This project aims to get some authentic insights on the current status quo of the situation of media in times of Corona in AREACORE partner countries – through short films and through the collection of reports and literature on the issue for the respective countries and regions to research Media and Information Literacy. Corona Crisis 2020 has certainly immediate and long term effects on our media systems, journalism practices and freedom of expression relevant for our research network.
This is a living document, so we are updating it constantly. If you have an article or publication to add, please do not hesitate to share with us so we can include it. Please contact us through the Contact Form.

The Media and Corona: Recently produced short films

🎥: Lebanon: Mitigating Infodemics

🎥: The Media and Corona in Egypt

🎥: Male Expertocracy: The Media and Corona in Germany

🎥: The Jordanian Floyd

🎥: The Moroccan Media in Times of Corona

🎥: Media and Coronavirus Pandemic in Oman

🎥: Yemen & Corona: War x War

MENA

“In the spring of 2020, as Covid-19 arrived on the shores of North Africa, rumours and misinformation proliferated about its causes and effects, and from the outset, the media featured strongly in official preparations for lockdown. Criticism of the state’s handling of the health crisis quickly came officially to be viewed as threatening national welfare, and concern over the promulgation of fake news and disinformation led to constraints in law within an already compromised media environment.”

“Examples of innovation aren’t getting the fanfare they would do if they emerged from Europe or the US.”

“Far from being a “great equalizer,” the coronavirus pandemic is a global stress test exposing with ever greater clarity the pre-existing divides.”

“The outbreak is being used by prominent influencers in the Gulf and elsewhere to inflame political tensions”

 “A group of countries in the Middle East are stepping up their use of artificial intelligence tools to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. They are increasingly deploying sophisticated technology to ensure that movement is limited and social distancing is in place through the use of speed cameras, drones and robots.”

“Governments in the region and beyond are using the pandemic as a pretext to curtail vital reporting.”

“Middle Eastern governments take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to step up state censorship and to reaffirm their monopoly of the dissemination of news and information”

“The international Press Institute (IPI) is closely monitoring press freedom restrictions in the pandemic situation.”

“مع انتشار جائحة فيروس كورونا/ COVID-19 في الشرق الأوسط؛ أخذت أجراس الصحافة المطبوعة باللغة العربية تُقرع، حيث تعاني الصحف اليومية العربية آثار حظر التجوّل، وانهيار دخلها من الإعلانات، إضافة إلى فرض حظر النشر على المطبوعات.”

“With the spread of the Corona / COVID-19 virus pandemic in the Middle East; The Situation of Arabic press is alarming, as Arab daily newspapers suffer the effects of the curfew, the collapse of their income from advertisements, and the imposition of a ban on publications.”

“إستجابة وسائل الإعلام العربية لتغطية فيروس كورونا، تطرح عدة تساؤلات مهمة منها: هل التغطية الإعلامية عموماً موضوعية أم متحيزة؟ وهل وسائل الإعلام الاجتماعية تقوم بدورها المسؤول في نقل الحقائق بدقة وموضوعية تجاه فيروس كورونا؟ وهل قام الإعلام العلمي العربي بدوره المطلوب تجاه أزمة كورونا؟”

“The response of the Arab media to cover the Corona virus raises several important questions, including: Is the media coverage generally objective or biased? Are social media playing their responsible role in conveying accurate and objective facts about the Corona virus? Did the Arab scientific media play the required role inthe Corona crisis?”

“عبّرت منظمة “مراسلون بلا حدود” عن قلقها إزاء استغلال حكومات الشرق الأوسط جائحة كورونا المستجد لتعزيز الرقابة الحكومية وإعادة تأكيد احتكارها لنشر الأخبار والمعلومات.”

“Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern about Middle Eastern governments using the new Corona pandemic to strengthen government censorship and reassert their monopoly to spread news and information.”

“أطلق المركز الدولي للصحفيين ومركز تاو للصحافة الرقمية في جامعة كولومبيا استبيانًا شارك فيه 1,406 صحفي من 125 دولة باللغة الإنجليزية. وتضمّن الإستبيان حول الصحافة والجائحة استكشافًا لآثار “كورونا” على الصحة الجسديّة والنفسيّة للصحفيين، إلى جانب انتشار المعلومات الخاطئة والمضللة، الآثار الاقتصادية للجائحة على غرف الأخبار، التغيرات التي طرأت في طريقة عمل الصحفيين، والتحديات التي تواجه حرية الصحافة.”

“The International Center for Journalists and the Tau Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University launched a survey in which 1,406 journalists from 125 countries participated in the English language. The questionnaire on journalism and the pandemic included an exploration of the effects of ‘Corona’ on the physical and psychological health of journalists, as well as the spread of  misinformation, the economic effects of the pandemic on Newsrooms, the changes that have occurred in the way journalists work, and the challenges facing press freedom. “

“تقدم الورقة ملخصًا لدراسة تبحث تأثيرات أزمة جائحة كورونا في صناعة الصحافة والميديا من منظور ثنائية المدى القريب والبعيد في سياقات متعددة، وتستأنف النقاش بمعطيات جديدة في الإشكاليات الكبرى التي تعيشها الصحافة والميديا ومستقبل هذه الصناعة.”

