Le ibridazioni della comunicazione pubblica. Percorsi di ricerca e pratiche comunicative tra digitalizzazione e crisi pandemica

The article investigates the transformations that have involved public communication, conceived both as a discipline and as an organizational function, following the processes of digitization and social media adoption, as well as the impact of the pandemic. In particular, it highlights the hybridizations of institutional communication, connecting the main research streams with the critical analysis of emerging communicative practices between administrations, citizens and the media in digital environments. The article focuses on three specific areas in which hybridity is extremely visible, outlining trajectories of innovation in the Italian public sector: the areas of public communication, the professional communicative roles, and communication formats. Research tracks and practical implications for communicators are discussed.