Coronavirus catapults government communications into 21st century

The coronavirus pandemic is not only changing the way society lives, but also fundamentally the manner in which the media operates. And a leading media expert supports journalists who demand safety against the virus at media conferences even if that changes the way they do their work.

Caxton professor of Journalism at University of the Witwatersrand Anton Harber says those who call media briefings must take steps to ensure they are safe, and to set an example for the kind of adaptations needed to make to deal with this terrible virus.

“We are fortunate that digital and social media platforms allow us to have these media interactions at a distance. But there is a risk that journalism practised at a distance can be sterile. Sometimes the best stories at a media briefing happen off camera, perhaps in the corridor or an interaction just before or after the briefing. Sometimes reporters and officials need to look each other in the eye.

“These digital platforms can be used to give more people access to ask questions of ministers and presidents, or to control and limit them. We need to work to ensure the former happens,” Harber said.

Harber was reacting to the dreaded coronavirus which has forced an overnight digital revolution to the way journalists in South Africa interact with the government in media briefings. There has been a sudden surge in the demand for digitalised information, such as video footage and live broadcasts, instead of conventional media conferences, as a way to respect social distancing and avoid possible virus infection.

The government almost overnight changed from face-to-face interaction and talked to journalists via digital platforms like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Skype during media conferences. Though these channels may be old hat to most, it has taken government a while to start using them effectively.

As of Wednesday, the presidency, the Gauteng provincial government and even the ANC issued media releases not just on email and WhatsApp but also sent out information to journalists via YouTube, Twitter and Facebook with hyperlinks to social media platforms.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and his deputy, Jessie Duarte, this week broadcast their media statements via Facebook and Twitter. This was a sequel to an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that gatherings of more than 100 people were banned and that people should avoid personal contact or observe social distance.

Gauteng conducted their media briefings via live YouTube, Facebook and Twitter and at relayed the same messages through WhatsApp for journalists who could not be present at briefings.

Before this, some journalists had begun to avoid briefings where a large number of people was likely to be present.

Harber said while journalists had to be safe, it was not good that a journalist maintained a distance from the source as journalists sometimes needed to be able to button-hole powerful people in corridors, or doorstep them.

– ericn@citizen.co.za