Use of Instagram for the dissemination of information during a natural disaster: a case study of À Punt during the dana in the Valencian Community

Abstract

Social media platforms enable television networks to disseminate breaking news directly, without the need to wait for traditional broadcast schedules. This study aims to analyse the coverage provided by the Valencian public television channel, À Punt, of the dana (Isolated Depression at High Levels) that affected parts of the Valencian territory starting on October 29, 2024, through its Instagram account, @apuntnoticies. The methodology combines an original content analysis of the 383 posts published by the account over a five-week period — focusing on variables such as daily posting frequency, format, authorship, thematic focus, and positioning (SEO) — with a semi-structured interview conducted with the head of À Punt’s Digitalization and Social Media Department. This approach seeks to gain deeper insight into the communication strategy implemented on Instagram to inform the public about the natural disaster. Preliminary findings underscore the relevance of the strategic use of thematic clusters depending on the phase of the catastrophe, as well as the relevance of users as active agents in content generation.