THE ROLE OF THE PRESS IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

During a global pandemic such as Covid-19, news media plays a vital role in informing the public on the current state of the crisis and any precautions that should be taken to ensure safety. While the media has and continues to produce timely and relevant information regarding the pandemic, some news organizations have not remained objective in their coverage.

News organizations in the United States covered the coronavirus before it even entered the country. In January of 2020, the media covered any known cases across the country and spread awareness about possible symptoms and how to prevent infection.

As the situation grew worse, the media outlets like The New York Times continued to publish articles relaying any information from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These types of articles have been crucially important to the public so they can stay up to date on medical professionals’ recommendations on how to stay safe. They also make new restrictions and mandates known to anyone who is affected.

Unfortunately, the media does not limit their coverage of the pandemic to necessary and objective stories. They began to use Covid-19 to attack government officials and organizations who have different values while promoting ones who have similar values.

A different article from the New York Times was clearly an attack aimed at Liberty University’s President, Jerry Falwell, as he is known to be very conservative and a close friend of President Trump.

The article was criticizing Falwell’s university policy, allowing their students to return to campus after spring break while colleges across the country were all sent home for remote learning. The article was full of false information, making Falwell out to be an ignorant leader who has no regard for the safety of his students or the citizens of Lynchburg.

News organizations that use a global pandemic to advance their own agenda are irresponsible. While Liberty University had some policies that differed from the norm and could be considered newsworthy, it was covered in a way that made the Republican Party look carefree during this frightening time.

The goal of this article, among many other articles, was to put the blame for spreading the virus on Republicans. It is no coincidence that the media outlets took advantage of these opportunities in the months leading up to the presidential election.

In a crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic, objective and unbiased news is what the country needs. The media should try to unify the nation to help solve the problem rather than point fingers and cause a divide.

While news media plays a vital role in keeping the world informed during the Covid-19 pandemic, organizations should refrain from using it to advance their own agendas as serves no value to the public.