“The paper provides a summary of a study that examines the effects of the Corona pandemic crisis on the press and media industry from a short- and long-term perspectives in multiple contexts, and discusses new data on the major problems facing the press, media and the future of this industry.”

“This paper employs content analysis in studying trends and patterns of Arabic Gulf Press coverage of the pandemic. In particular, the paper aims to provide insight into why, even
though the five Gulf countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE) share similar political and cultural identities rooted in Arab and Islamic values, profound differences in inclinations emerge in both the patterns and trends of their coverage of Covid-19.”

“The pilot study outcomes show that only few selected aspects of media accountability instruments in MENA have been investigated during the past decades. Freedom of the media and freedom of expression are in many countries restricted by governments or by economic, religious, societal, or other actors, and independent self-regulatory bodies are often missing. However, in the digital age, new forums for media criticism have emerged online.”

“Social media platforms are among the most widely used sources of information in the world. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the public needs access to timely and reliable information about the disease symptoms and their prevention. Thus, this study aims to determine the respondents’ perception of their trust level in the information published on social networking sites regarding the coronavirus. In addition, it aims to identify the most popular social media sites spreading rumors related to coronavirus. Further, it explores the respondents’ interaction with news and information relating to coronavirus published on social media.”

🎥: The Moroccan Media in Times of Corona

“As of 26 March 2020, there are 275 cases affected by COVID-19 announced by the Moroccan government, and it possible to limit the spread of this serious disease, with the cooperation of all the citizens in respect of the measures of containment and individual protection.”

“The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has served to highlight the serious deficiencies of the Moroccan press.”

“Print journalism was already in a deep structural crisis, and without proper digital transformation and financial support, this epidemic may bring traditional newspapers, as we know them, to a collapse.”

“Looking at the gender dimension of COVID-19 points to an aggravation of gender inequalities. Women have long been the primary caregivers within families. With school closures and loss of caregiver support, households are witnessing a return to traditional gender roles. Many women have to undertake acute dual responsibilities.”

Morocco’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has impressed hundreds of French nationals, who took to social media to express their admiration.

“With its 10-year experience in the development of molecular diagnostic kits, MAScIR undertook, from the beginning of the global health crisis due to SARS-COV 2, to develop a RT-PCR diagnostic test for this pathogen, which is marked by its high degree of sensitivity and reliability and its controlled cost, the foundation said in a press release.”

“Moroccan security services arrested popular Youtube influencer “Mi Naima” on March 18 for sharing fake news about the COVID-19 situation in Morocco.”

“Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani has warned against fake news promoted on social media about an alleged expansion of lockdown easing measures in several other Moroccan regions.”

“The coronavirus, which has claimed thousands of lives around the world, is causing a flood of fake news broadcast on social networks. MAP is sorting out the lies from the truth, for a better awareness.”

Insanity is following the wrong celebrities and wondering why people are not transforming themselves.

“Hit Radio vient de lancer jeudi le site internet « Dorouss.hitradio.ma » qui met à disposition des cours en ligne officiels, des vidéos et des modules de e-learning complétés par des liens utiles vers des sites professionnels.”

“La situation épidémiologique liée à la pandémie de la Covid-19 devient “inquiétante”, compte tenu de l’augmentation des contaminations, des cas graves et des décès dus à la maladie, a affirmé lundi à Rabat le ministre de la Santé Khalid Ait Taleb.”

“إن الخطاب نزل أكثر من علميته، حين أدرك الإعلامي أنه لا يُساير يوميات الحدث و”تعاليه” أحياناً على مخيّلة الشعب على حدّ تعبير الناس، من حيث اللغة الواصفة والحصيفة المُتتبعة لمجريات الجائحة.”

“The was downgraded, when the media realized that it does not keep pace with the daily events and doesn’t relate to people, in terms of the descriptive and prudent language that tracks the course of the pandemic.”

Policy Center for the New South.2020

“شكلت جائحة كوفيد 19 تحديا غير مسبوق بالنسبة للإعلام المغربي بمختلف منابره المكتوبة والمسموعة والمرئية والإلكترونية. كان السؤال يطرح إشكالية تنشيط آليات إعلام أزمات في بلد لم يشهد الجيل الصحافي الممارس به أزمة سابقة تكرس تقليدا وتشحذ مهارات وتبني ذاكرة خبرة للتعاطي مع حالة استعجالية من هذا الحجم”

“The Covid-19 pandemic constituted an unprecedented challenge for the Moroccan media in its various written, audio, visual and electronic platforms. The pandemic introduced the mechanisms of crisis media in a country where the current generation of journalists had not witnessed a previous crisis that enshrined a tradition, sharpened skills, and built the necessary experience to deal with an emergency of this magnitude.”

