Emmanuel Chitsika
Media personnel and content creators in Masvingo province have been challenged to bear in mind their profession’s ethics when reporting on Covid-19 pandemic so that information dissemination would not end up being an ‘infordemic’.
Speaking during the launch of Covid-19 reporting guidelines supported by the European Union and United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at Chevron hotel in Masvingo on September25, 2021, Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) Executive Director Loughty Dube urged fellow journalists to exercise caution when handling the crisis so that the fourth estate would not create a ‘crisis within crisis’.
“Journalists are encouraged to ensure total adherence to ethical considerations of the profession that is paying particular attention to creating balance in news reporting, accuracy and truthfulness so that whatever information, they disseminate for public consumption will not result in an infordemic which is information pandemic.
“We have noted with concern the proliferation of bogus content creators and online publications where fake news have become predominant,” said Dube.
He also urged journalists to create and maintain their information sources in form of health experts such that they prepare good articles from an informed viewpoint.
“Covid-19 reporting goes beyond focusing or paying attention to post cabinet briefings or the Ministry of Health and Child Care reports thus coming up with thought provoking news articles,” he added.
Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum national coordinator Njabulo Ncube also weighed in placing emphasis on the need for journalists to guard against discriminatory jargon whenever they are called for duty and ensure they respond positively to capacitation on accurate reporting.
“As media we were caught up in this crisis, we had never reported on this new norm. Therefore, the guidelines are intended to guide us as we report on this new norm. Reporters did not understand the reporting on Covid-19 that led to them harassing of a Covid-19 positive person in Bulawayo.
“Covid-19 is not an elitist phenomenon but it is a crisis. No matter the circumstances, journalists are called to duty where they risk their lives as part of work routines. So let us embrace this new medical journalism subject as we provide coverage of the pandemic,” said Ncube.
Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) Nigel Mutumbuki however bemoaned the restrictive working environment journalists worked under during the peak of lockdown measures where the journos were at first not regarded as essential service providers hence difficulties in accessing information for publication.
“During the first days of the pandemic, most journalists worked from home where at first we were not recognised as essential service providers and it is not even clear on what our role would be in times of crisis.
“We have to really invest in a process of actually establishing on what we can do which is not just thinking while seated at our homes but something within the media fraternity. The survey looked at identifying the needs of the media that is personal safety (personal protective equipment), freedom from harassment as well as digital equipment for media sustainability and capacity concerns,” said Mutumbuki.
He also pointed out the challenge of lack of access to information affecting news gathering and reporting.
“Up to now the statutory instrument by government on Covid-19 that centralizes the dissemination of information and that the only official authority is central government which bureaucratize information thereby paralysing the reportage on the pandemic
“The fact that the legal frameworks criminalize the dissemination of what is deemed fake and can cause alarm and despondency, one would face a jail term and it is similar to criminal defamation. The best defence against fake news is doing away with infordemic which is the main thrust of what brought us here,” he added.
The empowerment workshop was meant to equip journalists with skills and expertise on how best they can go about the reporting on Covid-19 so that reporters accurately report on the subject at the same time doing away with sensationalizing news through unscrupulous newsgathering methods.
