Inside Story

Why are journalists reporting on the pandemic facing threats?

United Nations warns of a ‘second pandemic’ of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

The spread of the coronavirus and how to stop it dominates the news agenda of nearly every media outlet in the world right now.

Public health bodies rely on them to keep people informed. But journalists are facing threats as they try to separate fact from misinformation.

There have been reports of retaliation against the media since the global outbreak began.

Rights groups accuse some governments of using the pandemic as an excuse to censor the news and punish reporters.

So what are the challenges facing journalists?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests: 

Pierre Haski – President of Reporters Without Borders

Barkha Dutt – Television journalist

Danilo Arao – Associate professor of journalism at the University of the Philippines Diliman