“Morocco ranked 133rd out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index in 2020, with the imprisonment of journalists and judicial harassment of media highlighted in the report.[…] The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the extreme fragility of the country’s economy, and brought governance challenges into relief.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/morocco/

“Ensuring that reliable information about the situation reaches the public has been a severe test both for officials and journalists. In terms of public communication, the Ministry of Health soon emerged as the go-to source for the media.”

“As Covid-19 is giving life to false information and conspiracy theories in Tunisia, independent media platform Nawaat is seeing a growth in the number of readers engaging with accountability journalism to counter fake news on social media.”

“غاب التقصي والتفسير عن تغطية وسائل الإعلام التونسية لوباء كورونا، وجاءت المعالجة الصحافية ملتصقة التصاقا شديدا بالمصادر الرسمية مما لم يتح لها فرصة مساءلة الطبقة السياسية عن مجابهة الجائحة”.

“Investigation and interpretation were absent from the Tunisian media’s coverage of the Corona pandemic, and the journalistic treatment was closely attached to official sources, which did not allow them to question the political class on confronting the pandemic.”

“إنّ أزمة كورونا كشفت هشاشة قطاع الاعلام في تونس وغياب نموذج اقتصادي جيد للمؤسسات الاعلامية، الأمر الذي جعل عددا كبيرا من وسائل الاعلام المسموعة والمرئية والمكتوبة والالكترونية تعيش مشاكل مالية ولم تسدد ديونها وبعضها لم يسدد أجور العاملين.”

“The Corona crisis exposed the fragility of the media sector in Tunisia and the absence of a good economic model for media institutions, which made a large number of audio, visual, written and electronic media suffer from financial problems and lead to them not paying their debts and some of them did not pay the workers’ wages.”

“يبدو أن وسائل الإعلام منشغلة بأزمتها أكثر من انشغالها بالبحث عن الحقيقة في علاقة بأهم حدث يشهده العالم.”

“It seems that the media is more preoccupied with its crisis than searching for the truth in relation to the most important event the world has witnessed.”

“أصدر مركز حرية الصحافة فى تونس تقريره السنوي حيث ركز على تغطيةالإعلام التونسي لتفشي فيروس كورونا الجديد.”

“The Center for Press Freedom in Tunisia issued its annual report, focusing on Tunisian media coverage of the new Coronavirus outbreak.”

“دعت الجامعة التونسية لمديري الصحف في بيان لها، إلى التوقف بداية يوم 23 مارس (آذار)، عن طبع الصحف الورقية وإصدارها، درءاً لكل المخاطر والاستعاضة عنها بالعمل عن بعد بواسطة المواقع الإلكترونية.”

“In a statement, the Tunisian Federation of Newspaper Editors called for the stop of printing and issuing  paper newspapers, in order to avoid all risks and to replace them by working remotely through websites.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/tunisia/

🎥: The Media and Corona in Egypt

“Since the outbreak of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, the news has been covering its rapid developments by the minute, while feeding the eager publics the information they seek regarding its origin, health-threats, symptoms, preventative measures, and global impact. It is thus of pressing importance, to track the Egyptian publics’ interactions with Coronavirus news and to test the four science journalism models by applying them to the publics’ consumption of, and reaction to, Coronavirus news.”

“The media in Egypt – both government-owned and privately owned outlets – have been paying keen attention to the outbreak of Covid-19 caused by the coronavirus. Until last week coverage was mostly focused on events in Europe, but with the increase of cases in Egypt there is now much more of a domestic focus.”

“Egypt revokes Guardian journalist’s credentials and censures Times reporter for sharing ‘incorrect data'”

“According to Arab Observatory for Media Freedom, Coronavirus leads to violations of media freedoms in Egypt”

“Reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic has become increasingly difficult in Egypt, a country that has criminalized spreading “false news” about the disease and where officials have accused journalists of “spreading panic.””

“Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the Egyptian authorities to be more transparent about their grounds for blocking websites in recent weeks that allegedly spread “false information” about the coronavirus crisis.”

“The country’s real tally of infections is five times higher than data announced by the country’s Health Ministry, while the actual number of deaths is 10 times higher than official figures, according to the higher education and scientific research minister”

“بينما تغرق مصر في أزمة فيروس كورونا، يرفض نظام السيسي بروز أي صوت ينتقد طريقة تعاطيه مع الجائحة، ويستعمل في ذلك وسائل الردع نفسها التي تعودها مع أعدائه السياسيين، من دعاية ذات بعد وطني، وقوانين استثنائية لمحاربة من يسميهم “أهل الشر”.”

“While Egypt plungs into the Coronavirus crisis, the Sisi regime refuses the emergence of any voice criticizing its handling of the pandemic, and in this it uses the same deterrence methods that it is accustomed to with its political enemies, from propaganda with a national dimension, and exceptional laws to fight what it calls “the people of evil.””

