"The fact that about half of the news-producing media organizations categorise themselves as having insufficient newsroom resources as far as equipment, technology and training are concerned suggests that there is still need to look into equipping newsrooms technologically and continuing efforts to
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upskill journalists in the region. As regards positive journalistic practices in content production, such as fact-checking and adhering to ethics, there is generally confidence that the right systems and procedures are in place. Sufficient and regular pay for newsroom staff is however lower ranked. Considering that journalism is a talent good and the best talents are retained by, among other factors, sufficient remuneration, this is an issue worth keeping an eye on, if media houses in the region want to retain high quality staff who will produce high quality content in the long run. On finances, the fact that government funding was a stabilizing factor during the COVID-19 pandemic argues for creating structures that would enable media houses to access government support in times of need – such as a permanent fund – but only so long as it does not come at the price of editorial independence." (Conclusion, page 64)
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"Während der Corona-Pandemie und der damit verbundenen Einschränkungen des öffentlichen Lebens hat sich der Medienkonsum in allen Bereichen signifikant erhöht. Um auf dem Laufenden und mit anderen in Kontakt zu bleiben, aber auch um sich zu unterhalten und abzulenken, nutzten (und nutzen) die Me
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nschen sowohl die traditionellen Angebote als auch die digitalen Medien- und Kommunikationstechnologien in stärkerem Ausmaß. Medienangebote haben während der Pandemie neben der Informations- auch psychosoziale Funktionen. Die stärker ausgeprägte Nutzung von Medien, die interpersonale Kommunikation und hohe soziale Präsenz ermöglichen (z.B. Video-Calls, Instant-Messenger), ist ein Indikator für das starke soziale Bedürfnis während der Pandemie, das durch den Gebrauch entsprechender Technologien befriedigt werden soll. Neben nützlichen Funktionen können dabei auch eher problematische Folgen der Mediennutzung beobachtet werden. Das Internet wirkt sich beispielsweise in der Krisenzeit positiv als Kommunikationsweg aus, um mit anderen in Kontakt zu bleiben und Informationen zu erhalten. Gleichzeitig berichten die Nutzer aber auch von Überforderung und Erschöpfung sowie negativen emotionalen Auswirkungen durch die Berichterstattung. Mit andauernder Krise zeigen sich zudem Anzeichen dafür, dass weniger Informationen gesucht werden und es bei vielen Menschen zur Informationsüberlastung hinsichtlich des Themas Corona-Pandemie gekommen ist. Wenn subjektiv eine kritische Masse an COVID-19-Informationen erreicht ist, können auch negative Effekte, wie zum Beispiel depressive Symptome, entstehen. Um die psychosozialen Belastungen abzufedern und das Wohlbefinden zu steigern, nutzen die Konsumenten spezifische inhaltliche Medienangebote. So dient zum Beispiel die Rezeption nostalgischer Medieninhalte neben der Unterhaltung auch der Bewältigung von Isolationsbefürchtungen. Als weitere hilfreiche Strategie, um das Bedürfnis nach Zugehörigkeit und sozialen Kontakten zu befriedigen, kann auch die Intensivierung parasozialer Beziehungen mit medialen Charakteren (Prominenten, Personas u.ä.) dienen. Spezifische Medienangebote können somit auch die Funktion haben, einen Ausgleich zur belastenden Situation in der Krise zu bieten." (https://www.ard-media.de/media-perspektiven)
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"With over 309 licensed radio stations, numerous public and private TV stations, and rapid growth in internet accessibility and usage, the media landscape in Uganda is dynamic, diverse, and rapidly evolving. Ugandans across the country from rural villages to urban centers are presented increasingly
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with more channels to meet their wide-ranging information needs. While radio remains the dominant medium of information for both women and men across Uganda, there remains enormous divides across the country that fuel unequal access to information and media consumption behaviors. The media sector is further challenged by poorly skilled media professionals, low quality journalism, a complex regulatory environment that is often not understood by media professionals and broadcasters, and high levels of self-censorship. The COVID-19 pandemic has both cemented the media’s position as an essential service provider, as well as challenged the sector, affecting advertising revenue, employment, the quality and quantity of content production, and the ability to meet the information needs of their audiences." (Publisher description)
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"COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom. Amidst an ongoing global decline in democratic freedoms, the pandemic has severely affected the work of media outlets and independent journalists. Functioning media are, however, a precondition for r
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eliable information, government accountability — and for an inclusive recovery from the repercussions of the global health crisis. What are the most pressing challenges the media have faced during the pandemic? And how can these challenges be addressed? What can governments, donors and civil society organizations do? This discussion paper highlights some of the most relevant problems and recommendations on how to tackle them." (Page 1)
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"The road to creating a successful corporate culture in the new hybrid work era is lined with landmines, but it is also loaded with new opportunities for more diverse, more motivated, and more talented workforces. Financial sustainability was already a dicey challenge pre-Covid. Companies producing
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undifferentiated content for unengaged audiences on the back of display advertising were doomed in the long run. That long run was shortened to a matter of months. The companies that were already diversified were able to adapt and diversify further, bolstering streams that were working (subscription-driven newsletters), pivoting on streams that had to change (live events to virtual events), and adding new or enhancing existing streams that fit the moment (e-learning, clubs, and ecommerce). Publishers who were already creating unique content found readers willing and eager to pay for it. Readers reacted positively to long-form journalism, while also finding utility in quick-hit, information-packed short-form pieces and graphic-only content. Video in all its glories - searchable, animation, personalised, live, interactive, social media (TikTok), etc. - flourished. Some print publishers, while taking the expected hit from newsstand shut-downs, pivoted to a strategy of increasing quality and price while decreasing frequency, and they found ready, hungry, and growing audiences. Other print publishers leveraged the print media's reputation as a trusted source of information to drive subscriptions and sales of one-off topical publications. In a world awash in misinformation, readers have shown a willingness to pay for information they know they can trust. Audiences also began to reward media companies who engaged in and promoted their sustainable activities by voting with their subscription payments and donations for corporate environmental responsibility." (Executive summary, page 4)
