Author: Amisha Priyadarshi, a law student at Amity University, Noida.
INTRODUCTION
Media has a remarkable impact on contemporary culture all over the world. Media in the contemporary world directly or indirectly controls the mindset of society. Pandemics have led to the deaths of millions of people, suffering, and the displacement of millions. It is impossible to accurately quantify human suffering due to the pandemic. During the pandemic period media plays a very crucial role, it fights the unusual crisis of public administration through digital corporations and social media platforms, because they are the heart of the crisis. This leads to the facilitation and multiplication of the pandemic related information and misinformation.
Media is significant for laying out information and news but some of that can be misinformation and can cause pain in the society especially during a pandemic. People in the society who see misinformation on television media and on its other social platforms, might think what they are reading or looking at is actually correct. During the pandemic, media has become the source of information for the world. A spate of wrong information that is accessible to the world through media and its social platforms can also mislead and cause disinformation. Media has the duty to impart the most authentic information to keep its readers and viewers knowledgeable[2].
A SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION
Since 2014, media has made immense developments such as social media have improved their terms of performance, communicating online, and following considerable misinformation campaigns that help the media provide credible information to the world.
Many organizations have been using media and its social platforms to communicate with the public about the pandemic crisis and to control the panic. Information through authentic sources often offers accuracy and also to blames the conspiracy theories built because of misinformation which has been spread[3].
Media is passionately battling the misinformation and fearmongering, it is now competent in censorship, with the aim to avoid the spread of misinformation. Media and its platforms have improved their quality of information, but they cannot improve human nature and thinking pattern, because the world will only adapt what they deceive. The major battle that the media battles has, is the crisis that they face about the truth and reliable facts, and affirm less on the capability to get the world to consider the misinformation as it has the ability to get the world to discredit the authentic information.
Media can only control and prevent the spreading of misinformation, but people should also avoid spreading the misinformation which is amplified on a vast scale. It is also in the hands of the public to avoid seeing and trusting everything that they see or read, unless and until it is laid out by authentic media or its platforms because the public is the tool for the bad actors to spread misinformation.
Media is the means to improve such crisis situations and it gives a beginning to a fair share of online fundraisers across the globe. People have given money to struggling hospitals, as well as individuals who are at the danger of losing their life due to pandemic. Multi-National companies across the globe are coming forward and also supporting their clients and employees to donate, and scientists across the world are collaborating with media and its social platforms to control panic during the crisis. This is allowing scientists and researchers to brainstorm possible prevention methods, solutions, and explanations. The public can make good use of media and its social platforms to morally support those who are suffering due to pandemic[4].
Media and its social platforms also have a bad angle, such as when they tend to allow the spreading of misinformation, making it tough to determine fact from fabrication, thus causing public confusion. The public is wired to react impulsively and share that misinformation if it emphasizes current faith and chauvinism, but the actors of the media think that this would prevent hate, in fact, they failed to see that technology would not change those who we are radical.
They often lower the quality of information to increase the existing panic by understanding the trends, constructed information that will increase the anger, or excite the targeted users who will become the messengers by spreading misinformation. Most of the misinformation constructed is not to influence the public but to cause confusion, anxiety and to undermine the trust in government, organizations, media, and various entities.
The media is not fully responsible for the spreading of misinformation though, misinformation is attractive to people because it is dramatic and interesting. People who begin the misinformation know that the public is viewing and spreading the content designed by them, so they make more of it, and sadly the public completes the cycle of misinformation when they read it[5].
The best general guideline for ensuring data is precise is to check unique sources and ensure that (a) those sources are to be sure reliable and (b) the data was transferred precisely. Just because somebody professes to have taken in something from a dependable source doesn’t mean they’re transferring that data precisely. A case was filed against the reporter of the well known and the oldest newspaper named Punjab Kesari, for publishing the false news, that a man from Mohali (which is the COVID-19 hotspot) came to Himachal Pradesh in Kullu District. After the investigation, this news found to be false, and accordingly, he was charged for the offense. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Shri Alakh Alok Srivastava V. Union of India, 2020[6], said that the spread of the virus can be increased due to the fake news prevailing in the society.
Predominant press inclusion has added to the issue, that many significant news outlets, journalists and editors with no clinical or general wellbeing were reassigned to cover the unfurling pandemic and are scrambling to keep a good pace with complex logical phrasing, procedures, research, and distinguish, just and vet a program of trustworthy sources[7]. Since many are not yet learned enough to report definitively on the science, they can once in a while lean too vigorously on customary news coverage esteems like parity, oddity, and strife. In doing as such, they lift up anomaly and off base counterarguments and theories, pointlessly muddying the water.
In the process of spreading information during the pandemic, the government has taken steps to protect the public through the help of media, its social platforms, and online service providers, but this process can be hazardous if the government or the administration does not grind the data after the pandemic, as it can be harmful to the people.
Administrations across the globe will have to co-ordinate with media and its social platforms since their reactions and ability to team up with governments and general wellbeing authorities will decide if media-based life is seen as a helpful vector of the pandemic.
INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL MEDIA
The media, whether local or international, will always face a considerable challenge in trying to cover pandemic. There will inevitably be commercial pressure to focus on the immediate, most violent, or dramatic incidents during the pandemic, at the expense of explaining the background and issues that may underpin the pandemic. Policymakers have a role in providing the circumstances in which the media and its social platforms can operate, a high responsibility falls on journalists and editors themselves. For local media, the problems are extremely complex. Local journalists and their families are far more exposed to intimidation and violence than international journalists who can move in and out of danger zones. The media itself is likely to be highly partisan by choice, funding, or as a result of intimidation.