“هذا الإعلام ومذيعوه وقنواته قد صم أذنيه، وخرج يطمئن المصريين بأن مصر آمنة، وأن الله حافظها وذاكرها في كتابه الكريم.”

“This media and its broadcasters and channels ignored the warnings about corona, and came out to reassure the Egyptians that Egypt is safe and that God preserved it and remembered it in his holy book.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/egypt/

🎥: The Jordanian Floyd

“The lockdown did not stop the flow of misinformation. In fact, it flourished. A report by the Jordanian media credibility monitor Akeed, said the 67 false stories disseminated throughout the month of March were more than double those recorded in previous months. Social media platforms, like WhatsApp and Facebook, were the main channels of misinformation sharing.”

“Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said that the law would be exercised “at a minimal level” and that the right of expression was guaranteed. However, he added that the government would deal “firmly” with the issue of “spreading rumours and false news”.”

“Under April 15,2020 decree, sharing news that would “cause Panic” about the pandemic in media or online can carry a penalty of up to three years in prison”

“As the only podcast covering the Coronavirus in the Middle East and North Africa, Sowt goes behind the official numbers and shines light on the people who are most affected by the current crisis.”

“Daoud Kuttab, vice chair of the Executive Board of the IPI and the director-general of the Community Media Network (CMN) in Amman, Jordan wrote about the coronavirus coverage of media in Jordan – the printing of newspapers has been stopped and most media outlets have been unable to carry out their work. Filling the information gap has been done by state-run television and a daily briefing of Minister of Media Affairs Amjad Adalileh and Health Minister Saad Jaber.”

“Media professionals said that Jordan’s already-ailing media sector now faces deeper challenges, especially financial, in light of the coronavirus crisis.”

“The Jordan Media Institute (JMI), in collaboration with the Agence Francaise de Cooperation Medias, held a Webinar on Sunday entitled “Journalism Post-COVID-19: Freedoms and Restrictions,” in which human rights and media professionals discussed the experiences of the press during the coronavirus crisis and their expectations of its aftermath.”

“The International Press Institute condemned the ban imposed by the Jordanian government on media organizations on reporting about the teachers’ strike.”

“Beginning on March 17, 2020, authorities in Jordan, Oman, Morocco, and Yemen issued decrees suspending newspaper printing and distribution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to news reports and government statements.”

“Jordanian authorities have used a sweeping gag order, harassment, and arrests to limit media coverage of ongoing protests stemming from the arbitrary closure of the Jordanian Teachers’ Syndicate on July 25, 2020.”

“Electronic curfew exemption permits for journalists and media workers have not yet been activated, and are still in the electronic verification phase.”

“The Jordanian military recently arrested Fares Sayegh, Roya TV channel owner, and Mohammad al-Khalidi, its new director and presenter, over their COVID-19 coverage in Jordan.”

 “A series of arrests and violations that occurred in Jordan, since the beginning of the Coronavirus crisis, has raised many questions and elicited a great deal of criticism.”

“Leading Jordanian cartoonist Emad Hajjaj was arrested and charged on Thursday with seeking to undermine Jordan’s relations with a “friendly country” after publishing a drawing criticising the Israel-UAE peace deal.”

” إن القيود التي فرضت على حرية التعبير خلال الأزمة غير مبررة، و بعض التدابير التي فرضتها الحكومة للتعامل مع الأزمة لم تستند الى أدلة علمية وفرضت قيوداً على الصحافيين.”

“The restrictions imposed on freedom of expression during the crisis are unjustified, and some of the measures imposed by the government to deal with the crisis were not based on scientific evidence and imposed restrictions on journalists.”

“قال وزير الدولة لشؤون الاعلام، إن الإعلاميات الأردنيات قدمن خلال جائحة كورونا إضافة مهمة على المشهد الإعلامي الأردني، من حيث إعداد المحتوى والمساهمة في توجيه الرسائل الإعلامية للاستجابة لتداعيات الوباء الاقتصادية والاجتماعية.”

“Minister of State for Media Affairs said that during the Corona pandemic, women Jordanian journalists made an important addition to the Jordanian media scene, in terms of preparing content and contributing to directing media messages to respond to the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic.”

” تقرير حالة حرية الإعلام بالأردن في ظل جائحة كورونا عنوان أحدث تقرير أطلقه مركز حماية وحرية الصحفيين قبل أيام ويسلط الضوء على السياسات والتدابير الحكومية في التعامل مع وسائل الإعلام والصحفيين والصحفيات، ومدى انسجامها وتوافقها مع الالتزامات الحقوقية والقانونية للدولة.”

“The report on the state of media freedom in Jordan in light of the Corona pandemic is the latest report released by the Center for the Protection and Freedom of Journalists a few days ago, and it sheds light on government policies and measures in dealing with media outlets, journalists and women journalists, and the extent of their consistency and compliance with the state’s human rights and legal obligations.