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"Journalists play a critical role in the dissemination of health information to the public. This chapter explores the challenges created by COVID-19 for journalists in Pakistan. It also examines how the pandemic has shed light on the disparities and safety risks in the Pakistani journalism and expos
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ed fault lines in journalism practices in the country. The authors randomly selected 50 profiles of journalists from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and analyzed the publicly available posts they created or shared on their profiles (n= 823). They found that the journalists were mainly concerned about their own well-being and the well-being of their families. They received threats for covering COVID-19 related stories. They were not trained enough to cover a health crisis like COVID-19, and therefore, a majority of the journalists did not follow standard operating procedures outlined by the Government of Pakistan. They suggest that the Government of Pakistan view these journalists as essential workers and frame precautions from healthcare organizations." (Abstract)
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"Across the globe, governments have issued emergency and drastic measures aimed at tracking the spread of COVID-19 and safeguarding public health. Notwithstanding the necessity and importance of some of these measures, this work argues that numerous governments around the world used the pandemic cri
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sis as a pretext to push through restrictions that hamper critical journalism. Drawing from worldwide press freedom monitoring tools and platforms established by various credible global organizations, this study shows that the pandemic crisis exacerbates existing obstacles to press freedom and adds new dimensions to the already documented threats. This is evident not only in authoritarian states, but also in western democracies. Most of the threats documented specifically aim to silence digital journalism, which has gained significant momentum as a result of the pandemic crisis. Overall, the main target of this work is to offer an enriched conceptual approach to the types of threats that press freedom faces in the context of global crisis situations." (Abstract)
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"In the first pandemic of the datafied society, the disempowered were denied a voice in the heavily quantified mainstream narrative. Featuring stories of invisibility, injustice, hope and resistance, this book gives voice to communities at the margins in the Global South and beyond. The multilingual
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, polycentric and pluriversal narration invites the reader to enact and experience “Big Data from the South(s)” as a decolonial lens to read the pandemic." (Back cover)
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"Dozens of plans to help save journalism have emerged since the Covid-19 pandemic decimated media outlets around the world. This report summarizes some of the trends we’ve seen and evaluates where they currently stand. Most promising are Australia’s efforts to get Google and Facebook to pay for
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news and efforts in the U.S. to get laws and investment that would support local news." (Executive summary)
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"In terms of quality of media coverage, there are various outcomes: In Asia, for example, small and independent outlets, able to provide reliable information, gained momentum, whereas citizens in the MENA-region turned to social media in search of trustworthy facts on the coronavirus. In South-Easte
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rn Europe, pseudo-journalism and fake news spread mainly via the Internet, while in sub-Saharan Africa innovative formats emerged, which also enhanced the quality of reporting. In many regions and countries, not least in Germany, demand for factbased, reliable reporting increased, offering an opportunity for quality-oriented media to regain audiences’ trust. The economic situation is difficult for almost all media outlets worldwide, although there are some differences. In Central and Eastern Europe, for example, pro-government media continued to benefit from state-sponsored advertising, while other media suffered even more acute drops in revenue. In many regions, media outlets expanded their online presence to partly compensate these losses by introducing additional paywalls, as was the case in the US, for example. In Latin America, many news outlets had to reduce their staff shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19 due to a shortfall in revenues. Small, independent outlets in Asia and Central Eastern Europe could raise their income through an increase in memberships or subscriptions. In Central Eastern Europe, especially younger generations acknowledged that quality journalism requires financing, while in Southeast Europe, it is still uncommon to pay for online media consumption, which is a setback for independent online journalism." (At a glance, page 2-3)
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"The five research streams are listed below. For each stream, three top research questions were identified, resulting in a list of 15 top priority research questions for the public health research agenda for infodemic management. Further, we listed for each subcategory a second tier of important res
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earch questions, totalling 50 questions [...] Research stream 1: Measure and monitor the impact of infodemics during health emergencies [...] Research stream 2: Detect and understand the spread and impact of infodemics [...] Research stream 3: Respond and deploy interventions that protect against the infodemic and mitigate its harmful effects [...] Research stream 4: Evaluate infodemic interventions and strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities to infodemics [...] Research stream 5: Promote the development, adaptation and application of tools for managing infodemics ..." (Annex 1, page 19 ff.)
