The three states of mediatization: the case of war mediatization

Abstract

The article proposes an analytical model that places the material dimension of texts at the center of mediatization processes. The model, based on identifying “solid,” “liquid,” and “gaseous” mediatizations, can be used to understand a wide range of mediatization processes from a material perspective. It is also a very useful tool for classifying these processes and verifying their mutations over time as well as their coexistence in the same historical period. To exemplify the model, the article presents a series of historical cases of war mediatization, from the mediatization of World War II in newspapers, the Gulf War on TV, and the current mediatization of the invasion of Ukraine in social media like TikTok. Beyond applying the model, the article introduces a series of considerations on the different states of mediatization and the intermedia relationships between them, both from a space and temporal perspective. A final reflection the material dimension of those processes concludes the article.