” يتوجب على نقابة الصحفيين إطلاق مبادرات لمساندة الجهود الحكومية ودعم الجهود الوطنية لمواجهة فيروس كورونا وإطلاق حملات إعلامية لتعزيز دور الإعلام في نشر التوعية بمخاطر المرض وطرق مواجهته في اطار الإجراءات الوقائية التي اتخذتها الحكومة لمواجهة الفيروس.”

“The Journalists Syndicate should launch initiatives to support government and national efforts to confront the Coronavirus, and launch media campaigns to enhance the role of the media in spreading awareness of the dangers of the disease and ways to confront it within the framework of the preventive measures taken by the government to confront the virus.”

“ان وسائل الإعلام والمواقع الإلكترونية والصحافة والنشر في الأردن لعبت دوراً هاماً في توعية المجتمع الأردني والقائمين في ظل جائحة كورونا لكن المفوضةالسامية لحقوق الإنسان في الأمم المتحدة ذكرت ان بعض الدول العربية والأوروبية والافريقية وامريكا أخذت تعمل على تضيق الخناق على وسائل الإعلام والمواقع الإلكترونية والصحافة والعاملين فيها.”

“The media, websites, press and publishing in Jordan have played an important role in educating the Jordanian society and those in place in light of the Corona pandemic, but the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations stated that some Arab, European, African and American countries are cracking down on the media, websites, the press and their workers. “

” وفي إطار اتخاذها إجراءات احترازية للحد من انتشار فيروس كورونا في البلاد؛ قررت الحكومة الأردنية في 13 آذار/مارس الماضي، توقيف طباعة الصحف الورقية “بدعوى أنها تساهم في نقل العدوى”، ما أدى إلى تفاقم أزمتها، وخصوصا ما يتعلق بتراكم الرواتب الشهرية للعاملين فيها.”

“In the context of taking precautionary measures to limit the spread of the Corona virus in the country, the Jordanian government decided, on March 13, to stop printing paper newspapers on the pretext that they contribute to the transmission of infection,” which exacerbated its crisis, especially with regard to the accumulation of monthly salaries for workers.”

“طالبت نقابة الصحافيين الأردنيين، الحكومة بدعمٍ عاجل لقطاعِ الصحافةِ الورقيّة لإنقاذ الموظفين، إثر الأزمةِ الماليّة التي نتجت عن العزل والحجر الصحي في فترةِ الجائحة العالميّة.”

“The Jordanian Journalists Syndicate called on the government to urgently support the paper-based press sector to save employees, following the financial crisis that resulted from isolation and quarantine during the global pandemic.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/jordan/

“Serious security vulnerabilities in Qatar’s mandatory coronavirus contact-tracing app, uncovered by Amnesty International, must act as a wake-up call to other governments to ensure privacy safeguards are central to the roll-out of similar apps.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/qatar/

“Global health experts warn misinformation as dangerous as pandemic as Iraqi media claims coronavirus treatment found.”

“Iraq has suspended the license of the Reuters news agency after it published a story saying the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country was higher than officially reported.”

“Demand for independent media grows in Iraq as Covid-19 wakes people up to the need for impartial information. Activists see the crisis as a chance to boost transparency legislation.”

“يكشف وباء “كورونا” ازمة الاعلام العراقي المستحكمة، وبدى عليه غياب الخبرة في التعاطي مع قضية عالمية ومحلية بهذا الحجم.”

“The Corona pandemic reveals the entrenched Iraqi media crisis, as it appears to lack experience in dealing with a global and local issue of this size.”

 

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/iraq/

“The Coronavirus epidemic has not spared the media sector in Algeria. The media landscape, consisting mainly of the paper press, could be transformed by this health crisis. A change that requires real awareness of professionals, publishers, and public authorities.”

“Instead of combatting the spread of Covid-19 in what is North Africa worst hit country, the Algerian authorities are exploiting the pandemic to harass independent journalists and media and to gag press freedom.”

“أمام تفشي وباء كورونا المستجد( كوفيد- 19)، يقف الإعلام في الجزائر أمام تحدٍ كبير، حول كيفية التعامل وتغطية التطوّرات المتعلقة بجائحة كورونا، حيث اهتمّت وسائل إعلامية في كثير من الأحيان إلى محاربة الشائعات أكثر من اهتمامها بنشر المعلومات.”

“In the face of the outbreak of the new Corona pandemic (Covid-19), the media in Algeria faces a great challenge, on how to deal with and cover developments related to the Corona pandemic, as media outlets have often paid more attention to fighting rumors than to spread information.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/algeria/

“This working paper explores media and information uses of individuals living in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to understand which media and information sources people prioritize and trust during pandemics, their relation to people’s knowledge, perceived knowledge, belief in myths, fears, and compliance with prevention measures. The analysis explores the role of education, media literacy, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and other factors in influencing the level of adherence to prevention measures, the level of knowledge about COVID-19, and the prevalence of believing in myths and false information.”

This report presents findings from an analysis of 165 responses to a survey of a strategic sample of known and identified independent news media organisations on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted them, combined with interviews with a critical sample of seven independent news media operating in middle income countries with some or significant limitations on media freedom across the globe. The bulk of the survey responses were collected from June to August 2020. One of the focus countries in this study is Lebanon.

