Journalistic Role Performance in Times of COVID
Daniel Hallin
(1)
,
Claudia Mellado-Ruiz
(2)
,
Akiba Cohen
(3)
,
Nicolas Hubé
(4)
,
David Nolan
(5)
,
Gabriella Szabó
,
Yasser Abuali
(6)
,
Carlos Arcila
,
Maha Attia
(7)
,
Nicole Blanchett
(8)
,
Katherine Chen
(9)
,
Sergey Davydov
(10)
,
Mariana de Maio
(11)
,
Miguel Garcés
(12)
,
Marju Himma-Kadakas
(13)
,
María Luisa Humanes
(14)
,
Christi I-Hsuan Lin
(15)
,
Sophie Lecheler
(16)
,
Misook Lee
(17)
,
Mireya Márquez
,
Jamie Matthews
,
Karen Mcintyre
,
Jad Melki
,
Peter Maurer
,
Marco Mazzoni
,
Jacques Mick
,
Kristina Milić
,
Dasniel Olivera
,
Marcela Pizzaro
,
Fergal Quinn
,
Terje Skjerdal
,
Agnieszka Stępińska
,
Sarah van Leuven
,
Diana Viveros
,
Vinzenz Wyss
,
Natalia Ybáñez
1
UC San Diego -
University of California [San Diego]
2 PUCV - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
3 TAU - Tel Aviv University
4 Crem - Centre de Recherche sur les Médiations
5 University of Canberra
6 BU - Bournemouth University [Poole]
7 Ajman University
8 Toronto Metropolitan University
9 NCCU - National ChengChi University [Taipei]
10 HSE - Vysšaja škola èkonomiki = National Research University Higher School of Economics [Moscow]
11 Lehigh University [Bethlehem]
12 Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar
13 University of Tartu
14 URJC - Universidad Rey Juan Carlos = Rey Juan Carlos University
15 Rikkyo University [Tokyo]
16 Universität Wien = University of Vienna
17 UTokyo - The University of Tokyo
2 PUCV - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
3 TAU - Tel Aviv University
4 Crem - Centre de Recherche sur les Médiations
5 University of Canberra
6 BU - Bournemouth University [Poole]
7 Ajman University
8 Toronto Metropolitan University
9 NCCU - National ChengChi University [Taipei]
10 HSE - Vysšaja škola èkonomiki = National Research University Higher School of Economics [Moscow]
11 Lehigh University [Bethlehem]
12 Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar
13 University of Tartu
14 URJC - Universidad Rey Juan Carlos = Rey Juan Carlos University
15 Rikkyo University [Tokyo]
16 Universität Wien = University of Vienna
17 UTokyo - The University of Tokyo
Nicolas Hubé
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1875
- IdHAL : hube
- ORCID : 0000-0001-7226-7546
- IdRef : 095074341
Gabriella Szabó
- Function : Author
Carlos Arcila
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313096
- ORCID : 0000-0002-2636-2849
Sophie Lecheler
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313097
- ORCID : 0000-0001-7320-1012
Mireya Márquez
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313098
- ORCID : 0000-0001-5890-2363
Jamie Matthews
- Function : Author
Karen Mcintyre
- Function : Author
Jad Melki
- Function : Author
Peter Maurer
- Function : Author
Marco Mazzoni
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313099
- ORCID : 0000-0003-0367-7538
Jacques Mick
- Function : Author
Kristina Milić
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313100
- ORCID : 0000-0001-7863-8598
Dasniel Olivera
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313101
- ORCID : 0000-0002-0342-8278
Marcela Pizzaro
- Function : Author
Fergal Quinn
- Function : Author
Terje Skjerdal
- Function : Author
Agnieszka Stępińska
- Function : Author
Sarah van Leuven
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 1313102
- ORCID : 0000-0003-1136-0274
Diana Viveros
- Function : Author
Vinzenz Wyss
- Function : Author
Natalia Ybáñez
- Function : Author
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.