n March 2020, when the South in the Cape Argus and Cape Times, Implications for mental health COVID-19 MEDIA SENSATION IN A African government announced with articles consistently including Researchers, the United Nations Ia lockdown to curb the spread of the infection, recovery and fatality and the World Health Organization COVID-19, members of the media rates. However, in the Daily Voice have stressed the likelihood that TIME OF HEIGHTENED were deemed to be providers of (a tabloid), stories of recovery were the COVID-19 pandemic may have a an essential service. In part, this vastly overshadowed by reports of negative effect on individual mental was due to their role in helping fatalities and infections. Readers health and cause a long-term upsurge ANXIETY: to communicate information on were constantly confronted with in mental-health disorders. An Communicating COVID-19 to the public. Media stories of COVID-19-related deaths over-emphasis on negative aspects Analysing reports in three reports would inevitably help shape and increased infections in different of the virus, particularly during the and frame people’s perceptions of settings (e.g. schools, police stations, lockdown period, may be distressing the pandemic and the government’s hospitals) across the Western Cape, for audiences and predispose them Western Cape newspapers disaster-management interventions possibly to highlight the rapid spread to several mental-health problems. — and, importantly, perhaps also the of the virus. Phrases such as the Emerging literature on addressing public’s willingness to comply with “deadly coronavirus”, “killer virus”, Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in , the media has been influential in sharing the mental-health impact of lockdown restrictions. “grim reality” and “the pandemic COVID-19 on the general population information around personal protection and curbing the spread of the pandemic. The is far from over” were common. While confined to their homes and is still limited, but Ravi Philip public was bombarded with sometimes conflicting messages about the pandemic, with Readers were also reminded of the prevented from mingling in their Rajkumar of India’s Jawaharlal collapsing health system in the wake an initial focus on death, economic collapse and violence. Dane H. Isaacs, Catherine communities, South Africans relied Institute of Postgraduate Medical of the pandemic, and the soon to be heavily on radio, television, online Education and Research warns Ndinda, Mudzunga Neluheni, Thanduxolo L. Hlatshwayo and Gobuamang Setswake looked overpopulated cemeteries. news platforms and social media to that the volatility of the pandemic, at some of these news reports in the Western Cape. stay abreast of matters. This took uncertainty about its progression COVID-19 and the collapsing place while facing fears around and effects, the seriousness of the economy contracting the virus and losing their disease, misinformation and social Another recurring theme was the livelihoods, since most businesses isolation are some of the key factors negative impact of COVID-19 on had to close their doors. contributing to heightened distress the South African economy. The and mental-health disorders. Researchers across the globe had three newspapers were heavily started warning about the risk of populated with reports on current and The language and content of Cape mental-health problems increasing predicted increased inflation rates, Town media reports may have had during lockdown. Have media reports retrenchments, salary reductions, the desired effect of causing alarm, — with their typical focus on the job losses, small and large fear and shock, but the dominant more sensational and newsworthy business closures, and temporary sensationalist messaging around aspects of events — been fuelling or permanent closures of iconic death (especially in the tabloid press) this risk? Multiple studies have entertainment venues in could have a negative impact on linked social media use to increased (such as the Baxter Theatre Centre of mental health among readers facing mental-health problems, but few the ) due to an already stressful scenario. have explained the impact that diminished funding. Also extensively The HSRC researchers recommend representations in the news media covered was the Democratic that media houses forge partnerships may have on an individual’s mental Alliance’s call for an end to the with researchers and academics to health. lockdown period, for fear of South ensure that readers are presented Africa’s economy collapsing. HSRC researchers conducted a with a comprehensive and balanced brief analysis of representations perspective of the pandemic. Violence and COVID-19 of COVID-19 in three prominent Moreover, in the interest of Violence was another key focus of newspapers in the Western Cape, supporting morale among the public, the media reports in this analysis. At the Daily Voice, Cape Argus and Cape newspaper articles should include the beginning of lockdown, media Times. This focused on coverage relevant details of where readers may attention shifted to the looting and from April to May 2020. At the access psychosocial support during vandalism at Shoprite stores in time of writing in June 2020, the lockdown. Langa, Gatesville and , Western Cape was the epicentre of as well as violent protests for food Author: Dane H. Isaacs, PhD intern in the the pandemic, recording the highest parcels in Tafelsig, . HSRC’s Human and Social Capabilities (HSC) infection and fatality rates in South division As lockdown progressed, police and Africa. Three themes emerged from military brutality, as well as gang- Contributors: Dr Catherine Ndinda, Mudzunga the analysis, as outlined below. related violence and murders on the Neluheni, Thanduxolo L. Hlatshwayo and Gobuamang E. Setswake, also from the HSC , became the focus. Many COVID-19 as a death sentence division of these stories appeared on the Across the three newspapers, the front pages, especially in the Daily [email protected] fatality rate of the virus was the most Voice. common issue reported. A more balanced narrative was presented Photo: StockSnap from Pixabay

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