Journalists and telling the coronavirus story

Press scrum: Journalists have been blamed for the panic around the pandemic PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
Press scrum: Journalists have been blamed for the panic around the pandemic PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

Coronavirus is a huge story, so journalists must apply the highest ethical standards in how they tell it, writes DENIS MULLER*

MELBORNE, Australia: From an ethical perspective, covering the coronavirus story is really hard to do well. The reason for this lies in an inherent conflict between two ethical obligations: the obligation to truth-telling and the obligation not to add unjustifiably to public anxiety.

From the earliest days, when the virus spread rapidly in China and began to cause deaths, a degree of anxiety enveloped the world. This swiftly accelerated into panic as it became clear that, in an age of global connectedness, no country was going to be immune.

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

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