“Lebanon’s highly partisan legacy media temporarily set aside their usual politicised approach and instead focused on the common goal of raising public awareness of the seriousness of the health emergency.”

“In the middle of the coronavirus crisis, Lebanese media Daraj are seeing a growing demand for solution-oriented journalism.”

“ما حقيقة الدور الذي لعبه “الإعلام البديل” خلال حركة الاحتجاجات الشعبية التي عمّت مختلف مناطق لبنان؟ كيف تعاطى معه “الإعلام التقليدي”؟ وهل كان منافسًا له؟ وما مستقبل “الإعلام البديل” في مساندة الاحتجاجات ما بعد تفشي جائحة “كوفيد-19″؟”

“What is the role that the “alternative media” played during the protest movement that spread throughout Lebanon? How did the „traditional media” deal with it? What is the future of “alternative media” in support of the protests after the outbreak of the “Covid-19” pandemic?”

“يمكن القول إن الإعلام اللبناني أمسك بأطراف الخيط، وراح يستضيف أهل العلم والطبّ للوقوف على حقيقة كورونا ومستجداته ومآله، وانغمس نوعاً ما في “فلاشات” التوعية والتحذير، ودعوة الناس إلى التزام الحجر في بيوتهم، للإسهام في الحدّ من انتشار الفيروس تحت عنوان “خليك بالبيت”.”

“It can be said that the Lebanese started hosting scholars to find out the truth about Corona, its developments, and somehow indulged in awareness-raising and calling on people to commit to quarantine in their homes, to contribute to limiting the spread of the virus under the motto “Stay at home” .”

الهدف من الدراسة هو تحديدُ مصادر المعلومات الأساسيّة المعتمدة في أوقات الأزمات؛ بالإضافة إلى تحديد مستويات إدراك الناس، ومعارفِهم، ومدى تصديقهم للخرافات، ومخاوفِهم، وعاداتِهم الوقائيّة، أثناء الجائحة. بإمكانكم الوصول إلى الدراسة بوساطة هذا الرابط: https://www.areacore.org/mitigating-infodemics-media-uses-and-trust-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

The researchers aim to understand which media and information sources people prioritize and trust during pandemics, their relationship to people’s knowledge, perceived knowledge, fears, belief in myths, and compliance with prevention measures. You can access the study here: https://www.areacore.org/mitigating-infodemics-media-uses-and-trust-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

تستكشف الدراسة عن استخدامات وسائل الاعلام والاتصال من قبل الافراد في لبنان خلال جائحة كوفيد-19 بهدف تحديد وسائل الاعلام ومصادر المعلومات التي يعتمدها الناس ويثقون بها في اوقات الجائحة، وعلاقتها بمستوى ادراكهم، معارفهم المتصورة، تصديقهم للخرافات، مخاوفهم، ومدى التزامهم بإجراءات الوقاية. بإمكانكم الوصول إلى الدراسة بوساطة هذا الرابط: https://www.areacore.org/mitigating-infodemics-media-uses-and-trust-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

 The study explores the uses of media by individuals in Lebanon during the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim of identifying media and sources of information that people prioritize and trust in times of the pandemic, and their relationship to people’s knowledge, perceived knowledge, fears, belief in myths, and compliance with prevention measures. You can access the study here: https://www.areacore.org/mitigating-infodemics-media-uses-and-trust-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

 

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/lebanon/

“Local media and media organisations have used the pandemic to firmly establish the importance of independent, inclusive reporting and push critical, fact-based coverage to new levels.”

“على الرغم من تطور وسائل الاتصالات وانتشار الفضائيات واشتداد التنافس بين وسائل الاعلام المختلفة، إلا أن موضوع الإعلام والأزمات عند الإعلاميين الفلسطينيين لم يرق بعد إلى المستوى المطلوب، حيث ما زال رجال الإعلام يتجاهلون بأن مهنتهم هي ركن أساسي من أركان مواجهة الأزمات واحتوائها”

“Despite the development of the means of communication, the spread of satellite channels, and the intensification of competition between various media, the The dynamic of media in a situation of crisis among the Palestinian media has not yet reached the required level, as journalists continue to ignore that their profession is a fundamental pillar of crisis response and containment.”

“لحسن الحظ أن الإعلام الرسمي الفلسطيني التزم مواقف وزارة الصحة الفلسطينية التي اعتمدت تعليمات منظمة الصحة العالمية إلى حد كبير، وهذا جَنَّبَ الإعلام الرسمي الذي كان حاضراً باعتباره مصدراً للمعلومة والرواية الفلسطينية، الوقوع في براثن الشائعات والمعلومات المضللة بشأن فيروس كوفيد 19. ومن جهة أُخرى، تسللت الإشاعات والمعلومات الخطأ إلى المواطنين عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي وبعض مراكز المعلومات التي تداولت الشائعات كأخبار دون أن تعالجها من خلال ذوي الاختصاص في الجهاز الصحي، فانعكس التداول سلباً على الرأي العام.”

