 6/10. The final grade (out of 30) is the sum of the three partial scores.
For students with certified learning disabilities (DSA), disabilities, or other special educational needs, the University regulations and procedures on inclusion and accessibility will be applied.
The written test will be assessed based on knowledge of the main historical developments of sports journalism, understanding of course topics, and the ability to establish critical links between events, contexts, and journalistic language. Additional assessment criteria include synthesis skills and clarity of expression. No additional questions will be provided for grade improvement. The written test lasts one hour.
Students with certified learning disabilities (DSA), disabilities, or other specific educational needs should contact both the inclusion officer Prof. Canepa and the course instructor at the beginning of the course to agree on suitable teaching and examination methods. These should respect the learning objectives while accommodating individual learning styles and providing appropriate compensatory tools.
