CTQ 7

Media and disasters: enhancing panic or preventing it?

1. What needs changing? – I believe that the way events are presented should be
changed. Whenever there are disasters, take the recent COVID-19 pandemic,
information should be presented in the most objective yet sensitive way, so as to
inform and mobilize people but not evoke unnecessary panic and a feeling of
helplessness. The presence of over exaggeration, fake news, and subjectivism in
the delivery of important information creates tension within society and may
eventually downgrade the credibility of the media sources and the validity of the
information, which in cases of disasters is vital. For example, I believe this is the
exact reason as to why most people no longer perceive the true magnitude of the
current situation with the virus. We have been flooded with contradictory ever-
changing information from various sources and this causes confusion among
people. Thereby, they eventually begin perceiving everything as a lie and
potentially failing to recognize some crucial details.

2. Why does this need changing? - This aspect of how media portrays disastrous
events needs to be changed in order to bring forth proper reactions and
consequently right actions in people. One example that immediately comes in
mind with respect to the current global situation and the spread of the corona
virus, is how the significance of the situation is being presented. Especially during
catastrophic events, there is an increase in cyber propaganda and erroneous news,
backed up by questionable claims and statistics, circulating through the media,
which aim to influence and control the public opinion. On such occasions when
everybody needs remain unified and act in unison, this game-playing and self-
seeking is inadmissible.