“Fortunately, the Palestinian official media adhered to the positions of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which largely adopted the instructions of the World Health Organization, and this prevented the official media that was present as a source of Palestinian information and narration, from falling into the clutches of rumors and misinformation about the Covid 19. On the other hand, rumors and false information spread through social media and some information centers that circulated rumors as news without being dealt with by specialists in the health system, and this negatively affected public opinion.”

” كشفت أزمة الكورونا فيروس أغلب المشاكل التي يعاني منها الإعلام الفلسطيني والحاصل أنّ الإعلام الفلسطيني لا يقوم بدوره من تفسير واستقصاء وتحرّي، وغير قادر على إنتاج صحافة الجودة.”

“The Coronavirus crisis revealed most of the problems that the Palestinian media suffers from, and the conclusion is that the Palestinian media does not carry out its role of interpretation, investigation and investigation, and it is unable to produce quality journalism.”

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/palestine/

“The Syrian regime’s government has pushed for action against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), with the help of official and affiliated pro-regime media outlets’ coverage.”

“In North Eastern Syria, local authorities were not prepared for the coronavirus crisis. As a result, local media ARTA FM made it their mission to inform their listeners on how to stay safe and help to flatten the curve.”

“كشفت دراسة جديدة، كيفية تعامل إعلام نظام الأسد مع ملف فيروس كورونا في سوريا، بطريقة روجت لأعمال الحكومة وقراراتها المتعلقة بالوباء، باعتبارها إجراءات استثنائية مقارنة بإجراءات الدول الغربية “الفاشلة”.”

“A new study revealed how the Assad regime’s media dealt with the Corona virus in Syria, in a way that promoted the government’s actions and decisions related to the pandemic, as exceptional measures compared to the “failed” measures of Western countries.”

 

“The consequences of Covid-19 will affect media all over the world, but women journalists are particularly vulnerable. The Syrian Female Journalists Network works to improve the working conditions and safety of women journalists in and through media, and its cause is no less important during a pandemic.”

 

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/syria/

This study investigates how Yemeni online journalism has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzes four of online news websites that represent the various political actors in Yemen. It concludes that all parties used the pandemic for political ends, considering it an opportunity to mobilize Yemeni public opinion, exchange accusations among themselves, blame each other, and hold the “Other” responsible for spreading the virus. Conspiracy theories were remarkably present in the news discourse, such as the belief that the virus was being manufactured in laboratories to harm people and gain financial benefits by selling the vaccine. Rumors were being spread and embraced, while fact-checking was noticeably absent in some cases.

🎥: Yemen & Corona: War x War

“مع تفشي وباء كورونا المستجد في اليمن يستمر الحوثيون في فرض تعتيم إعلامي عن الحالات المصابة التي تمثل إنذاراً للسكان للكثير من الاحتياطات لمنع تفشي فيروس كورونا المستجد (كوفيد-19)، ما انعكس على إجراءات الميليشيا المسلحة في مناطق سيطرتها ورفضت القيام بالإجراءات الاحترازية المبكرة لمنع تفشي الفيروس.”

“With the outbreak of the new Corona pandemic in Yemen, the Houthis continue to impose a media blackout on the infected cases that serve as a warning to the population for many precautions to prevent the outbreak of the new Corona virus (Covid-19), which was reflected on the armed militia’s measures in their areas of control and refused to take early precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak Virus.”

“هدفت هذه الدراسة بشكل رئيس إلى معرفة مدى تعرض واعتماد الجمهور اليمني على الاعلام المحلي كمصدر للمعلومات خلال أزمة كرونا، ورصد مستوى التأثيرات المعرفية والعاطفية والسلوكية المترتبة على ذلك.”

“This study mainly aimed to find out the extent of the Yemeni public’s exposure and dependence on the local media as a source of information during the Corona crisis, and to monitor the level of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral effects resulting from that.”

“يعتبر دليل التغطية الصحفية الجيدة لكوفيد19 وثيقة معرفية ومنهجية مهمة لتطوير مهارات الصحفيين اليمنيين في مجال التغطية الصحفية الجيدة للأمراض والأوبئة، وخاصة جائحة كوفيد-19.”

“The Handbook of Good Press Coverage of Covid-19 is considered an important knowledge and methodological document for developing the skills of Yemeni journalists in the field of good reporting of diseases and epidemics, especially the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“يعتمد احتواء انتشار الفيروس على أربعة عوامل: البنية التحتية الصحية، والإدارة السياسية والأمنية والإعلامية، وبناء على هذه العوامل، تناقش هذه الورقة التداعيات والتأثيرات التي سيسببها وباء كورونا في اليمن، وفق ثلاثة محاور رئيسية: العسكرية، والسياسية، الصحية، والانسانية، والاقتصادية.”

