Informing the Public about the Dangers of a Pandemic. Early COVID-19 Coverage by News Organizations in Kazakhstan

Abstract

The global pandemic of the coronavirus COVID-19 has hampered the work of Kazakhstani media. A significant part of news organizations were forced to change priorities in their usual activities, while journalists themselves felt the negative consequences of the pandemic. The purpose of the study is to study the work of news organizations to inform the public about the dangers of a new type of coronavirus. The main idea of the scientific article is to present the results of a study of the impact of the pandemic on the activities of Kazakhstani media from March to August 2020. The work used quantitative and qualitative research methods: the survey method of editors of television, radio, print and online publications and the method of in-depth interviews with chief editors. The main results showed that in the first six months of the pandemic and the restrictive measures introduced in this regard, media employees and managers faced obstacles in obtaining reliable information about the coronavirus from government sources, had problems accessing the necessary information, felt pressure from the authorities and fought against fakes in social networks. Despite this, the domestic media tried to cover the problem from all sides. At the same time, full-fledged coverage with a qualitative analysis based on verified information and the opinion of compe tent experts has acquired particular importance against the backdrop of various rumors and fakes about the coronavirus. The findings of the study indicate that journalists independently chose sources and tone, but were subject to self-censorship in their coverage of the pandemic. The value of this scientific work lies in the fact that it can help increase the professionalism and responsibility of journalists in covering both global and local crises, as well as move the government towards greater transparency and more complete disclosure of information to the press and citizens during crises. The practical significance of the study lies in the analysis of the activities of news organizations in the pandemic. The results of scientific work can be used in the research and practice of journalists and media leaders. Key words: News organizations, priorities, COVID-19 pandemic, self-censorship.