Journalistic Role Performance in Times of COVID

ABSTRACT

This paper examines journalistic role performance in coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a content analysis of newspaper, television, radio and online news in 37 countries. We test a set of hypotheses derived from two perspectives on the role of journalism in health crises. Mediatization theories assume that news media tend to sensationalize or to politicize health crises. A contrasting perspective holds that journalists shift toward more deferential and cooperative stances toward health and political authorities in a health crisis, attempting to mobilize the public to act according to the best science. Hypotheses derived from these perspectives are tested using the standard measures of journalistic roles developed by the Journalistic Role Performance Project. Results show that the deference/cooperation/consensus perspective is better supported, with media moving away from the Watchdog and Infotainment, and toward performance of the Service and Civic roles. We also explore differences in the pattern by country.

KEYWORDS:

• Journalism
• journalistic roles
• health news
• health crisis communication
• COVID-19
• content analysis

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The indicator covers the activities of various elite actors, but it is specifically defense/support of government actors that is higher in COVID coverage.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain: [CSO2017-82816-P]; Mitacs, Canada; National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary: [Grant Number 131990]; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaí­so; Toronto Metropolitan University; Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México; University of California, San Diego; Virginia Commonwealth University.