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"The pandemic marks a new technological milestone in audiences’ media usage and habits, one that has thus far been both positive – through the interconnectedness and agency – and negative – because of a lack of access for some – for cultural diversity and intercultural relations. The adopt
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ion of mobile internet skyrocketed in the region, and some countries, particularly Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have ranked among the countries with the highest penetration rates globally for platforms such as Facebook and YouTube." (Page 1)
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"With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic came a flood of novel misinformation. Ranging from harmless false cures to dangerous rhetoric targeting minorities, coronavirus-related misinformation spread quickly wherever the virus itself did. Fact-checking organizations around the world took up the
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charge against misinformation, essentially crowdsourcing the task of debunking false narratives. In many places, engagement with coronavirus-related content drove a large percentage of overall user engagement with fact-checking content, and the capacity organizations developed to address coronavirus-related misinformation was later deployed to debunk misinformation on other topics." (Abstract)
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"This white paper discusses how digital technologies are building COVID resilience, shaping and accelerating the recovery, and diffusing within Asia Pacific region (APAC) in ways that are likely to persist in a post-COVID world. Section 1 presents the role of digital technologies in the Sustainable
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Development Goals (SDGs), examines the digital divide during COVID-19, and how APAC economies have been affected by the crisis. Section 2 presents six cases of resilience, providing examples of how digital technologies can help solve immediate, pressing problems. Hien, a business owner in Vietnam, demonstrates how MSMEs can go digital when entrepreneurs have the appropriate training. Miss Thanchanok Kamwinit, a teacher in Thailand, describes her work educating a new generation of digital citizens about online risks. Irfani recalls her journey to becoming a data scientist in Jakarta, where digital skills are in high demand. Sokneang, a co-founder and CEO of a fair trade startup in Cambodia, describes how digital platforms have been used in the agri-food sector during the pandemic. Gulshan, a Google Research Scientist, performs clinical trials in India to apply AI-based technologies in healthcare. Finally, Teh, a Malaysian citizen, volunteers in a vaccination center thanks to a digital platform that facilitates his civic engagement. Section 3 describes how digital technologies can drive the near future - the “new normal,” including the future of work as impacted by automation, and the need to transition to a low carbon economy. Section 4 discusses lessons and guidelines for a policy response." (Executive summary, page 5)
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"Reflexionar sobre la radio en tiempos de coronavirus resulta sano y necesario para el medio de comunicación. ¿Cómo no registrar su comportamiento en un momento tan único para la humanidad? Ante la necesaria reflexión, se presentan 20 aprendizajes o desafíos para el más oral de los medios de
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comunicación y, en tal sentido, se propone un diálogo nacional con formadoras y formadores del área, de 16 ciudades de Colombia, para ampliar cada aprendizaje y describir, en una página, el sentir de los autores sobre los movimientos del dial en tempos de pandemia. Tras la generosidad de cada formador, el documento escrito toma fuerza y entonces la mirada se amplía. El texto pasa a formato radio y en la voz de cada escritor se convierte en una serie radial de 20 capítulos de 5 minutos de duración, en los que se abordan temas como: El sonido; La programación radiofónica; La radio hablada; Reaprender en el dial; Radio y ciencia; Los estudiantes, nuevos educadores; Un poco de todo; Radio y virtualidad; Radio y redes sociales; La radio aprende; Radio en positivo; Financiación radial; La radio triunfa; Las audiencias; Humanizarnos para humanizar; Periodismo de soluciones; Periodismo explicativo; ¿Migración de soporte?; Ley de medios, y No apagues la radio." (Introducción)
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"La comparación con los años previos pone en evidencia el brutal desplome de la producción durante 2020 a raíz de los confinamientos y otras restricciones debidos a la pandemia de COVID-19. Tomada como un todo, la exhibición nacional de estreno cayó respecto de 2019 en un 41%, pero en algunos
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casos se llegó al 80% y 90% de caída. En términos absolutos, la mayor caída se reportó en Brasil, cuyo 68% de caída se tradujo en 891 horas menos de ficción. La única excepción fue Uruguay, que tuvo un aumento explosivo, pero desde una base de comparación muy baja. Lo anómalo del año 2020 no debe ocultar algo probablemente más estructural. Nuevamente, tomado el ámbito Obitel como un todo, la caída de un 41% este último año se agrega a la caída acumulada de un 22% que ya arrastraban los dos años anteriores a la pandemia. Este retroceso en la producción de ficción para televisión abierta no debe ser leído únicamente como una caída en la capacidad productiva. El volumen de material de estreno en VoD, mostrado más adelante, sugiere que al menos una parte del fenómeno es un desplazamiento desde una ventana de exhibición hacia otra." (Página 41)
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