CREATING a balance between objectivity and empathy, as well as the imperative to report a factual story with the personal need to survive. Reporting a story about an epidemic within a broader context that covers other social issues.
These were the issues that media practitioners brought out about the critical role they play in covering the COVID-19 pandemic in the two-day Responsible Journalism: Part of the Solution webinar series recently.
A joint initiative between Breakthrough ACTION at Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs and Internews Philippines, with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the series featured journalists, communication specialists, and health experts.
The group was convened to discuss and collaborate more closely as they work around the clock to inform the citizens about the virus and its repercussions.
Award-winning journalist and COVID-19 survivor Howie Severino said “the media [has to] give out a complete picture that includes the negatives and positives. We have to convey the fearsomeness of this disease because it’s not something you take lightly. But we also have a chance to turn our trauma into something transformative. We can do this through stories of survival and happiness.”
Discussion centered on fact-checking and fighting misinformation and fake news, which can easily confuse the public.
Journalist Ellen Tordesillas emphasized the importance of rigorously checking the accuracy of data as well as debunking rumors.
“The internet has become a breeding ground for fake news even before the pandemic,” Tordesillas warned. “At its worst, misinformation can endanger one’s health,” she added, referring to reports of citizens using dubious cures.
Floreen Simon, training director at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), reiterated that journalists must consider all the societal and scientific elements that compose a story.
She said: “Know the science, know the politics, do the math.”
Dr. Michael Tan, a professor of Anthropology and Philosophy in UP Diliman and clinical professor in UP Manila, encouraged journalists to look at the much broader picture.
“There are pre-existing economic and social problems that the media must address, such as unemployment, drop in health services, and housing shortages. These issues were magnified during the lockdown, and journalists must connect the dots to paint a more accurate picture,” Tan said.
Tan also called for more purposeful storytelling beyond basic reportage. “Journalists are healers and givers of hope, too,” he said. “As most people now speak in math jargon and equations of ‘flattening the curve,’ journalists can humanize these reports by looking beyond these statistics to tell the narratives of the people who fought meaningful battles against COVID.”
