THE MEDIA and COVID-19 (Weekly Newsletter of the Institute for Media and Society, Nigeria) Issue 1 - Friday, May 15, 2020 “Infodemics” Behind Misinformation, Disinformation on Covid-19, Says IMS Executive Director, Akingbulu Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director, Institute for Dr Benson Oluigbo, Executive Director of CLEEN Mr Lanre Arogundade, Director, International Press Media and Society, IMS. Foundation. Centre, IPC. he Executive Director Institute for Media crisis situation and during crisis truth was Some of the fake news relate to what and Society, Dr Akin Akingbulu has always the first casualty. medications can help and the law of Tblamed what he termed “infodemics” for survival is driving some to believe in just the prevalence of misinformation and He added that many Nigerians are anything. disinformation as the world battles the witnessing this kind of pandemic for the CAOVID-19 Pandemic. first in many years after the flu pandemic “For example, one would have expected of 1918-20, hence the panic surrounding health communication experts to be part In a tweetchat organized by CLEEN Covid -19. of and central to the operations of the Foundation on Friday, May 15, with the topic: Presidential task force on Covid-19,” he Curbing Misinformation and Disinformation on He said, “Covid-19 and panic reaction to said Covid-19: The Role of The Media, Dr it have thus fuelled all kind of opinions Akingbulu, who was one of the panelists, and theories including conspiracy ones. On her part, a broadcaster, Affie Bassey noted that loads of information, much of which agreed that a kind of global infodemic is false, ascendancy of citizen communication has emerged as a result of the need for and vested interests were among the factors information. “So people just share and that have led to prevalence of false news. Covid-19 and panic reaction forward whatever info they receive “to it have thus fuelled all kind without verification.” He added that foreign actors, also, who have diverse interests to protect and polarization in of opinions and theories She further pointed out that the system, contribute to the twin evil of including conspiracy ones. government's non-response to issues at misinformation and disinformation. Some of the fake news relate the right time may also be a contributing factor. According to Akingbulu in his tweet: to what medications can “Infodemic: loads of information, much of help and the law of survival is “Addressing issues that concerns the which is false. Ascendancy of citizen driving some to believe in just nation on time, no matter how minute it communication, pre-eminence of vested may seem, is one important way of interests and foreign actors also, who have anything. For example one quelling fake news.” She said, adding, diverse interests to protect: Some kind of would have expected health “one of the driving factors I'd say is not polarization in our system. People come from enough information given out by those various backgrounds with positions to guard communication experts to be who are responsible for giving out and project.” part of and central to the accurate information. In my work operations of the Presidential producing content for Radio and TV Another panelist and Director of the stations, one of the hardest tasks is International Press Centre, IPC, Mr Lanre task force on Covid-19. getting people”. Arogundade said Covid-19 pandemic was a ” INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Journalists' Safety on the Frontlines; Inside Media Business; Policy and Regulation - Page 1 - Journalist Safety On The Frontlines Imo Suspends Journalist For Demanding Three Months Unpaid Salaries. Katsina he Imo State Government has ordered the indefinite suspension of a senior editor with the T Imo Broadcasting Corporation, Mrs Ottih Kano Vivian, who had earlier been queried for reportedly complaining of non-payment of her salaries and that of her colleagues. Kaduna Bauchi Ottih, had on May 4 taken to her Facebook wall to post her plea publicly to the state government to pay her colleagues and herself their over three months salaries. Abuja Acting Director-General of IBC, Mrs Osuchukwu S.O issued her a query, after which the government directed that she be suspended indefinitely. DSS Detains, Releases Imo JOURNALISTS: Journalist On Bail Bayelsa With Covid-19 Issues aint Miepano Onitsha, a Bayelsa state based Safety Issues news blogger has been granted bail by the S Department of State Security, DSS after he was arrested over the a publication of false news on the collapse of the alleged N7 billion Isolation Centre located at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja in Kogi discharged from University of Abuja State. Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Isolation Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had Onitsha, owner of the naijalive.com was arrested on Centre, Abuja, where he had undergone said at the previous days' daily briefing of the Sunday for publication of the reports the DSS treatment for coronavirus infection. Dokpesi Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in the considered was targeted to tarnish the image of the w a s d i s c h a r g e d w i t h t w o o f h i s nation's capital that: State Governor, Gov. Yahaya Bello. grandchildren. “The THISDAY Dome treatment centre, a Chairman of DAAR Communication, project of the Coalition Against COVID-19 Raymond Dokpesi Jr, who had earlier tested (CACOVID) is complete and ready for Journalists Tests Positive For positive for the virus and was treated at the commissioning on Tuesday. This centre is Gwagwalada Isolation Center, Abuja, has fully self-contained, coming with a PCR Coronavirus been discharged. Laboratory, a fully equipped ICU and an incinerator. This over 270-bed facility adds a ournalists as frontline staff reporting the tremendous boost to the FCT capacity and activities surrounding Covid-19 are falling capabilities.” J victim to the virus. On Tuesday, Nasir THISDAY Dome COVID-19 Ibrahim, a journalist working with Abubakar Rimi The Secretary to the Government of the Television, Kano tested positive for COVID-19, Testing, Tracing, Treatment Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, lauded the alongside his wife. Centre Inaugurated private sector-driven initiative powered by THISDAY Media & Technology Group and Nasir Ibrahim reportedly said he developed the the Sahara Group. symptoms following an official engagement with a former media aide to President Umaru Yar’Adua, The treatment centre is fitted with foundation Rabiu Musa, in Kano. wards and ICU centre complete with ventilators, X-ray and dialysis. Mr Musa died from coronavirus symptoms while awaiting his test result on May 2. Mr Ibrahim Others facilities include 54 gene testing voluntarily submitted himself for testing after mobile lab complete with reagents, and a suspecting that he may have been exposed to scalable ability to perform 200-1,000 tests COVID-19. per day. The center is capable of accommodating about 360 patients with Also in Bauchi State, a radio journalist, whose potential to hold up to 500 patients, with name the committee on COVID-19, headed by further needs. Deputy Governor, Bala Tela, refused to disclose to the press, tested positive for the virus on In addition, it would boast of a rapid tracing Saturday. Mr Tela said the journalist has been App for COVID-19 contact tracing as well as taken to the isolation centre. HISDAY Dome Testing, Tracing and 98-room hotel and conference centre for Treatment Centre situated at the medical staff for six months. Meanwhile, a Journalist based in Kaduna, Ayinde T Central Business District in Abuja Saoga, who also tested positive for the virus, has was on Tuesday commissioned by the The project is endorsed by the PTF on been treated and discharged from hospital. Secretary to the Government of the COVID-19, the Federal Capital Territory Federation, Boss Mustapha, who also Administration (FCTA), Federal Ministry of Also, founder of DAAR Communications, Plc doubles as Chairman of the Presidential Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Chief Raymond Dokpesi was on Thursday Task Force on Covid1-9. (NCDC) and CBN. - Page 2 - Inside Media Business COVID-19 IMPACT MEDIA HOUSES efault in payment of salaries and delay by the management. For the allowances of staff predated Covid-19 crisis For their counterparts in TVC, “there have Vanguard, “ there has not been any Din some media houses. The situation has been issues before now as regards salary improvement. The company has only paid however become complicated with virtually all the payment as they (management) claimed weekly transport claims a few times, but major media houses unable to meet their normal money isn't coming in as much but we were salaries remain unpaid. The backlog is now obligations. While the media houses are yet to still getting paid. But since April, there has six months. officially unveil their next move, practitioners are been a wage slash of 25% for those earning “Many people are ready to leave if only they restless as they are beginning to sees signs of N100,000 and above. 20% for those earning will get paid. The NUJ and NUPPRO have incoming job loss or work without pay. The distress between N70,000 and N100000, 15% for been engaging management to no avail.” cuts across the print, electronic, online and those earning between N30,000 and broadcast media. N70,000 and for those below N30,000 Though under the same ownership, there's no cut.” THISDAY newspaper and Arise TV have According to Media Career, staff of these different treatment for staff of both organisations expressed uncertainty about their AIT paid staff N30,000 across board for the organizations. The newspaper paid future and seemed prepared for the worse. current salaries. This excluded past salaries. December salary in March.