“Containing the spread of the virus depends on four factors: the health infrastructure, and the political, security and media management, and based on these factors, this paper discusses the repercussions and impacts that the Corona pandemic will cause in Yemen, according to three main axes: military and political, health and humanitarian, and economic.”

“لعبت المنصات الإعلامية الصينية الصادرة باللغة العربية دورًا رئيسيًا في نشر سردية الحزب الشيوعي المفضلة حول وباء كرونا إلى الجماهير الخليجية والعربية على نطاق واسع.”

“Chinese media platforms issued in Arabic language have played a major role in spreading the Communist Party’s favorite narrative about the Corona pandemic to a wide range of Gulf and Arab audiences.”

“اختزلت أنباء انتشارفيروس كورونا في العالم بالنسبة لليمنيين بشعور واحد: الخوف”. يرصد المقال عددا من الحوارات والمساجلات الأثيرية التي جرت بين عدد من النشطاء على “فيسبوك”، بالإضافة إلى الجهود الشخصية، والمبادرات الرامية للتوعية بجائحة كرونا، وكيفية تجنب الإصابة”


“The news of the spread of the Corona virus in the world has been reduced for Yemenis to one feeling: fear.” The article reports a number of ethereal dialogues and debates that took place between a number of activists on “Facebook”, in addition to personal efforts and initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the Corona pandemic, and how to avoid infection.”

“النقاش حول فيروس كورونا في اليمن عكس أجواء من السجال، قبل إعلان الإصابة الأولى في البلاد وبعدها، وفتح النقاش حول أزمة المصداقية ومسئولية النشر خلال الأحداث الحساسة.”

“The debate about the Coronavirus in Yemen reflected an atmosphere of controversy, before and after the announcement of the first infection in the country, and opened the discussion about the crisis of credibility and responsibility for publishing during sensitive events.”

     تم الوصول إليه بتاريخ (13.10.2020)

“هدفت الدراسة إلى استكشاف نماذج من المبادرات المجتمعية التي وظفت تطبيقات الإنترنت في الحد من تفشي وباء كوفيد-19 في اليمن، واستخدمت الدراسة منهج دراسة الحالة من خلال تسليط الضوء على حالتين، هما: مبادرة “طبيبي”، ومبادرة “أنا طبيب أنا معك”، كمبادرتين مجتمعيتين ساهمتا في تقديم الاستشارات الطبية عن بُعد وخدمة الدعم النفسي للمصابين والمشتبه إصابتهم بكوفيد-19، وتم جمع البيانات باستخدام عدة أدوات، منها: المسح المكتبي، وأداتي تحليل المضمون والمقابلة”

 

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/yemen/

🎥: Media and Coronavirus Pandemic in Oman

“The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the way professors teach, work and carry out research.  The survey reveals that researchers who study the Middle East and North Africa are more likely to face increased challenges.”

“Oman’s public prosecution stated in a report that legal action had been taken against people who published and promoted false reports and rumors on the spread of covid-19.”

“Media reports on various themes regarding the Covid-19 pandemic in Oman. The stories as covered by the Oman Observer include different sources.”

 

🌐: https://www.areacore.org/ims/oman/

Europe

🎥: Male Expertocracy: The Media and Corona in Germany

“The work of journalists has changed since coronavirus pandemic, worldwide: working at home and restrictions on outdoor activities make everyday life more difficult; some authorities try to manipulate the reporting or spread fake news themselves, journalists have been hindered in their work, attacked, interrogated and even arrested.”

“EJO German staff writers look at the coverage of the coronavirus crisis by public service broadcasters and local media, and consider the impact of the economic fallout on the journalistic profession.”

“Czechs seeking reliable information about the pandemic have been turning to trusted news brands, with the result that the public broadcaster and other quality media outlets have enjoyed something of a “corona bump”. In the long term, however, the economic downturn triggered by the crisis means that media in general face an uncertain future.”

“Restrictions on individual freedoms have placed some limits on the ability of Dutch journalists to perform their watchdog role. Government officials have become less accessible, which has made shining a light on affairs of state and engaging in critical journalism a greater challenge than it was in the past.”

“In Romania, the imposition of a state of emergency brought with it measures limiting freedom of speech and free access to information: practices such as content take-down, the blocking of online publications, criminal complaints and threats of legal action were used to intimidate the press. It remains to be seen whether these practices were just a one-off or if they will set a precedent.”

“The coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented worldwide crisis that for journalists has thrown ethical issues into sharper relief than ever before, according to
Tina Bettels-Schwabbauer and Paula Kennedy, of the European Journalism Observatory.”

Globally

“COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom. Amidst an ongoing global decline in democratic freedoms, the pandemic has severely affected the work of media outlets and independent journalists. Functioning media are, however, a precondition for reliable information, government accountability—and for an inclusive recovery from the repercussions of the global health crisis. What are the most pressing challenges the media have faced during the pandemic? And how can these challenges be addressed? What can governments, donors and civil society organizations do?.”

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