The Covid Pandemic Discourse in Literature and Mass Media: A Socio-Linguistic Study (Moroccan Media as a Model)

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Moroccan society; including the change, it brought about in mass media, wherein language is a central component. In addition, we have discussed the role of the scholar in the analysis and documentation of urgent situations, such as Covid-19, and their concomitant consequences. We have adopted in this study an inductive method, which proceeds through description and explanation of the phenomenon on the linguistic, social, historical and psychological levels. We attempted to answer four main questions: What is the social and psychological impact of the spread of corona virus on the Moroccan society? How does the Moroccan mass media respond to this phenomenon? What change does the outbreak of the virus bring about in the mass media? How does literature mirror society by reflecting, documenting and raising consciousness for such a phenomenon? This study yielded important results and recommendations, among which are: the crucial role-played by mass media in crises management and limitation of their effects, and the call for a rethinking of the contemporary mass media discourse so that it becomes more effective and efficient in responding to socially deplorable pandemics.

Keywords

• Corona Virus
• Cholera
• Media Censorship
• Media Addressee
• Collective Awareness