Is the public figure status enough for publishing a person’s name infected with COVID-19? The answers were absolutely different at the beginning and at the end of webinar “Standards of Journalism during the Pandemic and Crisis” which was held on May 25-26.
The event was organized by the Academy of Ukrainian Press with the support of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
“At time of crisis, people are eager to trust information they would never believe in under the ordinary circumstances,” told Prof. Valeriy Ivanov, Doctor of Science, “We are introducing that following the standards of journalism is not one’s indulgence, it is a need to be accountable while informing the audience.”
Yevhen Honchar, state expert at the Directorate of Medical Services under the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine, showed and explained dashboards, analytical data and reports of public officials. He emphasized that even the official statistics can contain inaccuracies in cases of a prompt submission and processing of data. For example, according to the expert, all medical statistics in the UK has an officially recognized percentage of inaccuracy, However, the authorities made a decision to spend the costs on healthcare and medical services rather than to ensure the ultimate accuracy of reports and statistics.
Regional journalists were interested how to check overcrowding in hospitals, where to find clinical treatment protocols, and also asked to clarify the next steps in the implementation of medical reform.
Yurii Zhyhariev, PhD, infectious disease specialist, told about the struggle against COVID-19. He debunked popular myths about the masks with filters for daily use outside and the need to wear gloves all the time. “It is better to wash your hands more carefully and not to touch your mouth or nose outside,’ recommended the doctor and added, “It is also necessary to keep a social distance and avoid public gatherings.”
“Our audience is interested in simple and practical things,” emphasized Andrii Kovalenko, AUP’s executive manager, “We inform how to verify a source correctly, identify an expert’s qualification, write a sample of a future publication and make news interesting for the audience.”
Volodymyr Oliinyk, Foundation’s project coordinator, paid attention to the main areas of the Foundation’s activity, which correspond to the aspirations of Ukrainians: market economy and supremacy of law. He added that liberalism provides a citizen’s aware and responsible behavior towards the state and compatriots.
Next online webinar on the topic of becoming a blogger and informing the audience in a responsible way will be held on June 11-12, 2020 by the Academy of Ukrainian Press.
The Academy of Ukrainian Press promotes critical and informed media consumption, encourages following the standards of journalism, and explains the fundamentals of media literacy to teachers, children and adults.
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