One option is for local media to form partnerships with the international media, sharing and developing program ideas, access to donor initiatives, and so on. While the international organization is likelier to be stronger in its overall professionalism and technical resources, the local media will have the contacts and knowledge on the ground that the international lack. The international broadcast media can also offer rebroadcast arrangements to boost local media[8].
The international media should consider developing and sharing editorial guidelines to cover the crisis. Local media needs to be able to compete with powerful international players and international media groups need to recognize the importance of nurturing a local market and local media capacity. Local media should ensure authentic information by developing their own ethical guidelines and codes of conduct.
The media should recognize its responsibility for alleviating conflict by reporting accurately the activities and opinions of people from different sides to the conflict. Local media and its social platforms should encourage collaboration over the use of expensive resources, such as printing presses, fostering co-production arrangements, or rebroadcast arrangements with international media organizations.
A MARKETING PLATFORM
Marketing through media and its social platforms during a pandemic is increasing because media is helping the companies reach out to their targeted customers. During pandemic as the public are confined to stay sheltered, so the company’s take this as an advantage to promote its company and their objectives or products. This new progress in marketing has advanced and matured businesses. Marketing can become a dominant way for the public to remain in touch with the company or vice- versa and it will boost the pipeline generation during the pandemic. With the evolving media or digital landscape, communicating and appealing with the viewers can remain undisrupted, no matter what the scenario is – as long as you have the legitimate content marketing strategies in place[9].
Since marketing is predominantly, focusing on digital lead generation channels becomes essential. Marketers have noticed that rising media or digital expenditure will boost lead volume, but quality can vary. Some would argue that the quality of leads generated at a marketing can also vary – as long as the leads are carefully scrutinized. Marketing through media and its social platforms has provided absolute information during pandemics without any human intervention.
During the time of crisis, the main advantage of media or social media platform marketing is cost-related. Usually, during the normal period, financially barrier to social marketing is comparatively low but during the pandemic crisis, the cost barriers have increased.
A METHOD TO BRING POSITIVITY DURING THE ALARMING SCENARIO
When a severe scenario takes place, the first hunch may be to panic. Unfortunately, serious anxiety and stress can develop a complete meltdown. This reaction can cause damage in the long run to health and reduces the ability to perform optimally. So, during the crisis media and its social platforms help calm the panic among the public by spreading positive information or keep public occupied by providing entertainment platforms. Media and its social platforms are the crucial means for the public to know how the outside world is working while fighting the crisis by spreading positivity and ensuring to control calmness
No stage is great. Be that as it may, where there has been falsehood and dread on media and its social media platforms, there’s additionally been a plenitude of fundamental, lifesaving data, association with others, and worldwide solidarity. The capacity to impart encounters to loved ones assists with combatting both strict and passionate seclusion while additionally advising us that we’re all in this together[10].
During the pandemic stage, media and its social platforms should help raise fundraisers and distribute them through the help of media and its platforms to help those in need. Media and its platforms provide facilities for the public to post pictures and videos to share their experiences which might control the panic during the pandemic. These are only two or three a huge number of models where individuals have demonstrated their help and sympathy via media and its social platforms and keept in mind that tone and conveyance change, the message starting with one client then onto the next stays consistent: you are not the only one in this, there are silver linings to be delighted in, and it’s alright to encounter this in any number of ways.
CONCLUSION
There have been various situations in which the implication of media is being recognized. In enhancing all areas, it is crucial that media and its social platforms should play an important part as it is the scope of information amongst the globe among the public. The tools of media contribute in shaping individuals’ thoughts regarding the scenario and help calm the panic among the public. Internet, the important essential of media is regarded to be the most integral part that not only provides information but also creates awareness about the situations during the pandemic.
The concussion of media and its platforms upon the public during the pandemic has been in three major areas, these are governance impact, economic impact, and social impact. The individuals are required to possess appropriate behavioral traits, morality, and decency, in order to implement effective social impact.
There are a number of people having a place with oppressed, distraught, minimized, and financial in reverse segments of the general public, whose proficiency abilities are not very much evolved. These people do approach different types of media, for example, TV, radio, they can understand papers and magazines additionally much of the time and gain data to build up their status and prosperity. In this manner, it tends to be expressed that media has a significant task to carry out in the improvement of information and mindfulness among the people having a place with all classifications and foundations.
REFERENCES
[1] Amisha Priyadarshani, Amity Law School, Noida
[2]The Critical Role of the Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Americas Society / Council of the Americas, April 3, 2020.
[3]Janna Anderson and Lee Raine., The Future of Truth and Misinformation Online, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, Oct 19, 2017.
[4]Claire Wardle, Misinformation Has Created a New World Disorder, Scientific American, Sep 1, 2019.
[5]Barbara Turnbull, The psychology of misinformation, Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative
[6] MANU/SCOR/27996/2020
[7]Christina Pazzanese, Battling the ‘pandemic of misinformation, Harvard Gazette, May 8, 2020
[8]Ismael Mateus, The Role of Media During The Conflict And In The Construction Of Democracy, Conciliation Resources.
[9] Rubathee Nadaraja and Dr. Rashad Yazdanifard, Social Media Marketing: Advantages and Disadvantages, ResearchGate, May 23, 2014.
[10]Jackson Kushner, The role of social media during a pandemic, Online Community & Social Media Management Software, Khoros, Mar 25, 2020